Redeeming Vows (29 page)

One is coming up on you with the arrow. If Todd
has his gun, now would be a good time to use it.

He has it.

Good! Can you see me?
Simon flew in the air and circled the man below.

Yes.

He’s right below me.

Todd scurried next to a tree, closer to their enemy, and hid behind it. Simon watched the others as they closed in on his family.

Hurry.

Todd swiveled from the safety of the tree, aimed his gun, and fired before the other man could react.

The blast in the air resulted in animals scurrying from their resting places, filling the forest with noise.

The man with the arrow flew back, the bullet caught in his shoulder.

Ian let out a warrior cry as a massive man charged him. Swords clashed. Cian held his sword ready to fight, Fin kept his back to his father 253

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watching for the other man.

Simon couldn’t see him. He flew to another perch, searching.

Nothing.

I can’t find the third guy anymore.

What about the one Todd shot?

He’s backing away. Coward.

But from the fierceness of Ian’s fight with the one man who charged, maybe the coward had the right idea.

When Ian’s blade ran through his opponent’s body, and before it fell to the forest floor, Simon heard the man utter, “Praise God!”

Then he saw the missing man, running to the west.

Once the men were out of sight, Simon swooped down, shifted, and said, “They’re gone.”

Ian stood over the body of the dead warrior.

Dressing as he walked closer, Simon stared down at the man. “He was being controlled by her.”

He told him what he heard the man say.

“I heard him, too.” Ian placed a hand on Simon’s shoulder as he spoke. There was no victory in the killing. Only sorrow for the soul lost at Grainna’s hand.

****

From the corner of the tent, Tatiana witnessed the reunion of two members of the family. Their hushed voices and frequent looks dug deep in her soul. Why was she still there? What was Grainna’s plan?

Simon shifted like Grainna.

The thought brought fear, but understanding as well. Grainna feared these people. Their collective power must be greater than hers.

Yet they didn’t wield it to master or control others.

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Cian didn’t look her way. He kept his back to her. She couldn’t send him any blame. It was she who was wrong.

Resting her head in her hands, Tatiana tried not to listen to the others, although with nothing distracting her, she heard much of what they said.

“I spoke with Mom.”

“You’re kidding?”

The newest arrival, Liz, shook her head. “No.

You wouldn’t believe how sad she was. She told me to send her love. Can you believe that?”

Tatiana glanced to the sisters talking. Had they endured a childhood of pain like hers?

“And Dad?”

“Dad’s an asshole. A real twit. You should have heard Mom tell him off.”

The women laughed through what must have been a painful reality. At least they had one parent who cared and each other to turn to.

Their voices lowered, making it difficult to understand their words. Her gaze fell on Finlay, who looked so much like his older brother Duncan that up close they could have come from their mother on the same day of birth.

“Jake told me to give you these.”

“Ammo.”

“He risked his own freedom to help us.”

“Jake was like a brother to me. I’d have done the same for him.”

Tatiana lowered her eyelids, her mind drifted.

She shivered and pressed her aching head into her palms. Cold slammed into her senses. She jumped to her feet, forcing several of the others to jump as well.

Tatiana held her head, nausea rushed from her stomach to her throat. “Nay.”

“What is it?”

She covered her ears with her hands. “Don’t say anymore. I hear ye all.”

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Cian approached her. She cowered away.

“She is in my head. I feel her inside my head.”

As the words tumbled from her lips, the pain splitting her head increased.

Traitor.
Grainna’s word echoed in her mind.

Then she laughed and slipped away.

“Grainna listens?”

Of course, this was her plan. “She’s let me go, but not completely. She reads my thoughts. I know it.” “A spy,” Cian spit the word at her.

“Not by my will.”

“How are we to trust you?” Cian’s hands shook her shoulders forcing her eyes to open and meet his.

“Ye can’t.” She started to cry.

“Damn that witch. We need to find a weakness.”

Liz pushed past Cian and forced him to stop shaking Tatiana.

“Don’t protect her.”

“Knock it off, Cian. Can’t you see the girl is hurting here?”

