Startled into a jump when all the torches in the hallway lit by themselves, Talorac thought about his situation. Deoord, Boann, and Ia hadn’t said anything about taking items from what must be the treasury of these people. By everything he held sacred, he ought to have told Deirdre no. No, we're not stealing from these people I'm trying to make an alliance with. No, I'm not following you deep down into unfamiliar territory.

But he also knew he was not going to tell her any of those no’s. He wanted to help her. He wanted to be with her, no matter what harebrained scheme she was following.

"If she's so powerful, why does she need your help?" asked the rational part of his brain.

"Doesn't matter," he told it. "I've made up my mind."

So he and Deirdre and the seven other druids took everything out of that room and stacked it in the invisible hallway outside the door with the three stone locks that took the three brooch keys.

"Shouldna we take it ootside?" Talorac asked as Kael piled crates into Talorac's arms.

"Young Talorac, we can all get intae this hallway, but only ... only Deirdre can get intae that room. Nay, we shall stack it in this hallway and then later on, send someone tae retrieve it."

At last it was all stacked and Deirdre turned to the other druids and made an odd face as if apologizing for something he didn't understand.

"Thank ye for yer help. I will disguise us all now sae that we may leave this place. Although Talorac knows better than I what sort o reception ye wull get among his people, ye are welcome tae travel with us, sae far as I ken." She looked his way and raised her eyebrows with a question.

He opened his arms to the druids in a gesture of welcome.

"Ye will be made welcome if ye choose tae join oor clan. We already hae three druids, perhaps ye ken them? Deoord, Boann, and Ia hae been oor clan’s druids my whole life."

Seeing the amused expressions on their faces, he took a settling breath and let it out.

"Aye, I ken my life has na been that long compared tae others, but I am in training tae take my brother’s place as chieftain ower ten clans someday, should the need arise, and I am privy tae many things. I would be a good ally for ye, and I ken that Deoord, Boann, and Ia would welcome ye. They are fair and good, unlike one druid we used tae hae, Nechtan, who attacked breth's wife Jaelle afore they were marrit, nearly killing her. Ken that Breth’s respect for the druids doesna go sae far that he did na seek retribution against Nechtan. The man has breathed his last."

It didn't surprise Talorac that Kael addressed his answer to Deirdre.

"Thank ye for the offer. Howsoever, we wull go with ye nay farther than the verra first broch."

Deirdre nodded, squeezing Talorac's hand for an undetermined reason. She'd taken it suddenly while he was speaking, and he felt immediately calm and accepting of Kael's decision. Tal knew Deirdre probably had something to do with this, but he didn't really care what the other druids did, and so he didn't fight it.

"Verra well," said Deirdre, "Link up hands and let us be on our way. Sae long as we are outside o walls made by man and ye be holding a hand that touches a hand that touches me, I hae enough magic tae conceal us all tae the nearest broch. I can also apply the woad tae us all. We crossed a stream na far from here, on oor way in."

"Aye," Kael nodded. "'Tis far enough away we shouldna be disturbed, yet na sae far that we should be in much danger on the way there."

The other druids nodded as they made their way up a different stone stairway.

But Tal’s mind was in turmoil. He was already befuddled by Deirdre holding his hand. The very thought of her touching his naked body with the woad… He had to stop thinking about that, or he wouldn't be able to follow them up the stairs!

"Gather close," said Deirdre at the top where the torches had not been lit, and they all huddled while she closed her eyes and hummed an unfamiliar tune.

Tal hadn't seen any druid operate this way, but she was from thirteen hundred years in the future. Who knew what could change in thirteen hundred years? Well, apparently the druids did. It was a humbling thought, and he felt his respect for them grow to an incredible degree.

When she finished humming, he didn't feel any different, but then again he hadn't when she hid them for the journey here either.

Their walk to the stream was eerily quiet, with none of them saying anything. But she kept hold of his hand, and that made Tal happy.