Winter Mist's warning sets us free of this smothering cave. I want to leap up and fly! But something in her eyes holds me in my place. I stare back at her, fearless of any secrets she may find with those searching sidhe-lights. I have nothing to hide from one who is now my kindred.

"What ARE you?" I hear a voice in my head. "Ah! I see."

The feeling passes as suddenly as it came. The pressing sensation lifts. I breathe again. I spread my wings.

As soon as Nion gives the word, my Night Raven and I rush to escape. Then something snags me back.

Winter Mist is staying? I stumble over my own feet. Hadaig catches me from falling. We are at the very threshold of the cave. We can see the sky. I stop.

"She's staying!" I hiss. "Why?"

'Daig's exasperation clouds his joyous face. His voice is choked with impatience. "There were no riders, Baine. It matters not. We move on without her. Nion has plans for us!"

"But Sean -" Wistfully I look back into the cave. Keu's large arm is laden with sacks of loot. Nion scuttles alongside him. Sean does not come out, neither does Winter Mist.

"He'll catch up with us. He always does."

"We're bound together by some sort of thread," I mumble, only half aware of what I'm saying. "I can feel it pulling -"

"Feel this then!" growls Hadaig and jerks me by the arm out of the cave and into the sunshine.

Under the clear blue sky, the strange forebodings turn to mere shadows. Sunshine streams down and warms my dark head. We hurry to the horses. Keu and Nion split off in opposite directions without a word. Hadaig and I look at each other and smile, stunned for a moment by the sight of ourselves in the light of day. He reaches to caress my cheek just as my fingers go to the curving corner of his lips.

"We have all day to ourselves," he murmurs. "We can find a hiding place."

"As long as its not in a cave!" I laugh and throw myself into his arms.