Chapter 4
Wilona, still in storm petrel form, hurried from the cave ahead of Brodie and the selkie males. When she took off, flying low over the sand, panic bombarded her. The shifting was imminent. Frantically, she searched for a hiding place among the massive rocks jutting from the beach.
Abruptly, her body transformed to human, and she slammed painfully onto the sand.
Forcing herself to suppress the yell of pain, she cringed and opened her eyes a crack.
Fortunately, she had been out of sight. The icy ocean wind chilled her bare skin.
She gritted her teeth, trying to stop them from chattering.
Her magical abilities had grown weaker since Gavin and Torr had destroyed their curses.
Damn them. She did not even have enough strength to make herself invisible right now.
The need to dispatch them all gored her. And she would. She simply had not yet devised a new plan, but Talnaroch would be a part of it.
Having rested for several minutes, she grew stronger and peered around the massive stone. Where were the men? Brodie turned to face her. She drew back. Had he seen her?
Rattled, she whispered the spell, shifted into the storm petrel again, and flew from her hiding place.
Rising over the sea, she sailed east toward the mainland, determined to arrive at Talnaroch's castle on the shore.
After the last raid, she had followed him and his men to a derelict castle called Dunrhyne and eavesdropped on them.
Now, she was already growing tired but hoped she could make it the few remaining miles to the castle before she shifted to human again, otherwise she might drop into the ocean and drown. Or 'haps she would have enough strength to transform into a fish. But then a seabird or shark might eat her.
When the charcoal gray, crumbling stones of Dunrhyne came into view in the distance, Wilona was relieved. She had visited this place a few times as she'd made her plans. The castle appeared deserted today.
Her late husband's brother, the current MacRae clan chief, had stolen everything from her, including her home at Raeglen, claiming it was the clan's property, not her dower castle. Anyway, she would have a watertight roof over her head soon.
If all else failed, she would spend the winter here. Even though the castle was in a terrible state, it retained a few rooms in good repair with roofs over them and fireplaces. Did the earl own it? He must, or 'haps he was renting it. He came and went when he pleased.
He and his soldiers had only snagged a few selkie wenches during the last raid. They would be eager for more. When she'd eavesdropped on them, they'd mentioned returning in a fortnight, and that time was rapidly approaching.
She alighted on the battlements and scurried through the fragmented door into the tower room, relieved that the shifting had held off until now.
Once in her naked human form again, she shivered in the icy wind.
She had stockpiled clothing here, which she had stolen from Farspag Tower along with other castles and manor houses in the area. That entire process had been challenging and time consuming. But she needed the wool garments, especially as the autumn weather had grown so cold.
She'd found some of the clothing hanging outside, drying in the wind.
For others, she'd had to shift into multiple animals, slip inside the bedchambers and drop the garments out the windows.
Then put them on in human form, make herself invisible, and walk away with them.
She'd almost gotten caught a few times. She had also taken some jeweled pendants and brooches.
After all, she must dress to a high standard.
Finding a finely woven, thick cloak had been especially difficult, but she'd obtained one at Farspag, probably Brodie's mother's new one.
Who had gotten the blame for stealing it?
One of the servants? Wilona laughed as she pulled a smock over her head, then belted the wool plaid arisaid.
Boots that fit her perfectly had also been difficult to locate, but she'd stolen some right off a lady's feet while she'd slept, riding in a carriage.
Would Talnaroch remember Wilona from the time she'd helped him lure a bonnie lass into his bed? She'd heard he'd sent the wench back to her clan. Mayhap 'twas a bad memory for him, and he might be annoyed with her over it. Hmm. Maybe 'twould be better if he couldn't remember her.
Eager for more magical spells, Wilona had visited the old crone, Dolag, high in the mountains a few weeks ago, her third time studying the ancient books.
The old woman was a helpful mentor. This time, Wilona had learned three new spells, including the incantation to make others forget things.
She had not experimented with it yet. Dolag had told her the spell might take considerable effort to maintain the forgetfulness and could drain her just as shifting into a large animal did.
Wilona descended the spiral tower steps and strode through the castle again.
Even though she had visited a few times, she had never stayed here overnight.
She had already figured out which rooms the earl used and which ones were ruined, closed off, and ignored.
