The Pillars Of The World

make herself presentable, and whatever made her wary of visitors had nothing to do with the Fae. Besides, I sense no magic here except what flows from the Mother .
    “Blessings of the day to you, Mistress.”
    “Kindly tell your mistress that I am here.” There. That was surely more courtesy than a servant would usually receive.

    The female frowned, looking puzzled. “There’s no one else here, Mistress.”
    Dianna clenched her teeth, then forced herself to smile. She hadn’t gone to this effort just to be thwarted.
    “Then I’ll wait for her.”
    The female’s puzzlement deepened. “I didn’t mean she was away, Mistress. I meant there’s no one else here. This is my cottage.”
    Dianna stared. Lucian had spurned the invitations of every Fae Lady over the past few months only to bed this grubby creature?
    “I’m Ari,” the female said with a dignity still touched by wariness. “Is there something I can do for you, Mistress?”
    What to say now? Dianna looked up at the sky, and let a sigh turn into a smile. So that’s what Lucian had been up to.
    “Mistress?”
    Dianna pointed at the puffy clouds that were taking on the shapes of sheep being chased by a dragon. “It would appear that someone is feeling whimsical.” She slanted a glance at Ari to see what her reaction would be to Lucian’s gift. She was more than startled when Ari turned deathly pale and sagged against the wall.
    “No,” Ari said. “Oh, no .”
    “Whatever is the matter?” Dianna asked sharply. When she got no answer, she scrambled out of the sidesaddle and slid off the mare’s back.
    “I didn’t know,” Ari whispered, staring at the clouds. “I thought it was a game or a dream. I didn’t know.
    ”
    “Know what?” Dianna said, reaching across the wall to grab Ari’s arms. What was wrong with the girl?
    Dianna looked at the sky again. The clouds were already losing their shape. In a few more seconds, there would be nothing to see. “What’s wrong with a bit of whimsy?”
    “Nothing,” Ari said, sounding miserable.
    “Hardly nothing,” Dianna snapped.
    “It’s payment,” Ari snapped back. Temper and pride flashed in her eyes for a moment before she sagged again. “I didn’t ask for payment. I didn’t want payment. I thought it was just a game. I never thought he really would—” She looked at the sky, then grabbed Dianna’s arms, smearing dirt on the sleeves. “Does the sun feel like this elsewhere?”
    Where is elsewhere? Dianna wondered. But now that she considered it ... “It does seem a bit softer here, not quite as hot.”
    Ari moaned softly. Dianna, losing all patience, shook her. “Stop sounding so pathetic.”
    “You don’t understand!”
    “Then we’ll go inside and sit, and you’ll explain.”
    “I can’t.”

    “You will.” Dianna all but dragged Ari over the wall. Taking the reins, she led girl and horse toward the front door.
    “It’s locked. We have to go to the kitchen door.”
    Around the cottage, stopping just long enough to tie the mare to a post near the cow shed, then into the kitchen, with the girl mumbling, “‘Come in and be welcome,” as they crossed the threshold, and on through to the main room.
    “Sit,” Dianna ordered, pushing Ari into a chair. Returning to the kitchen, she looked around, frowning.
    Wine would be good; water would be better than nothing. She didn’t see either. “Where do you keep your water?” she called out.
    “The pump,” was the muttered reply.
    Pump. Mother’s Mercy, she was the Lady of the Moon. What did she know about pumps . . . whatever they were? Even in Tir Alainn, she never made an effort when it came to food or drink. That was for others to do.
    She turned toward the shuffling footsteps. Ari appeared in the kitchen doorway. Dianna didn’t appreciate the sympathetic humor she saw in Ari’s eyes, but it was better than dealing with a shriveling, sniveling female.
    “Pump,” Ari said, stepping up beside Dianna. She grasped the handle of an odd-looking metal object, then moved it up and down a couple of times. Water gushed out. Ari took one of the mugs sitting beside the pump, filled it with water, and handed it to Dianna. She filled another, then made an effort to smile. “
    You probably don’t see much of your kitchen.”
    “No, I don’t.”
    The smile faded. Ari shuffled back to the main room. She sat down in a rocking chair in front of a cold hearth. Dianna took the other chair.
    “Why are you troubled?” Dianna