Page 104 of Bond of a Bewitched Highlander

"I regret it, and I pray you can forgive me," Cat said.

Elsea nodded. "Of course. 'Tis in the past. I had thought the guard handsome. He caught my fancy for a brief time because I was lonely and he showed me undue attention. After the incident, my brother sent him away, and I was glad."

"I know not to meddle now." Cat appeared contrite. "At least not to that extreme."

"Did Brodie tell you the witch has been giving me nightmares?"

Cat's eyes widened. "Nay! What sort of nightmares."

"She's threatened to kill Brodie and me if I do not leave here."

"Saints! She will never give up. We're here to help. I wager Gavin and Dani are on their way, too. All banded together, how can we fail?"

"The men will nay allow us to help." Elsea wrung her hands. "Still, I pray none of you will be hurt."

"We'll be fine. We've tangled with the witch before plenty of times. Besides, Finnian's here, and he's skilled with magic. Hopefully, the scratches on his hand will heal soon."

Elsea nodded. "While I was in the cave on the island, I believe she placed two curses on me."

Cat gasped.

"Thankfully, both have released me."

"What were they?"

"My memories after my eighteenth birthday vanished, along with my voice. At first, we thought it resulted from the head injury, but then in the nightmare, Wilona told me I could speak. And so I did. She only removed it because she wanted me to tell Brodie to take me home."

"And your memories?"

Elsea could not tell Cat they'd returned after Brodie kissed her. No one must know of that, and especially not what happened in the cave. It had meant naught. Had it? He still hated her. But she did not hate him. Nay, she had never stopped loving him. Mayhap that was why the kiss had broken the memory curse.

"Elsea?" Cat eyed her curiously, drawing her from the woolgathering.

"My memories returned... suddenly, after I awoke from one of those nightmares."

"I ken why she wants you away from Brodie," Cat said. "'Tis because love and trust will break the curse."

"Aye, well, no danger of that happening, especially since I'm betrothed to Talnaroch."

Cat's mouth dropped open. "Why would you agree to such a thing?"

"My brother signed the betrothal contract without my knowledge. I was pretending interest in Talnaroch so I could get close to him and spy because of the selkie abductions." Elsea explained how he had come to Kincreag to ask her brother for her hand.

"Since you helped a lot of the selkies escape, surely Brodie kens you're on his side," Cat said.

"We're allies, so to speak, but he has no trust for me."

Cat rose and paced. "I'll have a word with him."

"Nay, I beg of you, do not."

"Surely, you do nay plan to marry Talnaroch, in truth." Cat scowled.

"Of course not, and I won't. 'Tis a ruse."

"Who will you marry, then?"

Elsea paused for a long moment, emptiness expanding inside her. "No one."