The Pillars Of The World

saw, but it was the sadness in his eyes that worried her. “You met her?”
    “Last night.”
    It was obvious he was holding something back. And it was equally obvious, to her, that he wanted—
    needed — to talk.
    “What happened?” Besides what you’d expect to have happen at the Summer Moon .
    “She gave me a fancy—a piece of sugar candy with some love magic added to it.”
    Dianna clenched her teeth. Maybe Falco was right after all.
    “After assuring me that the magic wasn’t binding on me , she promised me the affection of her body from the full moon to the dark, swearing that promise by the Lord of the Sun and the Lady of the Moon.” He smiled ruefully. “I was in my other form when she made that promise.”
    Dianna’s mouth fell open. “She promised herself to a horse?”

    The sadness in his eyes deepened. “She gave that promise to a horse because she didn’t want to give it to a man.”
    “But. . . But she gave that promise to you .” Watching him, she suddenly understood the sadness and decided to push. At another time she would have discouraged any interest he might have in a human female, but not now. There was no certainty they would see another Summer Moon, so why not take whatever pleasure could be wrung from each day? “She gave it to you, Lucian, whatever form you were in.”
    “She gave it to a horse.”
    “She made the bargain with you,” Dianna insisted. “And if you want—” She choked for a moment. How could Lucian want one of those females enough to be distressed like this? “If you want the bargain fulfilled, that is your right.”
    “What happened to all the feminine anger toward men who offer nothing but their rods?”
    That was different. They hadn’t been talking about her brother then. But that did explain why the talk had disturbed him.
    “If there was love magic involved, some man was going to have the use of her, isn’t that so?” Seeing him flinch, she regretted saying it that way, but kept pushing. “So why shouldn’t it be you?”
    She felt his anger rising, and knew from past experience he would become completely stubborn and not give in no matter what he wanted.
    “Why are you denying yourself this pleasure?” she demanded.
    “Because she has no choice!” he shouted.
    “Can’t you give her one?” she shouted back.
    Lucian stared at her.
    “Can’t you give her one?” she asked again quietly. She gave him a mischievous smile. “Perhaps she would find the man as interesting as the horse if she had the chance to decide. But if she doesn’t ... if she truly doesn’t want a lover, you could walk away, couldn’t you?”
    “I—” His body relaxed a bit. “Yes, I could. But I can’t just knock on the door . . .”
    That’s exactly what you want to do . “A traveler, needing shelter, wouldn’t be refused hospitality. And nothing says you have to come empty-handed.”
    Lucian’s eyes narrowed. “Why would I be needing shelter?”
    “From the rain, of course.”
    “I’m going to get wet?”
    Dianna smiled sweetly. “Soaked. I suggest you bring an extra set of clothes in your saddlebags.”
    His smile came slowly, but it was warm and real. He kissed her cheek, then left her.
    Alone, Dianna wandered back to the table that held the fruit and cakes, but had no appetite for any of it.

    More of the roads through the Veil had closed. More of the Clans had disappeared because of whatever was devouring Tir Alainn. And they were no closer to finding a way to stop it. No other information had been passed on to Lyrra or Aiden about the wiccanfae and their dark magic, and the only scrap of information that a bard had recently passed on to Aiden about the Pillars of the World implied that, at some time, they had been connected somehow to the House of Gaian. Which didn’t help at all since the House of Gaian had disappeared so long ago and neither Lyrra nor Aiden had any clue about what the Pillars of the World were, let alone where to find them.
    There was nothing she could do about Tir Alainn right now, but there was something she could do to help her brother get the pleasure he sought.
    Dianna left the room. The Fae had long ago lost the ability to command the elements, but with some effort, she thought they could produce a brief storm around a certain cottage.
     

 

     
     

Chapter Eight

 

     
     

     
    Ari winced as heavy thunder rolled over the cottage and the first fat drops of rain hit the windows.
    Hurrying into her bedroom,