Redeeming Vows (10 page)

“West.”

Simple direct answers. If only all her minions would follow Tatiana’s example. She knew most stuttered and rambled out of fear. Little did they know how close to death they came when they couldn’t answer a simple question.

“Who guards the keep?”

“I do not know. My visions only show the family.”

Grainna barged into Tatiana’s mind to see if she lied. Though she had no reason to, Grainna searched anyway. To the girl’s credit, she didn’t flinch with the pain Grainna’s intrusion provoked.

Tatiana’s shoulders slumped, she sighed in relief once Grainna left her mind.

The girl’s appearance improved in the short time she’d been under her thumb. A simple bath and clean clothes worked wonders. The girl had worked hard to disguise her beauty when her uncle was alive. Now, without the threat of rape and abuse, she took better care of herself.

With a wave of her hand, Grainna dismissed the girl. Tatiana hesitated.

“What is it?”

“I…I have a request.”

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“Oh, really?” No one requested anything of her.

They wouldn’t dare.

“Aye.”

“Be quick then.”

“The knight, the one ye call Sampson.”

“What about him?”

“He, he watches me.”

Grainna tilted her chin high. “You mean he lusts after you.”

Tatiana swallowed and held her hands tight to her side.

Funny, the girl feared the man, but not the witch.

“Why should I care?”

Horror flashed and dread filled Tatiana’s aura.

“Please. I beg ye not to let him touch me. I will have no man touch me.”

“Then stop him.”

“How? He is bigger, stronger. How can I stop him?”

Grainna stood and reached her hand out. A dagger from across the room flew to her hand and landed safely in her palm.

“If he comes to you, wait until he is close, then use this to ward him off.”

“What if I kill him? What if he uses the knife on me?” Her face went pale.

“I need all my men. Kill him and I will kill you!

Cut him, make him bleed.” Grainna bent close and whispered her next words. “Cut off his manhood if you must. He will not touch you again.”

Tatiana’s fear slammed into Grainna’s senses.

Warmth spread over her body.

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while a meal was prepared.

He glanced over to where Todd and Duncan were helping erect a tent for the women. The men would sleep under the stars. Thankfully, the weather cooperated with their journey. Then again, perhaps his father helped with the lack of rain. Fin wondered if any of the knights noticed that the journeys with the family were met with perfect accommodations from above. No one said a thing if they did.

Myra laughed at something Todd said. Her smile warmed his heart. She noticed his attention and walked his way.

“What is it you’re smiling about?” she asked.

“Nothing.”

She rolled her eyes, a gesture she picked up from either Lizzy or Tara. “I know you, Fin, better than you know yourself I’d venture. You are smiling for a reason.”

“I’m pleased you’re happy.” He nodded toward her husband. “’Tis good you found each other.”

“So you do approve?”

Fin’s eyes pinched together. “Of course. I like Todd.”

“Considering you introduced yourself to him with your fist, I wondered if you supported our marriage.”

“Yes, well, Todd deserved it.” The man was lucky Fin didn’t do more than blacken his eye. He had taken Myra’s innocence. ’Twas up to him to put the man in his place. Never mind the fact that Myra loved him and hadn’t been forced into his bed. A man should never take advantage of a woman in Myra’s position.

Myra scoffed. “All is right now. Well, mostly.”

Her eyes skimmed toward Lizzy and Simon. Both sat next to the fire and appeared tired from their long ride.

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“Why do you say that?”

“It would be nice to have Grainna behind us.

Then perhaps everyone could settle down.”

Fin forced his gaze from Liz and focused on his sister. “I believe everyone is settling in nicely, considering the circumstances.”

“You think so? I know Simon is comfortable here, among us and in our time. But Lizzy is constantly talking about how her life will be once she returns to the twenty-first century.”

“Without the stones, Liz isn’t able to return.”

Not that he needed to state the obvious, but saying it aloud comforted him. He would deny why, if asked, but Myra spared him that inquisition.

“We’ll find them. And when we do, I think she’ll leave, unless of course, she finds a reason to stay.”

