Page 24 of Bond of a Bewitched Highlander

While the men were distracted on shore, she ran toward the beached galley, threw her leg over the starboard side, then heaved herself on. She retreated to the back, hid beneath the thwart, and covered herself with a loose, lowered sail made of thick wool and smelling of fish and salt water. In this westerly wind, they would be using oars instead of sails.

Within moments, the men shoved the galley from the shore into the water, then boarded.

She would not attempt to stop them, for 'twould do her no good. She would see where they were taking their captives while keeping herself hidden. Or mayhap she could free the women.

She had sailed on lochs before, many times, but only once at sea. The severe rocking of the galley upon the rough waves brought on queasiness. She prayed she would not retch and give away her hiding place. They would toss her overboard into the cold water for a certainty. Although she used to swim in the loch near Kincreag, she wore too many clothes and weapons for swimming now. The weight would drag her to the bottom.

They were underway now, the galley pitching to and fro. Nausea welling, she held on to the rough, splintered wood of the thwart, so she wouldn't be thrown about, and to the loose sail, so it would keep her concealed.

The rowers' rhythmic bass lorram, a song used to keep their rowing coordinated, only increased her dread and seasickness. She tried to devise a better plan of action, something to hinder their efforts. Ideas spun through her mind, but none seemed attainable.

A while later, waves crashed around them and slammed against the galley, spraying water. They had to be nearing a shore. The rowers dropped their wooden oars with thunks against the hull, leapt off, and splashed into the surf. They dragged the galley ashore amid muted, hushed orders.

The bastards were skulking on to the island, trying to catch the selkies unawares. Even if she disembarked now, she had no way to warn the unsuspecting women, for the miscreants were well ahead of her.

Slowly pushing the sail aside, in case anyone watched, she peered out, but darkness hid everything.

Had they left anyone to guard the birlinns?

Thankful now that the boat was still, she slowly inched from her hiding place and peered toward the shore. All was dark except for a lone torch and a man guarding each boat, their backs to her. Farther along the beach, a hoard of men carried torches and swords as they charged toward their destination.

When she thought of the poor selkie women being ripped from their homes and families, her nausea returned and tears filled her eyes.

***

WILONA MACRAE, IN BAT form, hung from the cave's ceiling in the gloom and observed the selkies below, including Brodie, eating their fish supper and speaking quietly.

'Twas almost time to disrupt their peace, and she looked forward to it.

Where the devil was Talnaroch? He needed to get his arse here, to the island, and start grabbing wenches. Considering their beauty, they would fetch a pretty penny. With profound eagerness, she looked forward to receiving a quarter of his profits in exchange for helping him. She would relish this job, for she had made detailed plans and memorized the spells.

Flying deeper into the cave, she found a hidden, empty back cavern—one of many—and alighted on the ground. She thought of the spell which transformed her back into human form, then in a low voice, she uttered the vanishing spell. After glancing down to make certain her nude body was invisible, she crept from the back cavern and paused in the opening.

They were attractive, but primitive. All of them wore sporrans or pouches on their belts where they kept their sealskins while they were in human form. A sealskin was a thin, lightweight garment that went on like a second skin. Once they donned these garments, their bodies magically transformed into seals.

Obviously, Talnaroch wanted to kidnap the females in human form, and he wouldn't want them to transform again after capture. The only way to make sure they didn't shift was to steal their sealskins.

The last time Talnaroch and his men had abducted a few of them, she'd been watching. They'd caught the selkies off guard while they were sleeping in the wee hours of the morn. The selkies had been unable to fight off the humans. Some of the males had been injured. But now, they were more prepared, thanks to Brodie's meddling.

She glared at him where he sat conversing with the males on the other side of the fire. He was too noble for his own good.

A guard burst in and shouted, "They're here!"

Brodie and the selkie warriors leapt up and armed themselves by grabbing swords, targes, and dirks.

"Put on your sealskins and go into the water," Brodie told the females before he sprinted after the warriors.

The women rushed from the cave, unbuckling their belts, throwing off their clothing, and opening the pouches on their belts.

Wilona murmured her special seizing spell, which took possession of the sealskins and yanked them from the selkies' hands. The delicate, dark sealskins floated upward out of their reach, and the wind blew them away, up into the craggy cliffs and gnarled, thorny bushes over the caves.

The lasses shrieked and cried out.

Wilona murmured the binding spell while throwing a pebble at each wench. The pebbles turned into thin, strong ropes that bound their wrists and ankles. Most fell to their knees and attempted to untie each other, but they were unsuccessful.

Wilona grinned, wishing Talnaroch and his warriors would hurry and nab them. But first, she must impede the male selkies.

Naked, shivering, and still invisible, she held a handful of pebbles and trotted along the beach after the selkie fighters. They dashed toward the earl's approaching men. Catching up to one, she threw a pebble at his leg. The thin rope wrapped around both his ankles, and he toppled forward, face plowing into the sand. She laughed, then murmured the seizing spell again, yanking the sword from his hand.