She might use one of these for a few nights if the chimney still worked.
Finding a bedchamber to her liking, she wrapped up in her cloak and lay on the bed. All the sifting and flying had worn her out.
The pounding of dozens of horses' hooves woke her. The room was dim. Was it evening? She must have slept for hours. After pushing herself up, she rushed to the window and peered out through the wavy glass. She could not see clearly, but the man in front did indeed resemble Talnaroch.
She glamoured her hair into a beautiful style and smoothed her hands down over her finely woven plaid arisaid, hoping she appeared aristocratic and influential enough. He must take her seriously. While she waited, she practiced the words of the forgetting spell.
Footsteps and male voices echoed from the great hall as they entered.
Making herself invisible with the whispered spell, she quietly descended the spiral stone steps.
At the bottom, she hid beneath the stairs just in case her strength suddenly waned and the invisibility wore off.
The earl drank whisky and paced near the fireplace as he muttered and talked to another man, his second in command or a guard. A different man was building a fire.
She breathed the forgetting incantation too low for the men to hear.
"What the hell was that?" Talnaroch demanded, swiping at the top of his perfectly coiffed head.
"What?" The other man stared at him wide-eyed.
Talnaroch looked at his hand. "Bird droppings!"
"Oh, hell!" The other man's gaze searched the rafters of the high ceiling. "I see nay birds, m'laird."
After taking out a handkerchief, the earl wiped at his hair and then his hand.
Still invisible, Wilona slipped to the entry, pushed the door open, and turned. Making herself visible as she stood in the open door. She entered, and when the door slammed, the men's gazes swung to her.
Talnaroch frowned. "Who are you, and how did you get past my guards?"
"I walked." She curtsied, then moved forward. "Do you remember me, Laird Talnaroch?"
"Nay. Who are you?" He tossed the soiled handkerchief away.
"Lady Wilona MacRae. My husband and son were chiefs of the MacRae clan."
Grunting, he inclined his head a fraction. "I remember your husband but nay you."
Oh, good. The spell and that dallop on his head must have worked. She smiled. "Could we speak in private?"
He eyed her suspiciously. "Why?"
"I have a business proposal."
"I'll wait over here," the guard said, then moved toward the door.
"I'm listening. Whisky?" The earl lifted the bottle, then poured a dram into a glass.
"Nay, I thank you." She moved closer to him.
"Your clan is from farther east. How did you ken I would be here?" he asked in a surly tone.
"I saw you ride by."
He scowled, clearly perplexed. "What is your business proposal?" He sipped the whisky.
She studied him. Could she trust him? She did not know, but she had to take the risk. She lowered her voice. "The things we speak of must not leave this room."
"Very well." Scrutinizing her, he appeared more intrigued.
"I understand you know where the selkies are."
His brows shot up. "What do you mean?"
She tried to hide her smirking grin. "I would like to partner with you on this venture."
Drawing back, he frowned, then clenched his jaw. "How did you find out about this? Did you pay one of my men for the information?"
Glad she had him rattled, she smiled and shook her head. "Nay. I never reveal my methods, Laird Talnaroch. Anyway, I ken you have the female selkies, and I would like to join forces, so to speak."
"Are you trying to blackmail me?" He slammed the empty glass down on the table but not hard enough to break it.
"Nay, of course not. I wish to help you and be a partner," she said in a conciliatory tone.
He snorted. "How could you possibly help?"
"I can make the females easier for you to capture and keep the males occupied and out of your way."
"Indeed?" Talnaroch crossed his arms over his chest. "How would you accomplish this?"
"I would distract them."
"How?"
"As I already mentioned, I cannot reveal my methods." She was glad he had no inkling about her magical powers. "If I make it easier for you to catch several females, you must pay me half of your earnings."
He chuckled darkly. "'Tis a steep price indeed, m'lady. I must pay my men. How about this... if we don't have to fight any of the male selkies, I'll pay you twenty-five percent of the take?"
"Very well." 'Twas nay what she wanted but was better than nothing. She didn't want to rile him further. He might refuse altogether.
He observed her with curiosity. "How do you plan to incapacitate them?"
"'Tis a secret." She smirked.
"Will you need a galley for transport?"
"I have one. 'Tis close at hand."