Free Redeeming Vows by Catherine Bybee

the room.

    ****
“Do we have to go?”
    “Of course,” Myra explained. “When an ally requests your presence, ’tis expected. Lord Lancaster may have sired worthless children, but he is still a man with great power. We wouldn’t want him as our enemy.”
    Liz’s head started to pound. “God, don’t we have enough to worry about?” Myra sat beside her and Tara explaining the finer points of medieval etiquette. “What does that give us, four weeks to get ready? Being out in the open where Grainna can find us sounds like too big a risk.”
    “It does feel like we’ll be exposed.”
    “Will we go alone?” Tara asked.
    Myra’s eyes grew large. “No! We’ll travel in the greatest numbers we can. If Lancaster worries of trouble, and his message sounds as if he’s concerned, going alone could prove deadly.”
    “Then we’ll have to step up our practice. I don’t want Simon going all feathery in a crowd of people.”
    “Try not to worry. Lancaster’s concern may simply be about what has been happening here.”
    “Or maybe Grainna’s been attacking more than just us.”
    “I understand that Brisbane’s land is south and closer to the coast. At least we’ll enjoy some of the 62

    Redeeming Vows

    sea during our travels.”
    Tara sighed, “God, I miss the ocean.”
    Liz shook her head. “I never thought I’d move from California. I haven’t been to the beach since Simon went to surf camp when he was ten.”
    “Our beach is cold and much more violent than yours.”
    Liz cocked her head to the side. “No chance for a quick dip then, huh?”
    “You mean swim?”
    “Yes.”
    “I doubt you’d want to, even if we could find a quiet cove.”
    Liz couldn’t help but feel a bit more liberated knowing that their trip would get her away from the keep. Having grown up and living her entire life in suburbia, rushing from one thing to another, it would be nice to move around again. The thought of even getting her feet in the sand brought a smile to her face.
    “What is it?”
    “I’m daydreaming.”
    “About Fin?”
    “No.” But Myra smiled.
    “Did you see him glaring at Logan?” Tara’s question sounded innocent enough, but Liz knew better.
    “Was he?”
    “Don’t play dumb to me. What is going on with you two?”
    Liz stood and tried her best to hide the heat flooding her cheeks. It didn’t work.
    “Oh my God, he kissed you again, didn’t he?”
    A rebuttal died on her lips.
    “Lizzy, why didn’t you tell us?”
    “What’s there to say?”
    Tara rolled her eyes. “How about, when? Where?
    How far did it go?”
    63

    Catherine Bybee

    “My God, I think we’re fourteen again.”
    “Give it up. We’re all sisters here.”
    “We’ve had this discussion before, Tara. Fin and I barely get along.”
    Tara folded her arms across her chest and sent her a knowing smile.
    “We fight all the time.”
    Tara’s eyes slid to Myra. Together they said nothing and at the same time, everything.
    “It’s chemistry. Nothing else.” Bubbling over in the flask, chemistry. Spontaneous combustion, chemistry.
    “You hated chemistry.”
    Liz shut her eyes and took a deep breath. “Fin’s attraction to me would end the second either of us gave in.” Liz knew his type.
    “Are you going to give in?”
    Good question. “Maybe I should. Scratch the itch and move on.” The plan held a certain appeal, kind of like addressing the elephant in the room in order to get around it.
    “Hmm.”
    Liz’s gaze settled on her sister’s smug look.
    “What?”
    Tara put her hands in the air in mock surrender. “I didn’t say anything!”
    But you thought something.
    64

    Redeeming Vows

Chapter Seven
    Liz stepped out of the kitchen, nearly falling over Logan in her path. “I’m sorry.”
    “’Tis I who’s in your way, my lady.”
    “It’s Liz.” She didn’t think she’d ever get use to people calling her my lady .
    Logan’s brow rose, resulting in Liz wondering if she should have given him the freedom