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around her. “Don’t move.”
    “They can’t swim the channel, can they?”
    “They’re dogs, not dolphins. Still, I’d rather they didn’t see us. If they see the boat, they might think we went north.”
    They sat very still for some time, huddled against the spray of the sea. Mairead’s legs grew stiff and numb, and her hands ached. One foot started to cramp and tingle. At last, Connor let out a long breath and took his arm away from her. “I think they’ve given up. Come on.” He stood.
    She straightened from her crouch and shook feeling back into her leg. “This is Culidar?”
    “Yes. There’s a cave nearby where we can spend the night.”
    “A cave? They say the Nar Sidhe use the caves of Culidar for their fertility rites.” She grimaced at the high pitch of her voice. You squeak like a frightened mouse, she scolded herself. But if the Brae Sidh aren’t myth, what else is real?
    “The Nar Sidhe don’t venture to this part of Culidar,” Connor said. He swung the bundles over his shoulder and pointed. “That’s where we’re going.”
    Connor began to climb, and she followed. The slick, stiff soles of her shoes made it difficult to get traction on the wet rocks, and she tripped on her dress several times. Once, she caught herself on a sharp rock and hissed.
    He turned back. “Are you all right?”
    Tears stung her eyes at the pain, but she fought them back. He already thinks I’m weak. She regained her balance and lifted her hand. “I cut myself.” Blood glinted off her palm and the rock in the faint light.
    He pulled a kerchief from the pocket of his jerkin and tied it around her hand. “This will have to do until we get to the cave. It’s going to hurt to climb. Can you do it?”
    I don’t know. “Yes.”
    It was slow going without the full use of one hand. By the time she reached the large opening in the cliff face, her other hand and both knees were bloodied, and her teeth chattered with damp cold.
    Connor unrolled two blankets and gestured to one. “Sit. Let me see your hand.”
    She held it out. He opened his hand next to hers, and a small blue flame appeared on his palm. “How do you do that?”
    “Magic.”
    “But what—”
    “It’s a useful trick. The Sidh use palmlight instead of torches or lanterns. They don’t like fire.” He examined her hand in the blue light. “It’s not bad—long, but not deep. I’ll dress it.”
    “Thank you.”
    He gave her a terse nod and dressed the cut with some ointment from his pack. “I’ll check it again in the morning. You should rest. We have a long walk come daylight. I’ll keep watch.”
    Her teeth chattered and she pulled her cloak tighter. “A-all r-right.”
    “Are you that cold?”
    She nodded.
    “I don’t want to build a fire. The wood here is wet, and your enemies might see the fire or smoke from the docks.”
    “It’s all right. I’ll w-warm up in a f-few m-minutes.” But her teeth chattered still, and she ached with the cold.
    He sighed and lowered his head in resignation. When he lifted it, he motioned to her to move, picked up the blankets, and crawled further into the cave. He lay one blanket down across the rocks, sat down, and beckoned her over. “You’ll be warmer if you sleep next to me.”
    She hesitated. “Sleep next to you?”
    “Until you’re warm. I’ll give you my blanket.”
    “I don’t have a guardian now.”
    “I have nothing improper in mind. I’m not cold and you are, and I’ll not be saddled with a sickly woman at the beginning of a long journey.”
    The promise of warmth tempted her, but she shook her head and crawled to a dry place near the cave wall. “I’ll warm up.”
    “As you wish. But I won’t slow down for you if you get sick.” He tossed her his blanket. “At least use both blankets.”
    She yawned, succumbing to exhaustion as she pulled the second blanket over herself. “Why aren’t you cold?”
    He crawled to the cave entrance and sat down with his back to her. “I