Chapter 20 #2
Ruskin entered, eyes rounding. "I was going to help you with that, m'laird."
"I did it well enough." The longer he stayed up, the less the dizziness affected him. When his legs grew weak again, he sat down at the table.
Was what Cat had said about Elsea true? Had the witch forced her to betray him by threatening to murder him? If only Elsea would've told him about the threats beforehand, he could've prevented so much heartache.
Mayhap his curse wouldn't even have taken hold if Elsea hadn't betrayed him.
***
IN HER BEDCHAMBER AT Dunrhyne, Wilona sat back on the chair by the crackling fireplace and gazed into the obsidian keek stane.
She visualized Brodie because she wished to see what he was doing.
He sat at a table in his chamber, talking, but his words made no sense.
She couldn't hear the whole conversation, nor see who he was talking to.
What the devil? Irritation brought her out of her trance.
Then she remembered, months ago, after Gavin's curse was broken, she could no longer observe him in the keek stane.
Now, Torr's curse was broken, and he had been at Farspag.
She deduced Brodie was talking to Torr, but Torr's part of the conversation was blocked out. He was shielded from her.
She cursed under her breath. If both Torr and Gavin were at Farspag, and Brodie incapacitated, how might she enter Farspag and kill all three of them in one blow?
Would she be able to harm Gavin and Torr, or did their broken curses create a ward that protected them?
Could she convince someone else to do it?
The thudding of approaching horses' hooves reached Wilona's ears.
Making herself invisible, she descended the steps and listened.
Talnaroch's voice echoed as he raged outside.
Evidently, he had just learned the female selkies were gone.
She had tried her best to prevent their rescue once she'd learned what was happening.
She had slept through the first half of it, for she'd been exhausted.
Once the selkies had reached the shore, no one could've stopped their escape into the sea.
All the earl had to do was go and recapture them. She would help.
She must talk to him, but she couldn't let him find out she was staying here.
Invisible, she proceeded outside and waited for him to enter. He was in a fit of temper and red-faced.
She had to admit he was an attractive young man who was also ambitious. 'Haps she should create a youthful glamour for herself and have a rendezvous with him in the bedchamber.
She smirked.
Nay, she just wanted the money she'd earned, but the daft man kept losing the merchandise. He still had a few selkie females hidden away somewhere. Why didn't he auction them off?
She must ask him.
She waited a quarter hour, until he'd calmed down a bit, then entered through the front door, making herself visible.
"You again!" Talnaroch glared at her as he stood by the huge fireplace, drinking whisky. "You promised to help with this job."
"I did, m'laird." Wilona curtsied.
"Ha! Most of my men are dead or severely injured. The rest disappeared. The only ones who were unharmed were inside the keep, unaware the selkie bastards were here, stealing the wenches back. You did nay keep your end of the bargain."
She narrowed her eyes and tamped down her temper. "I most certainly did. You are the one who could nay hold on to them."
"You said my men would meet with no resistance and that you would keep MacCain distracted. Three of my men were killed and several injured on the island."
"'Tis nay my fault MacCain is a skilled fighter. I kept the females in human form and bound them for you. I disarmed the males and tied most of them up. Your men had naught to do but carry the wenches to the galleys."
"The bastards capsized one of my galleys and destroyed it! Men drowned. I had so many losses." He combed his fingers through his disheveled hair. "I have to buy more galleys. All the booty from that raid is gone, so you get naught."
Damn the man. She did her part. He would regret this.
She forced a faux, submissive smile. "As you wish, m'laird.
" She would take what she wanted when he wasn't looking.
She should not be blamed for his men's pathetic fighting and guarding skills.
The battle had been with selkies, and everyone kenned they couldn't fight.
At least, they hadn't been able to before Brodie had trained them.
"I'll have to return to the island for another raid," Talnaroch grumbled.
"When? I'll help."
"I have nay need of your help. I was able to capture them far more easily before you showed up!"
She lifted a brow. He was not cutting her out of this deal.
"I've sent several of my most reliable men out to hire more warriors to man my new galleys. As soon as they have a full crew, they'll bring the galleys here."
"That sounds like a wonderful plan, m'laird."
"Of course it is," he snapped. He paced, raking his fingers through his hair again. "My men will capture all the females. Every last one of them! And I'll find my missing bride!"
"Bride?" Wilona asked. "Congratulations, m'laird. I did nay ken you were getting married. Who is the lucky lass?"
"Lady Elsea MacAuley."
Wilona burst out laughing. Did Brodie know this? Did the earl know Elsea was at Brodie's home?
"What do you find so amusing?" the earl snarled.
So many things. She bit her lip, attempting to squelch her amusement. "She used to be MacCain's betrothed."
The earl scowled. "Aye. What of it?"
"She's at Farspag now, with MacCain. I thought mayhap they had reconciled and wed."
The earl's face flushed scarlet. "Nay!" His shout rattled the windows.