Silent Vows (21 page)

Ian’s lips curved slightly.

“Would you like to blacken the other?”

“To serve what purpose?”

“Oh, I don’t know—make you feel better?”

Ian grunted, drank his Scotch. “It might be difficult for you to hit a target with that gun of yours if your vision is blurry.”

“Later, then?”

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Ian laughed. “Maybe.”

They finished their drinks in silence, each coming to terms with the other.

Todd put his glass down and stood to leave, “Are we finished here?”

Ian held him up for a few more minutes. “Sir Blakely...”

“It’s Todd.”

“Nay, while you are here and looking at my daughter the way you do, you are Sir Blakely. I will not have Myra’s virtue questioned or your intentions.” He paused as if waiting for Todd to explain his intentions.

Truth was, Todd wasn’t sure what his intentions were. He was damn happy to be in the same century with Myra again, but beyond that, he hadn’t given it more thought.

Instead of talking of the future, Todd explained where he was at that very minute. “I am not ashamed of my relationship with your daughter, and neither is she from what I can tell.”

“But it will not continue here in this time, the way it did in yours.”

Todd wanted to argue, but thought twice before he opened his mouth. Instead, he nodded his understanding and let himself out.

Myra jumped to her feet when Todd walked into the room.

“Tomorrow will be a busy day.” Ian gave his orders for them both to seek their beds without using the words.

“I will show Todd to his chambers,” Myra stated.

Ian paused and looked at the two of them, pivoted and left the room.

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Silent Vows

Chapter Fifteen

Finally alone, Myra turned to Todd and offered him a smile. She looked different. It wasn’t just because the dress she wore swept the floor when she moved, or how her hair was piled up and folded between materials. It reminded him of a style he’d seen in movies, ones he’d reluctantly watched. No, here she seemed older. No, not older—more confident.

She looked confident because she was on familiar turf. He hadn’t seen this part of her at his home. There she was always uncertain and apprehensive. This was her time, her place, and it showed, from the way she addressed the servants, to how she spoke to her family. This was where Myra MacCoinnich belonged, not in some two bedroom bungalow in Orange County, California, but here, in a castle straight out of a fairytale.

In a castle befitting a Lady.

The tables had turned, and he now felt out of place, unsure of how he should act. Lady Myra MacCoinnich was way out of his league.

“How are you doing?” Myra nodded to the stairs her father had just used. “I pray he didn’t threaten you, did he?”

“Your father is only watching out for you.”

“And this?” She touched the bruise on his face.

“Is this Fin’s work?”

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“Big brothers have a right to defend their sisters.” It was in the
Codebook of Guy
.

“But still...”

“It’s fine. Doesn’t hurt at all,” he lied.

“I missed you.”

He thought of the nights he didn’t sleep after she left. “I missed you, too.”

She moved closer. He pulled away. The hurt expression crossing over her face made him feel like crap. “I think we should get some sleep.” His eyes traveled up the stairs then back to her. The last thing he needed was to add homeless to his list of problems.

A small noise from above reminded them they were being watched. She frowned, looked behind them, then walked him to his room.

****

Duncan and Fin began Todd’s training between trips out of the Keep to investigate Grainna’s whereabouts. Snow dusted the ground, making their task harder. The tracks that once led into the forest were indiscernible, now. Grainna and Steel were nowhere to be seen.

“It’s as if she’s disappeared into thin air.” Todd scrubbed his hand over his face as he walked to the bailey to train with the brothers. “Have all the cottages surrounding the Keep been searched, now?”

Although the brothers never treated him with disrespect, Todd still felt the weight of their disapproval. Forced into the situation as it was, they had little choice but to accept him.

“Aye. We’ve checked and rechecked over the past week to make certain Grainna didn’t occupy them.”

“There’s nothing to do. The villagers were told to report any strangers, especially ones matching the description we gave ‘em.” Fin added.

Todd took a practice swing with the broadsword.

He’d been relieved most of their training happened 182

Silent Vows

in private, away from the other knights. At first, he could hardly hold a sword in one hand, let alone use the thing. Within the first week, he wielded it with some skill, knowing he’d be dead in ten minutes in a true fight.

