“What about the third lass?” he asked.
“Ach.” Tearlag gave him a sour look. “One has the power to fulfill your deepest desires.”
Alex grinned. “Danger, deceit, and deep desires—I’m looking forward to this journey.”
Teàrlag closed her eyes and rocked side to side, making a strange humming sound. Alex often wondered how much of Teàrlag’s performance was for show.
“Ye are a sinner, Alexander Bàn,” she called out. “And the time will come soon when ye will pay for your sins.”
Teàrlag was not the first to make this particular prediction. Alex was almost certain she was merely lecturing him now, as she had since he was a lad.
“What about the gift?” Connor asked.
Teàrlag was silent for so long that Alex thought she might have gone to sleep.
“I see brightness, like a moonbeam,” Teàrlag said, waving her hand in front of her face.
Alex snorted. A moonbeam. Ach, that would be a useful gift. Now, if it was a sword, well, a man could always use another good sword.
“’Tis no a sword,” Teàrlag said, snapping her eyes open. “This is an important gift, and ye must fetch it. Now go!”
They left Ilysa with Teàrlag, who was teaching her the old remedies. Duncan had forbidden his sister from training with the old seer, but Ilysa was one of the few creatures on God’s earth who was not intimidated by him.
“That was even stranger than usual,” Alex said, as soon as they were outside the cottage. “But I hope ye noticed that Teàrlag did not foresee a marriage for me.”
“I want Duncan looking for a wife as well while ye are at the rebel gathering,” Connor said, undeterred.
“He won’t,” Alex said. “Duncan still loves your sister.”
“Moira’s married,” Connor said. “’Tis time Duncan forgot her and found a wife.”
“He won’t.”
“We shall all do what we must to protect the clan,” Connor said.
Connor was sounding more like a chieftain all the time.
“And Alex, ye have a bad habit of attracting women ye shouldn’t,” Connor said. “Try not to make us any new enemies while you’re gone—we have enough to spare already.”
CHAPTER 6
DUART CASTLE, ISLE OF MULL
Glynis pulled the hood of her cloak low over her face as she and her father entered the castle’s courtyard, which was already crowded with guests. The MacNeils of Barra and the Macleans of Duart had a long friendship, and she had been to Duart Castle many times. But this was her first large clan gathering since the end of her marriage.
When the Maclean chieftain saw her father, he broke away from his other guests to greet them. “Chieftain MacNeil, I welcome ye once again to my home.”
Not many people made Glynis uneasy, but Lachlan Cattanach Maclean, otherwise known as Shaggy, was one. She was accustomed to fierce warriors, but Shaggy was unpredictable. In truth, she thought him a little mad.
“I had to leave my wife at home, as she is with child,” Glynis’s father said.
“A wife who does her duty by providing her husband with children,” Shaggy said, “is the only kind of wife worth keeping.”
Glynis wasn’t sure if Shaggy meant to insult her or his current wife, Catherine Campbell.
“As ye can see, I brought Glynis instead,” her father said. “I’m hoping to find her a new husband.”
Glynis ducked her head still lower, though what she wanted to do was kick her father.
