The Pillars Of The World

of their tradition.”
    “Unless the man is Fae,” another man said a bit maliciously.
    “That’s another thing,” Falco said. “Any time there’s a child and a marriage doesn’t take place, we get blamed for the child.”
    “Of course, the blaming is unjust, isn’t it?” Lyrra said, the sweetness in her voice warring with the sharpness in her eyes. “After all, it couldn’t be true, could it?”
    Out of the corner of her eye, Dianna noticed Lucian stiffen, then watched his shoulders sag. She knew he hadn’t filled a human woman with his child. She knew it. So why had he reacted that way?
    “I think,” Aiden said, carefully setting his harp aside, “that it’s the custom of gifting that has taken the . . .
    charm . . . out of these encounters.”
    “That’s it exactly,” Falco said, jumping in. “The moment you approach a woman, it’s ‘give me gold, give me silver, give me jewels, give me beauty, gimme gimme gimme.’ Which wouldn’t be so bad if what they were offering in return was worth the cost.”
    “So you take what you want and give nothing but your rod in return?” Dianna asked softly, feeling her temper chill. “I’m surprised you can convince any woman to take that bargain.”
    Falco’s eyes widened. He looked at the Huntress and the Muse, who were now standing side by side. “I didn’t mean Fae women!”
    Aiden winced.
    At least there’s one male here who isn’t going to wonder why he’s receiving a cold welcome , Dianna thought.
    “As I was saying,” Aiden began, giving Falco a warning look, “there was a time when a man would leave a token after spending the night with a woman, a small gift to please her. It was a male custom, not a female expectation. Do you see the difference?” He waited until Lyrra nodded. “Perhaps that was the Bard’s failing some time in the past; there’s a song about the jewels a lover brings his lady because she won’t accept him without them. Now, a song isn’t enough unless a bag of gold comes with it. And when you’re with that woman, you can tell she’s thinking about how to spend the gold, and if she thinks of you at all, it’s to wonder how much longer you’ll be at it.” He reached for his harp. “That doesn’t excuse our own failings, but, perhaps, it explains why we so often disappoint—and are disappointed.”
    An awkward silence filled the room until Falco broke it. “That wasn’t what I meant. It’s the way these humans approach the Fae that offends me. And we’re partly to blame.” He waved an arm to encompass everyone in the room. “We’ve been tolerant of these . . . creatures ... for far too long. They don’t ask for our help, they demand it—as if they have any right to the magic we wield. They don’t approach us respectfully anymore. They act as if they’re our equals . They need some fear in their puny lives. That’s what they need. Why, just the other day, one of those females, the one who lives in that cottage near the sea, greeted me. ‘Blessings of the day to you, brother hawk’,” he mimicked nastily.
    “If you were in your other from, she couldn’t have known to greet you any other way,” Lyrra said dryly.
    Falco waved that comment away. “If she hadn’t at least suspected, she wouldn’t have given me any greeting at all. Humans never recognize any of the Mother’s other children.”
    “If she gave you greeting, it was sincerely meant.”
    Dianna looked at her brother. It was the first time Lucian had spoken, the first indication that he had been listening at all.
    “It was insolent and disrespectful,” Falco argued. He paused, then added darkly, “I’ve a mind to go back to that cottage and rake my talons across that creature’s face.”
    Lucian turned away from the window and faced Falco. “ Leave her alone .”
    Silence.
    Don’t be a fool, Falco , Dianna thought. Remember to whom you speak . . . and take care .
    Falco looked away. “I beg your pardon, Lucian. It was just talk. I meant nothing by it.”
    No one moved until Lucian turned back to the window. Then all of them, except Dianna, crept out of the room. Putting her cup on the nearest table, she warily approached her brother.
    “It was just talk, Lucian,” she said, hesitating a moment before resting a hand on his arm. “You know how Falco can be at times. And if this female really did—”
    “She meant no harm,” he snapped.
    Dianna studied his face. She didn’t understand the anger and frustration she