He grinned to himself as he swirled it over his head, because despite only a little more than a week’s training, he managed to wield it nonetheless.

His introduction to the other knights had been formal and vague. Apparently the MacCoinnich’s men were well versed in the art of looking past the family’s secrets.

Todd caught Myra’s glance out of the corner of his eye. Her cheeks flamed red and his leggings, tight around his thighs, stretched further.

Myra brought her hand up to her neck and fanned her fingers along the long column of her throat. He could almost taste the salt tinged flesh as if he were pressing his lips to her neck.

Duncan growled behind him, forcing Todd’s thoughts to the sword in his hand. He turned in time to block Duncan’s sword in mid-air. Todd ducked, kicked his feet out, and managed to topple his opponent. Duncan was on his feet in seconds forcing Todd to react again.

He knew Myra’s brother saw their brief exchange. Not that a mere look should warrant such force, but it was something he was growing used to dealing with. The only intimacy he’d shared with Myra in over two weeks was no more than a brush of her hand over his.

No one left them alone. If it wasn’t Ian, it was Duncan or Fin coming between them.

His dreams were flooded with images of the two of them together. So much so, that deep in the night when his body woke him up he had to stop himself from going to her.

From being with her.

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What could he offer her? He wasn’t a knight. He had no land or money, no means to support her. And why the hell was he thinking like that?

Damn, he needed to get his head back on straight.

****

Myra suffered, but not silently. She plagued Tara and Lizzy daily about her feelings.

“I can’t stand it,” she told them both. “He’s all sweaty and short of breath, working out there, and I can’t think beyond how I want the same for us both.”

Tara didn’t even try to hold back her laugh.

“You better not even think like that. Your dad would have both your heads if he found you together.”

“Why? It isn’t like he doesn’t know what occurred between us.”

“It isn’t the same,” Liz told her.

“Ma walked in on you and Duncan,” Myra reminded Tara.

“It isn’t the same with a daughter.” Tara held up her hands. “I know, I know, it isn’t fair, but those are the facts.”

“Well, they stink!”

Tara and Liz nodded their agreement as they sat back and watched the men train in the courtyard.

Tara held her belly, where her unborn child grew. Liz watched Simon trying to keep up with Cian, and held her breath every time he picked up a sharp object. Although Myra understood Lizzy’s concern, she was simply too focused on her own misery to worry about someone else’s. She licked her dry lips when her breath caught at the sight of Todd blocking a sword with the shield he held.

****

Todd pulled a long drink from a cup set out by one of the serving maids when Fin granted a break from his training.

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“So, what do you think?” Fin knocked Todd on the back, which had him dripping water on his chin.

The tip of his tongue held a smartass reply, but instead he gave him an honest answer. “You’re kicking my ass.”

“Aye. That I am. And enjoying every minute of it,” Fin replied.

“Don’t count on that lasting, MacCoinnich.”

“You have a lot to learn, Blakely.”

They both smiled at each other and acknowledged the truth.

“What do you have going with Liz?” Todd did his best not to look at the women who made a sport out of watching them.

“Why do you ask that?”

“Come on, the two of you spar like arch-enemies.

Which only means that you are or...”

“Or what?”

“Or you have it bad.”

Fin glanced at the women, and smiled.

Lizzy looked away.

“Nay, I don’t have it bad.” Fin professed.

Todd didn’t believe him for a minute.

****

While the men trained with swords and fists, the women decided to sharpen their Druid gifts to help defeat the enemy.

Alone in Myra’s chambers, the sisters gathered on the bed. Tara removed one of the books she’d asked Myra to bring back with her titled,
Modern
Witch Craft from Ancient Times
.

“I don’t understand the purpose.”

“It’s just a hunch, really,” Tara started to explain. “So little is known about the Druid people in our time.”

“Because we are quiet about our heritage,”

Amber told her.

“Quiet enough for Lizzy and I to be oblivious to 185

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it. What if others from Druid ancestors found ways of channeling their gifts?”

