"Riling the faeries is even more dangerous than disturbing dead chieftains," another said.
"And the third place?" Connor asked, though he was beginning to think he should have let her husband hush her.
"The standing stone," she said. "It doesn't hold much magic except at the solstice, and it can be good magic. All the same, most folk avoid it at night."
"It's on a hill that overlooks the sea inlet, not far from the river," Sorely said. "'Tis a good choice."
"Then it's settled. When I raise the clan with the crann tara, we'll meet at the standing stone." Connor let his gaze move from man to man until each of them nodded. Then he signaled for the men to keep their voices down and raised his fist. "We will take the MacLeods by land and by sea!"
All the men in the room raised their fists and repeated the MacDonald motto. "By land and by sea!"
The moment Connor stepped out of the cottage door, he knew something was wrong. The men he had left standing guard appeared unaware of the threat. Connor stood still, listening and staring out into the night. He sensed no movement to his left or to his right.
As he peered out at the dark water, two war galleys made a silent appearance around the jut of land to the south. In the moonlight, he could see the row of shields along the length of the boats, each of which would carry thirty to fifty warriors.
Connor had six men, counting himself.
There were far too many enemy warriors to fight, and Connor could not afford to lose any of his. As he watched, the war galleys turned into the cove, which made it impossible for Connor and his men to reach their own galley and escape by sea.
By now his men had gathered around him.
"Our best chance is to split up and run like hell," Connor said in a hushed voice. "We'll meet back at the castle. Now go!"
As the men ran off, Connor went back inside to warn the others.
"Ye must be silent! MacLeod warriors are landing," he told them. "Everyone, run!"
Connor held the door, urging them to hurry, as he watched the MacLeod galleys glide into shore. The men left quickly, but it seemed to take a lifetime for the woman and her husband to gather their children. Tension thrummed through Connor as he watched the line of children climbing down the ladder from the loft. Jesu, how many did the couple have?
"Get your wife and children out quickly," he called to Malcom. "Hurry! Hurry!"
"Leave him to take care of his own children," Sorely said, pulling at Connor's arm. "Ye must escape. I'll stay at your side."
It seemed unlikely that two galleys full of MacLeod warriors happened upon them. Until Connor knew which man had betrayed him, he was not traveling alone with any of them, not even Sorely.
"Go," Connor said. "I'll find my own way back."
"But - "
"I said go," Connor commanded.
By the time Malcom and his wife had herded the last of the children out the door, Connor heard the thuds of feet running up the hill from the beach.
As he swung the door closed behind them, Connor caught sight of a curly-headed bairn coming down the ladder from the loft. He reached her in three long strides, plucked her off the ladder with one arm, and ran out.
As he rounded the corner of the cottage, he saw the mother running toward him holding a child with each hand. She must have realized she had missed one.
"I have her," Connor told her. "We must get your family hidden now!"
"This way," she said.
They were in plain view, and the MacLeod warriors would reach the top of the hill at any moment. Connor scooped up the child who was lagging behind and holding his mother back, and together they ran for the copse of trees behind the cottage.
Shouts and the sounds of the enemy warriors smashing the family's pots and meager furniture reached Connor's ears as they entered the trees and continued running. On the other side of the small wood, they caught up with Malcom and the other children, who were waiting for them on a well-trod path.
"I'm grateful to ye for helping with my family," the woman said, her voice breathless. "But you're in danger here, Chieftain. Ye must go while ye can."
"I'll wait until you and your bairns are safely hidden," he said. "We're too close to the cottage. They'll