“Her family is here. Isn’t that reason enough?”

“Perhaps.”

Deep in the pit of his stomach, an empty ache started to grow. He pushed the uncomfortable feeling aside and left his sister to assist with the tent.

****

“God, I’m hungry,” Liz said while rubbing her palms over her backside. “And my ass is so sore. I think I may opt to walk tomorrow.”

Tara glanced up from where she sat nursing her son. “Try carrying this one around with you.”

They pulled a small wagon along with them, in which they took turns riding. A small bed lay inside the wagon, giving Briac some time out of Tara’s arms. A sling helped keep him close when she rode her horse.

“I’d be happy to carry him tomorrow,” Liz offered.

“I’ll take you up on it.”

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Liz paced the confines of the tent. The mumbling of voices outside grew to mere whispers when the sound of a flute filled the night.

“Who’s playing?” Tara asked while folding Briac’s sleeping form in a blanket and setting him into his bed.

Liz peeked through the tent. The campfire illuminated the faces of those sitting opposite of where she stood. Whoever played had his back to her. “I can’t tell.”

The musical notes danced in her head, lifting her spirits and bringing a smile to her face. “How can such a simple tune sound so full of life?”

Tara made her way to Liz’s side. “Ever since I traveled in time to get here, I’ve asked myself that question. Life in general is simple here. Survival, family, and love. No one is worried about the ozone layer or how much the price of gas is going up. They don’t care if China is filling the stores with plastic products to undercut the competition.” Tara sighed, placing her head on Liz’s shoulder. The contact warmed her heart. “Every single day of their lives is a gift. They don’t need a rock band blasting from all sides to drown out their internal voices.”

As the musician finished the small audience clapped their approval.

Duncan turned, flute in hand, and smiled at his wife. “Duncan?” Tara and Liz both said together.

“I didn’t know he played.”

“Neither did I,” Tara echoed before stepping out of the tent to join her husband.

Liz stayed behind, wrapped her hands around her suddenly cold arms, and watched. “You’re lucky, sis.” A few scattering clouds filtered over the crescent moon in the star-filled sky. Liz couldn’t remember seeing so many flecks of light. Even at the keep, the 82

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ambient light of lit torches blocked out some of the farthest stars.

Frigid air raced up the back of Liz’s neck, halting her thoughts of stars, the moon, and simple music. In slow motion, she turned into the tent.

Tara’s son moved in his sleep, his chubby cheeks made subtle sucking noises as if still attached to a breast. Behind him, hovering in the corner, was the iridescent ghostly image of Grainna.

“No!” Liz wailed. At the same time, she leapt to Briac. Her feet left the ground as she flew across the room to keep her nephew from harm.

Liz covered Briac with her body while wind blew objects around the tent. Gathering him close, she closed her eyes and lowered her head to avoid a flying cup.

Within seconds, the tent filled with concerned voices, Tara’s among them. “Briac.”

A muffled cry escaped his mouth.

The wind stopped.

Liz opened her eyes. Surprised that she’d closed them. It wasn’t like she could hide from their enemy.

“What happened?” Tara asked, taking her son in her arms.

Duncan stood by her sister. Ian and Lora were at the mouth of the tent. Fin pushed past them with Simon right behind. Every well-placed item in the tent now sat askew. Liz began to shake.

“She was here.”

Duncan drew his sword. “Where?” he bellowed.

Liz motioned to the back of the tent.

Duncan ran past his parents in obvious search for their enemy.

Ian turned to the men who gathered around.

“Search the area,” he ordered. “Report anything you see.” Fin’s deadly stare met Liz before he turned to leave the tent.

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“Wait.” Liz stopped him.

“What is it?”

A few unsteady steps in his direction brought her close enough so she could whisper and avoid anyone’s unwelcome ears. “She appeared like a ghost, Fin.”

His eyes narrowed before he nodded and left her side. “Cian, stay here with the women and Simon.”

“Aye.”

