“I am the Lord of the Sun, the Lord of Fire. I am the Lightbringer. And I lead the Fae.”

“Then I fail to see why my presence is such a terrible insult,” Selena snapped.

“The wiccanfae have no place among us—and they have no place in Tir Alainn.”

“Then you should leave.”

Lucian stared at her until her control frayed to the breaking point.

“I am Fae,” Selena said, “and I am a Daughter of the House of Gaian. So that would make me one of the wiccanfae. But if I am wiccanfae, Lord of Fire, what did you think you are?”

“What?”

“Fire is a branch of the Great Mother. It isn’t a Fae gift. The only way you could command fire is if you’re a descendant of at least one person who was from the House of Gaian.”

“You lie!” Lucian shouted. “I. Am. Fae!”

“Wiccanfae,” Selena shouted back. “You can’t be pure Fae and have the power you have. No Lord of Fire can have that power and be anything but wiccanfae. What did you think you were?” She shook her head and turned enough to look at Gwynith, feeling a pang of regret that she couldn’t ease into the truth as she’d intended when she’d asked the Ladies of the Moon, the bards, and storytellers to gather. “What did you think you were?”

Gwynith stared at her.

Selena pointed a finger at Gwynith. “Earth.” She pointed to the other Ladies of the Moon. “Water. Water. Air. Air. Earth. Water. Air.” She looked at Gwynith again. “Did you think I couldn’t feel what branch anchors you? That I wouldn’t be able to tell?”

“You’re bluffing,” Lucian snarled. “You’re just trying to justify taking Dianna’s place.”

She turned back to face him. “I don’t have to justify anything, Lightbringer. Least of all to you.”

He raised his hand. “You need to learn who you’re dealing with.”

“I’m connected to the Mother in ways you will never be. So don’t play fire games with me unless you want to see Tir Alainn burn.”

Lucian paled, but his eyes still flashed with temper. “You’re not in your world anymore. There’s nothing you can do in Tir Alainn.”

“Really?”

She flung out one hand, giving earth the temper building inside her.

A moment later, a clap of thunder boomed overhead. The ground shook. The Clan house shook. Someone screamed.

The land ripped apart, zigzagging as if following a lightning bolt.

Selena poured more of her power into the land, holding it now, giving it strength to fight against the first lash of power she’d flung out.

The rip continued, speeding through the land, becoming narrower and narrower until it ended as a crack between Lucian’s and Selena’s feet.