“As in witchcraft?”

“Exactly.”

“Witches aren’t real, Tara,” Liz crossed her legs under the massive skirt.

“How can you say that after all you’ve seen?

Grainna is definitely a witch.”

“And Druid,” Myra added.

“Remember our corny chant back when we were kids?”

“Blood sisters.”

“Well, I’ve already told you how Amber, who we know is an empath, chanted along with me to find me.” Lizzy sat forward, listening. “Go on.”

“Even before all that happened, the day Myra and I mixed our blood, I saw the scissors, the ones we used to prick our fingers with, glow. Somehow, even then I knew something about the chant worked. When Myra left, I knew she’d be back. I felt it deep inside.”

“I did, too,” Amber chimed in.

“How is all this going to help us get rid of Grainna?” Myra asked.

“I’m not sure, but I don’t think a sword will take her down.”

Amber sat up. “Nay, I don’t think so either.”

“And you think ‘sister power’ can? Come on, Tara, you really have watched too much TV,” Lizzy chided.

Myra considered the twenty-first century television and understood Lizzy’s humor.

“What do we have to lose? Reading a couple books and practicing a few chants, spells, or whatever you want to call them, can’t hurt. If it doesn’t work...oh, well. If it does...who knows, it just might save a life like it did with Duncan and me.”

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Myra studied the book over Tara’s shoulder.

Amber snuggled into her side.

“Witchcraft, gifts, powers of premonition. I’m a lost cause.” Liz tossed her hands in the air before Myra could contradict her. “Yeah, I know what I’ve seen with my own eyes. But I haven’t even managed a spark from these fingertips.”

“You haven’t tried,” Myra reminded her.

“Yes, I have. I just can’t do it. Even Simon’s tapping into his gifts.”

“He was so cute when he lit the candle last week.”

Myra agreed with Tara.

“He’s even starting to talk to me in his head.”

“Really?”

Liz shrugged. “He called me into his room the other night. I thought he was yelling, but when I realized no one heard him but me, I thought I’d go check on him.”

“Did he do it on purpose?”

“I think so. Ever since Grainna kidnapped him, he’s been a little more needy.”

“I’ve never heard of a parent and son connection.

My father and mother, and Tara and Duncan connect, but only because of their vows. Can you speak with him? Or is it one way?” Myra wasn’t sure what to make of it.

“Both, sometimes. We connected because of the trauma of Grainna’s attack. At least that’s what Fin thinks. I tend to believe him.”

“Having someone poking around in your mind isn’t always a good thing, Lizzy. I love Duncan, but sometimes having him in my head can be a real pain in the ass.”

Lizzy laughed. “I don’t think Simon has clued in to any real ‘private’ thoughts.”

“What thoughts?” Amber remained silent until that moment. Myra realized they weren’t being very 187

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careful around someone so young.

“Nothing,” she changed the subject. “What does that book say?”

Going along with her suggestion, Tara pointed to the page in the book. “It talks here about casting a circle for protection.”

“The stones are placed in a circle,” Amber reminded them.

“A circle of fire kept Grainna imprisoned right before I sent her back.”

Myra wiggled up off the bed. “Should we try it?”

Tara added to the overall excitement. “Let’s use the candles.”

Myra and Tara took candles from around the room and set them in the middle of the floor. “Now what?”

“We should sit in the middle, then light them.”

Amber enthusiastically hopped off the bed and sat next to her sister.

Liz had to be pried off the bed.

“Come on, Lizzy. What do we have to lose?” said Tara.

“This is lame.”

“Just get over here.”

Once seated in a circle, Amber lit the wicks and Tara read from the book.

“Our circle is cast, we come in peace.” She flipped the pages and shook her head.

“What is it?” Myra asked.

“These words don’t apply to us.”

“So we make up our own.”

“Does it have to rhyme?” Liz rolled her eyes.

“These do.”

Myra tossed her hair over her shoulder and grasped the hands of Amber and Liz who sat on each side of her. Tara followed her lead and began to speak. “Our circle is cast not once but twice—“