“What is it? You’re shaking. Here, here, come by the fire.”
“He called me,” Meara managed as Branna rushed around the work counter. “He called my name.”
“Cabhan.” Wrapping an arm around Meara, Branna pulled her to the fire, eased her down into a chair. “At the stables?”
“No, no, the woods. I was coming here. At the place—outside Sorcha’s place. Branna, he called me, and I was going. I wanted to go in, go to him. I wanted it.”
“It’s all right. You’re here.” She brushed her hands over Meara’s cold cheeks, warmed them.
“I wanted it.”
“He’s sly. He makes you want. But you’re here.”
“I might not be but for Roibeard who came out of nowhere to stop me, then Kathel who came as well, and clamped right onto my jacket to pull me back.”
“They love you, as I do.” Branna bent down to lay her cheek to Kathel’s head, to wrap around him for a moment. “I’m going to get you some tea. Don’t argue. You need it, as do I.”
She got Kathel a biscuit first, then stepped outside briefly.
To thank the hawk, Meara thought. To let him know all was well, and he had her gratitude. Branna always acknowledged loyalty.
To give her own thanks, and for comfort, Meara slid off the chair to hug Kathel. “Strong and brave and true,” she whispered. “There’s no better dog in the world than our Kathel.”
“Not a one. Sit down, catch your breath.” Branna busied herself with tea when she came back inside.
“Why would he call me? What would he want with me?”
“You’re one of us.”
“I’ve no magick.”
“Not being a witch doesn’t mean you don’t have magick. You have a heart and a spirit. You’re as strong and brave and true as Kathel.”
?
??I’ve never felt anything like it. It was as if everything else went away, and there was only his voice, and my own terrible need to answer it.”
“I’ll be making you a charm, and you’ll carry it with you always.”
Warm now, Meara shrugged out of her jacket. “You’ve made me charms.”
“I’ll make you another, stronger, more specific, we’ll say.” She brought over the tea. “Now tell me all, as carefully as you can.”
When she had, Meara sat back. “It was only a minute or two I realize now. It all seemed so slow, so dreamlike. Why didn’t he just strike me down?”
“A waste of a comely maid.”
“I haven’t been a maid in some time.” She shuddered again. “And oh, what a terrible thought it is. Worse, I might have been willing.”
“Spellbound isn’t willing. I can only believe he’d have used you if you’d gone through—taken you to another time, used you, and done what he could to turn you.”
“He couldn’t do that with any spell. Not with any.”
“He couldn’t, no, not that. But as you said about Fin, he doesn’t understand family and love.” Branna gripped Meara’s hand, brought it to her cheek. “He’d have hurt you, Meara, and that would have hurt us all. You’ll carry the charm I make you.”
“Of course I will.”
“We’ll need to tell the others. Boyle will need to have more of a care as well. But he has Iona and Fin. You should stay here, with Connor and me.”