I glowered back. Well, that answered my questions about his heritage. The power receded, chilled by his blatant reminder of the law that governed our different kind.
Ailish hadn’t made a sound yet, not even a whimper when he’d struck her. She shifted and slowly pushed to her feet. I stood as well, brushing dirt and pebbles from my hands. “Don’t worry yourself, Eanin,” she said meekly. “Calhoun knows what be best.”
I had to bite my tongue to keep from yelling. How could she just give in to him so easily? And why did I even care? They were the same blood. They deserved each other.
Calhoun chuckled. “That I do, me lass. Now get inside and don’t let me hear another word. If’n we work the horses, we’ll be home by sundown.” He strode off toward the front of the caravan. “Paddy’ll be pleased as pie to see us...” The rest of his words trailed off as he climbed to the driver’s box.
Ailish scrambled up the steps to the door. “Wait here,” she told me, ducking inside.
I hardly had time to breathe before a saddlebag hit me square in the chest. “Take this.” My arms moved instinctively, and she jumped to the ground, holding two ratty mushroom-brown capes and a burlap sack.
“What are you doing?” I asked, dumbfounded by the series of actions.
“Running away.” She slammed the door closed, louder than necessary, and flipped the latch in place.
My mouth fell open with surprise. “But...but—”
“Hush up afore he hears us.”
A whistle cut through the air, followed by the snap of a whip across the horses’ backs. The caravan rolled away, slow at first, then picking up speed. I didn’t move a muscle, just watched until it vanished into the fog.
Chapter Ten
The Barest Form of Life
Another minute passed before the sound of pounding hooves and spinning wheels faded to nothing. Silence settled around me, and I blinked several times, hardly believing the sudden turn of events. Heavens above! I was free of that horrid man, free to find Henry and my friends, free to save Nora from Cailleach’s wretch...
My thoughts slammed to a halt. “What were you thinking?” I demanded.
Ailish inhaled a deep breath of misty air, releasing it with a look of pure joy. “That it be a fine time to leave Calhoun.” She drew another breath, then eyed my waist. “Take off that rope, will you.”
My fingers worked over the knot, and I tossed it to her. Stuffing it into the burlap sack, she passed one of the brown capes to me. “We’ve two hours’ lead if’n we be lucky.” Offering no further comment, she swung the other woolen cape around her skinny shoulders and started along the road in the same direction as the caravan.
“Where are you going?” I asked, hurrying to catch up. Her pace didn’t waver, and after a handful of steps, the fog thinned enough to reveal that we were approaching a crossroads.
“Thought you said we be for Wexford.”
I stopped dead, nearly dropping the saddlebags. “Oh, no, no, no. I never said we were going to Wexford.”
Ailish stopped as well, confusion tugging at her brow. “Have you decided on another town?”
“You don’t understand.”
“Ahh, I see what you’re thinking.” She tapped her temple with one finger, her hazel eyes sparking with excitement. “You want to throw Calhoun off our scent by taking another way. That be a clever head you got there.”
“That’s not at all—”
She held up a hand to interrupt me. “Give me a moment to think on the details.” Ambling the few steps into the crossroads, she turned a wide circle as though inspecting the various routes. I followed her movements, turning a smaller circle while she spoke. “Some roads be more dangerous than others this time o’ year. The bandits we can manage, but there’s no cure for the rivers and mud. Dublin be a fair hike, but we can make it in a week. Faster yet if’n a cart goes by to give us a lift.”
“You’ve got it wrong, Ailish. My destination hasn’t changed. I’m still going to Wexford, not we. There was never any we involved in this.”
A moment of silence passed between us, and her face grew deadly serious. “There you be wrong, Selah.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, knowing perfectly well that I was knee-deep in right.
“‘Twas we the very minute you stepped foot on the Sea Witch. Calhoun crossed our fates, and like it or not, we still be twined together.”
I snorted a laugh. “That’s absurd. We could never be entwined.”
Moving the sack to the crook of one arm, she planted a stubborn fist on her hip. “Are you always so blind to the truth, or just when you’re lost in the fog?”