“He’s right, m’lady. I don’t deserve yer compassion.”

“None of us deserve being led around by Grainna, but the witch finds a way to control all of us.” Light from beyond the tent signaled the rising sun. “She does not control ye.”

“Really? Seems to me we’re all sitting here now because of her.”

The bold woman made sense.

“But it’s time to put an end to her reign.”

“How?”

Tatiana held up her hand. “I beg ye. Say no more in front of me. I cannot control her invasion in here.” She tapped her fingers to her forehead. With careful thought, Tatiana moved around Liz and stared at Cian until he met her gaze. “I have no wish 256

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to deceive any of ye.”

“No. I don’t think you do.” Liz’s vow surprised her. “Nor do I.” This came from Amber.

Only after his sister’s words filled the tent did Cian’s face soften. Mayhap he believed her. She prayed he did.

“Do you know of any weakness?”

Tatiana shook her head. “Wait.”

“What?”

“I think she met with a sword, or bow.”

“What do you mean?” Ian asked.

“She held her arm as if it were wounded before I left. There was a smell, like decay and rotten meat.”

“An arrow,” Simon said. “She took an arrow in her wing. I saw her in the forest after.”

“Was she still in the form of a bird when you saw her?”

“No. But her arm wasn’t right. The arrow was gone, but some of the feathers still stuck out of her arm.”

“How on earth did you get close enough to see that?”

Simon hunched his shoulders. “I wasn’t that close.”

Liz shook her head. “Well, I think we may have found a way to take her out. I’ve been working on a plan.”

Tatiana panicked. “Stop, I beg ye. Say nothing in front of me.”

Ian stepped forward, placed a hand on Liz’s shoulder. “She’s right, lass.” He motioned to the mouth of the tent. “I’ll find a safe place for you to rest.”

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Chapter Twenty-Eight

“Are you sure this is going to work?” Tara asked Liz as she dressed in the white gown she’d arrived in the day before. The eyeliner and glitter she added to her face only hid her identity so well. They would be relying on Ian stirring the clouds and the crowd’s general unease over what she was going to ask them to do to keep her name from anyone’s lips. Well…

that and hovering above them like the angel she was trying to resemble. Who argues with a visitor from heaven? Wait a minute... She did. When Elise appeared to them right before they attempted to bring Grainna down the last time, she’d argued with her. This time would work. It would have to.

“This has to work,” Liz told her sister.

“I can’t believe you can fly.”

“Hover. I hover really well. Not ready to jump off a cliff and risk hitting bottom quite yet.”

“Still freaking awesome if you ask me. I suppose we should have guessed you were the one behind the floating during circle time.” Tara made a couple of air quotes over
circle time
, and then started to laugh.

Liz snickered with her before painting her lips hot pink.

“Geez, Tara, can you believe us?”

“Not really.” Tara ducked behind her and ran a brush though her hair. “You haven’t told me about you and Fin.”

“Oh.” What should she say? To tell her sister she’d slept with Fin would be a waste of words.

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Anyone with eyes could see their relationship had changed. Hell, it had before they even left. Now they were wrapped up in fighting Grainna and not giving much thought of what-ifs.

“What, speechless? You’re never speechless.”

“Pondering my choice of words.”

“Ponder faster. Before Duncan and Todd return.”

What could she say? They’d found comfort in each other’s arms. Had amazing sex, bordering on power struggles. Okay, they were all out wars of the sexes with an amazing end. As a smug expression settled over her face, Liz shook it away.

“Was that wistful?”

“What?”

“Wistful, whimsy, bliss?” Tara nagged her and didn’t let it drop. “Maybe Grainna sending you forward in time was a blessing in disguise? You’re in love with him.”

“Stop right there. Grainna’s lived up to her title as queen witch. Her goal wasn’t to bring Fin and I together, but to tear all of us apart. I’m glad to have found some peace with Mom and to let Dad put the final nail in that coffin. I know I tried, even if he’s the same ass as always.”

“Uh, huh.”

“Uh, huh? What is that, uh, huh?”

“You didn’t deny it.”