Amber cooed soft words to Briac who now fussed with the rude intrusion of his rest.

“We need to cast a protective circle, like we did at the keep.”

“One that moves with us,” Amber added.

Myra ran into the tent, breathless, her hair mussed with a weed sticking to the side. “What did I miss?”

“Where were you?”

“Ah.” Myra glanced toward her brother and Simon and shook her head. “That isn’t important.

Fin told Todd to come with him. Everyone’s on alert.”

Cian stood before the opening of the tent and closed the flap. “Grainna was here.”

“Which means we need to be a lot more careful.”

Liz shook off her early jitters and started cleaning up the mess Grainna left in her wake.

“Did she say anything?” Tara asked.

Liz shook her head. “No.”

“What did she do?”

Liz swallowed not wanting to upset her sister.

“She—she watched Briac sleeping.”

Tara’s eyes swelled with unshed tears. Liz knew that confession would cost her sister many sleepless nights. As a mother, she’d want to know if her son was in danger. “It’s okay, Tara. I didn’t let her near him.”

Tara bit down on her lip.

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“Cian, look outside and see if anyone is close.

Quickly.” Myra lifted her hand. The candles blown out by Grainna’s presence lit once again. Myra used her gift, elevated the candles with her mind, and set them in a circle.

Cian poked his head back inside. “No one is close. The maids are by the fire attending the food.”

“Hurry.” Myra motioned for the women to join the circle. “Put Briac in the middle.”

“Are you sure?”

“We have to try.”

The women sat. Tara placed her son lovingly down and joined hands with Liz and Amber.

Myra cleared her throat. “In this day and in this hour, we ask the Ancients for this power. Keep this child from harm’s way, every night and every day.

Repel any object and any charm, cast his way which means to harm.”

“Someone’s coming,” Simon whispered.

“If the Ancients will it so, show us proof so we will know.”

The women repeated the words and opened their eyes. Like always, they hovered above the ground.

Briac flailed his tiny hands in the air and giggled.

He hovered two feet above the blanket he’d been laid on. “Hurry,” Cian sent a hurried whisper.

“Ready?” Liz asked.

Tara reached toward her son with her hands still entwined with the others.

“Now.”

The women fell to the ground. Tara’s jerky movement and attempt to catch her son was too late.

Instead of falling, Briac floated peacefully to the soft blanket.

“It worked,” Liz sighed.

“Thank God.”

Fin’s large hand opened the flap of the tent. He 85

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glanced in the room, met Lizzy’s gaze and then pivoted and said. “They’re fine, Logan. Let us find my brother.”

The flap closed before Logan could witness their guilty faces.

Before long, the men returned, reporting nothing out of place.

“None of us should venture anywhere alone,”

Ian reminded them once the camp quieted for the night and the family could gather inside the tent to talk privately.

“We move in pairs already.”

“Not always. We’ve grown lax as of late, seeking privacy for our basic needs.”

Liz would have laughed if the situation wasn’t so shitty. Men from the twenty-first century grumbled when women left in pairs to go to the ladies room. She wasn’t a prude, but at least in her time public restrooms had doors separating the toilets. Lord, did she miss toilets.

Hell, she’d settle for an outhouse.

“We sleep in shifts.” Ian continued to issue orders which none of them countered. “My men will watch the camp, but in here, you ladies need to be aware of Grainna’s presence should she return.”

“I think one of us should be in here at all times.”

Duncan said before glancing down to his sleeping son. “That may raise questions.”

“Forget the questions. I think Duncan is right.”

Fin crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes wandered over the tent covering them. “Grainna could return at any time. The women need their sleep.”

Liz met Fin’s eyes. In them, she saw him waiting for her to protest, to give him and the others a “we can stay awake as easily as you” response.

When she said nothing, his eyes narrowed and a 86

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slight lift in his brow displayed his surprise.

“We are trained to stand watch. The women are not,” Fin said. “I’ll take the first watch.”

“I’ll take the second.” Todd turned to Myra and kissed her quickly before walking from the tent.