Tir Alainn - The House Of Gaian - Tir Alainn - The House of Gaian Part 41
Library

Tir Alainn - The House of Gaian Part 41

"She knew what I'd think. What Dianna and I both thought."

Lucian stared at Aiden. "You knew, didn't you? You knew Ari wasn't

dead."

Aiden shook his head. "I suspected. I hoped. But I didn't know for sure."

Lucian took a step to the side. "You knew. All this time, you knew.""I didn't know.""Then how can you be certain now?" Lucian demanded. "Just because she got away from the Black Coats doesn't mean she survived."

"We saw her when-" Uneasy now as he watched anger fill Lucian's eyes, Aiden finished clumsily, "We saw her when we were traveling in the west."

"You saw her, and yet you said nothing until now, sent no messages to me or

Dianna."

"There was no reason to say anything, no reason to send any messages. Ari is happy where she is. She'll never come back to Brightwood."

"My sister was challenged and lost to that cold-blooded bitch because her

power was being drained by having to be the anchor for our Clan's territory-something Ari should have been doing."

"No," Aiden said. "You said you would have let her go."

"Where would she have gone?" Lucian said furiously. "If Morag had gathered that human when Dianna asked her to, Ari would have stayed."

"And she would have died! Neall got her away from the Inquisitors. That'sthe reason she survived." This wasn't right. Where was the grief, the guilt, the regrets that had filled the room a few moments ago? Where was the relief that the woman Lucian cared about had survived?

"So he survived as well. That's something that can be changed, and once Ari

is back at Brightwood-""Lucian, no." Aiden grabbed Lucian's arms. "They're in love, and they're happy, and she's growing fat with their first child. You can't take her away from her husband and home. You said you cared for her. Be glad she's well, Lucian, and let her go."

"Be glad of what?" Lucian snapped, jerking his arms to break Aiden's hold.

"That she let a human fill her belly?"Was that what the anger was about? That Ari had chosen a human over the Lightbringer? "Not a human, Lucian. Neall is Fae. A Lord of the Woods. He has a human face, true enough, but he's Fae."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Where is she?"

Aiden shook his head.

Lucian stared at Aiden. "You went west to find the Hunter, didn't you? You

brought that bitch down on us."

"She would have come regardless. After the Black Coats attacked her Clan, she would have come east to fight them whether I found her or not."

"You wouldn't have stayed long in one place while you were looking for the Hunter. And you would have wanted to stay, at least a day or two, if you'd found Ari first."

Aiden didn't dare say anything. Here was the anger he'd seen over the past

year-the sneering anger that had cost them all so much."The Bretonwood Clan. Isn't that where the Hunter comes from? Yes, I'm sure that's the Clan that was mentioned. Does Bretonwood have a witch to anchor the shining road in the Old Place? A witch who should be living at Brightwood?"

Aiden said nothing.

"Just as well you don't answer. You lied to me, Bard."

"No more than you've lied to me this evening. You used my heart against

me, Lucian. You used our kinship as a weapon. I won't forget that, nor will I

forgive it."

"And I won't forgive your betrayal, Aiden. You should have supported Dianna and me. But that doesn't matter now. Once Ari is back at Brightwood, Dianna will regain her full power, and we'll take care of that usurper who stole her place as the Lady of the Moon." Lucian took a step toward the door.

"No!" Aiden grabbed Lucian's arms.

Heat filled his hands. Searing, staggering heat. He screamed as they burst into flames.

Lucian shoved him. He fell against the bed, scrambled wildly to pull the

covers around his burning hands and smother the flames. He heard Lucian

fling the door open and run down the corridor.

He howled out his anguish, but he couldn't have said if the cry was for the pain in his hands or his heart.

Half-listening to the story Lyrra was telling Morphia, Sheridan, and Morag, Ashk moved closer to the door. Her keen hearing was picking up the sound of male voices-arguing. Who was arguing?

She opened the door a crack. Morphia and Sheridan had the room next to this one, which she was sharing with Morag. Aiden and Lyrra were across

the hall from Morphia and Sheridan.

When Lyrra knocked on the door a little while ago, she said Aiden wanted a little privacy. But the voices were coming from their room. Who was Aiden

talking to? Why not tell Lyrra he wanted to talk to someone instead of implying he wanted some time alone?

Unless he didn't want anyone to know he'd arranged to talk to someone.

And there was only one person she could think of whom Aiden would prefer

to meet in secret.

Her stomach tightened. She turned away from the door. She didn't want to lose her trust in Aiden, not only because she liked him but because the Bard was a strong ally.

Then she heard a scream of pain, heard a door flung open.

Whipping her own door open, she saw Lucian running down the corridor to the staircase.

Hearing an anguished cry, she rushed into the other room, then froze for a

moment when she saw Aiden half sprawled on the bed, a thin curl of smoke

rising from the covers bunched over his hands.

She was across the room, grabbing the pitcher of water, before Lyrra reached the doorway and screamed, "Aiden!"

Lyrra stumbled in her haste to reach Aiden, catching herself before she fell against him. She rested her hands on his shoulders, her eyes full of panic as she stared at the covers hiding his hands.

Ashk tugged at the covers just enough to get past the top layer, then poured the water over the rest. The sheet was charred, but she couldn't see Aiden's hands yet.

Sheridan burst, into the room. "Ashk?""More water. Now!"Gasping, Aiden said, "I'm sorry," over and over."Who did this?" Ashk snapped. "Was it Lucian?"Aiden nodded.Sheridan returned, carrying two water pitchers from other rooms. As Ashk grabbed one from him, she saw Morag standing in the doorway.

"Where is Lucian?" Morag asked.

Ashk bared her teeth. "Who cares where-" She stopped. Stared at Morag.

Then she looked at Aiden. "Does he know about Ari? Does he know where

to find her?"

"I didn't tell him," Aiden gasped. "Only that she was alive. But he guessed ... because I'm traveling with you."