Anne Bishop - The House of Gaian

Finally, Murtagh said, "I would have offered her safe harbor—and anyone she cared to bring with her. And I'll offer it now to any witch looking for a place away from those bastard Black Coats and the Sylvalan barons who have lost their balls— or sold them in order to put more gold in their purses." He looked away for a moment before focusing on Ashk again. "You're the Hunter, aren't you?"

"I am."

"You're gathering the Fae to put a stop to the slaughter?"

"Yes."

Murtagh nodded. "The Hunter rules the woods. The Lord of the Selkies rules the sea. So. How can I and mine help you? Fae whose other form is suited to water are of little use to you on land, but we control the sea around our island, right to the shore of the mainland."

"What do the barons on the coast say about that?" Aiden asked.

Murtagh smiled sharply. "A few years ago, when I first became the Lord of the Selkies, one of the coastal barons came to the island. He wasn't pleased that our boats were fishing the same waters as his villagers since he got a share from every boat as well as what he made from his tenant farmers. Well, he came over and told me that since there was no baron ruling the island, he was taking it for his own. I explained to him that we didn't need a baron, and I would rule my own people. He didn't take kindly to that."

"What did you do?" Ashk asked.

"Sank his ship. We rescued the people on board, but it was close to a fortnight before the baron set foot on ground he could call his own, and he learned a few things about how a baron's power compares to that of a Fae Lord. He drowned a couple of years later. Wasn't my doing, but no one mourned his passing, especially once people found out he'd made a deal with the sea thieves who had been making things difficult for merchant ships. His son was barely old enough to take up the title, but he's done well for his people, and he and I have an understanding that suits us both. So if there are ships coming that need safe harbor, they'll have it." Murtagh paused. "And if there are ships that need to sleep at the bottom of the sea, and their crew with them, I'll see it done."

No one spoke.

Finally, Ashk asked, "Do you still have trouble with sea thieves?"

That sharp smile flashed again. "Not in my waters."

"I would consider it a kindness if you would keep watch for one ship. It's called Sweet Selkie , and Mihail is her captain. If you see her brother safely home, I think he'll oblige you with an introduction to the new witch at Sealand. But I can't tell you about other ships."

"I understand, Hunter. I'm honored to have finally met you . . . and the Gatherer of Souls."

Morag just stared at him before turning and walking away.

"Blessings of the day to you," Ashk said quietly before she, too, walked out of the courtyard.

Aiden took a deep breath, then blew it out slowly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Taihg slump on the bench, as if exhausted. So, his weren't the only nerves stretched by this encounter.

Murtagh watched the courtyard entrance a moment longer before turning to Aiden. "They're a pair, aren't they?"

"Yes," Aiden said softly, "they're a pair." And he wasn't sure he'd sleep easy tonight if he started thinking about the journey he was about to make with two women who embraced Death, each in her own, but equally deadly, way. He gave himself a mental shake. They were exactly what Sylvalan needed for the fight ahead.

"Well, then," Murtagh said.

Aiden shifted his foot and nudged Taihg's boot. The other bard jerked, stared at him blankly for a moment, then jumped to his feet.

"My Clan would be pleased to have you guest with us tonight," Taihg said.

Murtagh smiled and shook his head. "You just want another target available in case either of those two become annoyed about something."

"True," Aiden said, pitching his voice over Taihg's stammered protest. "But if you decide to stay, I can promise you'll hear a new song or two."

Murtagh laughed. "You set a mean bargain, Bard, but it's not one I'll refuse."

Good , Aiden thought, picking up his harp. Of course, he fully intended to hear a few of the songs Murtagh knew, since he suspected many of those "old" songs had never been heard beyond Selkie Island, but there was no reason to mention that.

It hunted. Vicious. Almost mindless. Hungry. It hunted.

She raced through the trees at Bretonwood, desperate to find It before . . .

The rattle of a pony cart's wheels on a forest trail. A baby wailing in fear. She saw Ari looking back, terror turning the young witch's face into an almost unrecognizable mask.

Flesh. Blood. Souls. Food. It hunted.

She ran. Ran and ran and ran. . . and still couldn't find the enemy. How could she get between It and the ponycart if she couldn't find It?

Closer. Closer. It could hear the female's raspy breathing, even over the baby's cries.

She ran faster. The enemy was too close to those she loved. Too close.

A stag hidden among the trees leaped out, landing in the center of the forest trail.

For a moment, she thought he was the old stag, thought this was the memory of that terrible leap that had saved a boy from the nighthunters. But this stag was younger, blue-eyed, the build not yet as mature and powerful as it would one day be, the rack of antlers smaller than the one she remembered.

Food!

The stag charged, fought with antlers and hooves. Screamed in pain as claws sank into shoulder muscles, ripping, tearing. Screamed as sharp teeth pierced the throat, and It gulped the blood gushing from the wound. More. More. It wanted more. Its insatiable hunger always wanted more. First the blood. Then It would devour the soul.

No!

She stood on the forest trail. She couldn't see the enemy. All she could see was the stag crumpled in front of her, dying. She watched as the stag changed back into a man. As the blue eyes dimmed, Neall gasped one word: "Morag."

Gasping for air, Morag flung herself out of bed and stumbled to the window, clawing at the shutters to get them open. She sank to her knees, clinging to the windowsill as she worked to steady her breathing. Her heart pounded in her chest, racing ahead of the fear that threatened to consume her.

It was the third time she'd had this dream. The first time had been the night before she left Bretonwood with Ashk. She'd lain awake the rest of that night, too frightened of what might be waiting for her if she fell asleep again.

The next morning, as they were getting ready to leave Bretonwood, she'd almost asked Morphia if she had sent the dream.

But the Sleep Sister wouldn't have shaped a dream like that and sent it to someone she cared about, and certainly not to her own sister.

Unless it was a true dream, a warning of danger.

But how could she protect Neall and Ari when she didn't know what the enemy looked like? How could she recognize what she couldn't see?

Feeling brittle, Morag pushed herself to her feet, then staggered over to the wash basin. She poured water into the basin, dipped her hands into the soothing coolness, and splashed her face. When she felt steadier, she straightened up, letting the water drip down her face and neck.

After that first time, she had almost convinced herself that it had been nothing more than a bad dream conjured up from the depths of her mind and cobbled together with images of some of the frightful things she'd seen since the Inquisitors came to Sylvalan last summer. If it had come to her only that one night, she might have dismissed it as nothing more than that. But. . . three times. No, she couldn't dismiss a dream that returned to haunt her.

So. Danger was coming. Something that terrified Ari. Something that would kill Neall if she couldn't stop it. But there was the babe in the ponycart to consider. Ari still had several more weeks before the babe was due. There was time to continue the journey with Ashk and give the Hunter whatever help she could before she turned back and returned to Bretonwood.