No, she didn’t, she mused. How could she? That would be like denying the sky was blue. But God, it was scary. Scary not knowing if Fin felt the same overpowering feeling toward her, scary not having a plan for tomorrow, and scary to consider all the unprotected sex they’d been having and her fertility rate with Simon.

Scary. Scary to the tenth power.

A crackling voice sounded from the walkie-talkie. The bell couldn’t have rang sooner to save her 259

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explanations or lack thereof.

“You girls ready?” The voice belonged to Todd.

“Five minutes,” Tara told him.

Liz pulled a long dark cape over her, hiding her dress, her hair, her twenty-first century makeup.

Tara lifted Briac into her arms and tickled his nose, and smiled at the resulting giggle.

“You can do all this and hold him at the same time?”

“Do I have a choice? I’m not letting one of the maids risk dropping him when the ‘angel’ comes.

Besides, I’m a modern woman. Multi-tasking is my middle name.”

****

“Are you sure she can do this?” Duncan asked Fin as they took their positions.

“She
can
fly.”

“Can she control it?”

“Her stubbornness alone will control it.”

Duncan let his stoic expression slip. Amusement replaced it. “Ye know her well, brother.”

“Verra well.” She’d spun her plan to gather people from each clan to fight against Grainna and the men the witch controlled. Used some of the same tactics Selma used in the future. If Liz were a man, she’d be a warrior with skill and valor. If he were truthful with himself, he’d say she was a warrior now. As Duncan crossed his arms over his chest, he said. “Your life with her will never be easy.”

Fin tossed his head back with bellowing laughter. “Whoever said I wanted easy? I will never be bored with Lizzy.”

“When will you tell the lass that you are to wed?”

“The future truly left no impression on your brain. I will
tell
Elizabeth no such thing.”

Duncan lost his smile. “You do not plan on 260

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letting her go, do you?”

“Don’t be daft. I will
ask
Elizabeth to be by my side.”

“And if she says no?”

Fin lifted a brow, considered his brother’s words.

“Then I will put her over my shoulder and remind her who is stronger.”

“Not easy and never bored.” Duncan slapped a hand to his arm.

Fin agreed.

****

Tatiana sat next to the cooking fire, stirring the pot simmering over it. Ian did not put her in chains, and did not set a guard on her. When she’d asked him why, he’d answered, “I trust ye to do the right thing.”

Why did he have any faith in her? How could he after all she had done? She forced her eyes to the ground, focused on the task of cooking and helping the maids.

Grainna hadn’t forced her way into her head except the one time among the MacCoinnichs. For that, Tatiana was grateful.

She closed her eyes briefly, fatigue washed over her. She couldn’t sleep, afraid of Grainna’s invasion.

“Ye should sleep.”

Cian’s voice brought a skip in her heart. He appeared weary but more rested than she did. He wore his family kilt and mantle, a sword at his side.

His hair was wet, as if he’d recently cleaned it. She smiled, unable to stop herself.

“I cannot,” she told him. “She would find her way inside like weevils to wood.”

“’Tisn’t your fault. I know that now.” He stepped close enough for her to smell the scent of soap on his skin. Clean, innocent, where she was not.

She backed away. “I beg ye do not. We can never be, Cian.”

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He placed a hand on her cheek, stroked her skin.

A sigh escaped her lips, and she allowed herself this one touch.

“My own father sees the good in you. And he hasn’t opened his heart to you like I have.”

Tears drew close, but she pushed them away.

She closed her fingers over his hand and placed a tender kiss to his palm before moving away.

Familiar tingles of awareness exploded inside of her.

A vision in white filled her mind, peace hovered along the angel’s side. Then there was pain, blood.

Then nothing.

“Tatiana? Tatiana?” When her eyes opened, Cian held her. She’s sunk to the ground, one of the maids came to their side.

“I-I am tired.” Although, suddenly she wasn’t.

“Fetch her water, Alice,” Cian ordered.

Once her lips were moistened and Alice returned to her chores, Tatiana spoke. “An angel is coming.”

“What are you speaking of?”

“An angel. I see her. She brings peace with her.”