Tir Alainn - The House Of Gaian - Tir Alainn - The House of Gaian Part 69
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Tir Alainn - The House of Gaian Part 69

"You really expect him to pet a shadow hound? What if he realized who he was petting and got-"

"Excited?"

"Intimidated," Selena said with a different kind of quiver in her voice. "I was going to say intimidated."

"Of course you were. Because there he would be, running his hands through

all that lovely fur, and when he realized who it was, he'd think, 'Oh, my. I'm touching Selena. I'm intimidated.' Phah. On the other hand, if you change back while he's got his hands all over you, it might be more of a thrill than he's ready for, depending on where his hands are at that moment."

Selena just gaped at her.

There, Ashk thought, satisfied, that's got your mind off thoughts of troubling dreams. "Trust a woman married to a baron. They like fur."Selena shoved her hands through her hair. "It wouldn't be fair, just trotting up to him and wagging my tail. Besides, he gets so gentry prim whenever he

thinks about Breanna and Falco being lovers-"

"He's not his sister. And you're not his sister. And if you'd ever noticed the way he looks at you, you'd know he'd jump through a couple of hoops for

the chance to pet you."

Selena sputtered. Muttered. "It's out of the question. I'm sharing a room with my sister."

"He's not sharing a room with anyone."

"This is none of your business."

"I know. It wouldn't be half as entertaining if it was any of my business."

Selena lowered her hands. "Bitch."

Ashk just smiled.

"All right. Let's check on Breanna and Keely first. Then I'll decide what to

do about Baron Liam."

As soon as they walked through the kitchen door and saw Fiona, their humor fled.

"Breanna?" Ashk asked.

Fiona shook her head. "She's asleep, thanks to Morphia. So is Keely. It's

Jean."

Selena's sigh sounded more like a growl. "Now what?"

"I can't find her anywhere."

Two shadow hounds ran through the moonlight. They didn't pause when the

men standing guard over Nuala's grave turned to watch them race past.

Selena wanted to howl with frustration. Fiona was certain the girl wasn't sulking in the house somewhere, but they still spent time searching the more unlikely places-pantry, cold cellar, wine cellar. They would have searched the attic, but that was pointless. The boys were sleeping up there on beds made of straw and blankets. She wasn't in the stables or any of the other outbuildings. It was possible that she'd run off into the woods and couldn't find her way back to the house after dark, but there were Fae keeping watch around the shining road and at least half of them were in their other form so that their sharpened senses would warn them of any kind of enemy approaching. If she was out there, they'd have seen her and brought her back to the house.

If the girl had gone in any other direction in the Old Place, she would have ended up at one of the camps-and they would have brought her back to the house. So that left the bridge that crossed over to the lane on Liam's estate.

Once they were over the bridge, Selena went right, toward Liam's house,

while Ashk moved off to the left.

Too many people. Too many scents. For a moment, Selena thought she'd

found Jean's scent at the edge of the bridge, but there were too many fresher scents over it for her to be certain.

Then Ashk growled, and Selena turned back to follow the other shadow

hound.

They had followed the scent over one field when another scent drifted on the

air. With no warning, Ashk spun around and trotted back the way they'd come. Recognizing that scent, Selena ran to catch up with the Hunter.

When they got close to the bridge, Ashk paused long enough to change

form.

"Why are we walking the rest of the way on two legs?" Selena asked.

"Because I want to warn the men on watch. I'm almost certain the

nighthunters are nesting in that stand of trees on Liam's land. It makes sense.

The Fae patrolling haven't seen them. Probably too many people around.

Too much fire at night. We'll hunt in the morning, and bring Morphia with us."

"Morphia? She's not a hunter."

"No, but her gift is the best defense against nighthunters," Ashk replied as they crossed the bridge. "She can put everything in that stand of trees to

sleep. We can search for the nest and destroy those creatures without being attacked."

"You still won't be certain you'll have found all of them."

"No, but we'll burn the ones we find and the carcasses of their prey. Then if

we catch the scent again, we'll know it's fresh."

"What about Jean?"

Ashk stopped at the end of the bridge. "There are a dozen farms and estates

in that general direction, not to mention camps. Or she could have easily circled around and reached the village." She sighed. "She's not my kin. I can't make the choice." She looked toward the men standing near the grave still glowing with moonlight, then shook her head. "I'll talk to them on the way back." After changing back into her shadow hound form, she trotted off toward the house.

Selena watched Liam, who had been walking toward them, check his stride when he saw Ashk change. Would any man really be comfortable around a woman who could change into a shadow hound?

Memories of her father sitting in his rocking chair by the fire, cuddling her as a puppy. Memories of him walking through the woods with her trotting ahead of him, growling happily when she caught a scent.

Not the same. Not the same at all.

With a pang of regret, she shook her head, changed, and raced after Ashk.

Ashk found Fiona sitting at the small work table in the kitchen. A cup of cold tea was pushed to one side. Her hands cupped a glass of whiskey.

"I made myself a cup of tea," Fiona said, "but I was afraid to drink it."

Ashk sat across from her. "That's understandable." She reached for Fiona's hand. "I'm sorry to force something else on you, but it's a decision I can't make. We found a scent in one of the fields on Liam's estate. I also picked up the scent of nighthunters. I won't send men into those fields in the dark, Fiona. That I won't do. But I'll send pairs of riders out on the roads to the neighboring farms and estates and to the village to find out if anyone has seen her."

"You'd send men out on dark roads for Jean?"

"No. I'd do it for you. For Breanna."

The kitchen door opened. Selena walked in, closed the door, and came to

stand near the table.

Fiona took a long swallow of whiskey. Then she pulled a bundled handkerchief out of her pocket. "After you left, I searched the drawers Jean was given for her clothes. I found this, tucked in the back of one drawer under the camisoles. I can't identify everything she collected during her forays in the woods and through the gardens, but I do recognize foxglove.

So, no, Ashk, I don't want you to send your men out on dark roads to search for Jean. Because Breanna was right. If this is what was in the tea, then Jean did kill Nuala."

Chapter 41.

full moon Ashk doesn't avoid being around the gentry because they're human, Morag thought sourly as Padrick escorted her off the ship. She avoids them so she doesn't have to dress like a ... lady. "I feel-"