Page 73 of Bond of a Bewitched Highlander

Scarth shrugged. "At least two drowned. No one saw the others. When the tide came in, the capsized birlinn smashed onto the rocks near the mainland shore."

"The earl will be furious about his losses and will likely return, seeking revenge," Brodie said, rage striking anew. "You must stay vigilant."

"Aye, we are," Scarth assured him.

"Did you find out why the females did nay shift and why they were so easy to capture?"

"Their sealskins blew away, up into the cliffs and bushes," Harcus growled.

"Blew away?" Brodie frowned. "All of them?"

"Aye, but we climbed up and retrieved them," Ronin said.

"And during the battle, my sword blew away." Daavar scowled.

Brodie remembered he had said that before. "The wind was nay that fierce."

"I ken it, and none of us saw who trussed us up," Daavar continued. "'Twas as if the ropes wrapped around our ankles and wrists of their own accord. 'Twas some manner of sorcery."

Wilona MacRae's face leapt into his mind. "The witch!"

"There's a witch?" Scarth's fierce blue eyes widened.

"Aye, today I learned she's been lurking around for a month or longer. She's the one who cursed me into selkie form."

"Ah."

"Oh, hell," Brodie muttered. "I wager she's helping Talnaroch!"

The males grumbled amongst themselves. "How will we stop them if they have such powerful sorcery?" Scarth asked.

"I know not, as of yet. We'll figure it out. Finnian has a magical keek stane in which he can keep an eye on people. It has proven helpful to me." Brodie had already told Scarth who Finnian was previously. "When I took Lady Elsea to Ròncreag, Finnian saw that I needed help. He sent a few of my clansmen with a galley. Would you agree for him to check in on your tribe from time to time to see if you're being attacked?"

"Aye," Scarth said. "We ken we are not yet a match for a large force of human warriors."

"'Twould be only as long as necessary. I would like you to meet him. He is a wise elder."

Scarth nodded. "We would consider it an honor."

"I will do my best to bring him and Lady Elsea to meet you later today."

"We look forward to it."

***

AFTER ELSEA BROKE HER fast in her chamber, Brodie's mother sent in the lady's maid, Muriel, who was perhaps around thirty summers. She helped Elsea dress in a clean, borrowed arisaid, then styled her hair beautifully in two thick French braids.

Brodie had been gone for hours and 'twas approaching noon. Mayhap he had changed his mind about the trip after their argument. But if he could harness his rage, maybe he would want her to show him where the earl's castle was this day, and she would be ready. She would not allow his insults and mistrust to dishearten her. She knew she was a good person, only trying to help him and the selkies.

Elsea looked into the silver mirror, impressed with how her hair looked. "You're highly skilled, Muriel."

"I thank you, m'lady, but you've always been a stunning beauty. I hope you will forgive me for overstepping my bounds, but his lairdship will nay be able to take his eyes off you."

Elsea's face heated. "Goodness. I hope he will nay look at me at all."

Muriel giggled. "He will. The other maids are saying he is still smitten with you."

"Ha. I doubt that, considering how enraged he was when he left."