Free Silent Vows by Catherine Bybee Page A

in his ear, taking his attention away from them. “I’ve got to go,” he said after a brief contact with the voice on the other line. “But I’m not done with this yet. I’ll see you when I get home.” He pointed an accusing finger at Myra then ran off to his squad car.
    “You’re living with him?” Liz asked once he was gone.
    “No...well, I guess...” His car sped off, with lights and sirens blaring.
    “Cute. Very cute.”
    Myra gave a quick laugh. “You sound just like your sister.”
    They both sat on the bench. “Where is she?” Liz jumped right in.
    “Scotland. With my brother and the rest of my family.”
    “Why can’t she call?”
    “There are no phones.”
    Liz started to ask another question, Myra stopped her.
    “Let me start at the beginning. But I warn you, some of what I’m going to say will be difficult to believe. You might even think me mad before I am done with my story.”
    Liz took a deep cleansing breath and settled in for Myra’s tale.
    “My family, and now Tara, live in MacCoinnich Keep in Scotland. In the year 1576.”
    Lizzy laughed. A short explosion of disbelief.
    “Please, hear me out. I know this sounds crazy, but please listen. We are Druids. All of us, even Tara and you. We have certain gifts, powers, which separate us from all others. Grainna, the woman Tara warned you about, is the most powerful evil Druid who ever existed. She murdered countless people in her quest to gain more power. Many years ago, the Ancients stripped that power and sent her 67

    Catherine Bybee

    to this time. My brothers were sent here last summer to stop Grainna from finding a Druid virgin and regaining those powers. Tara’s life was in danger in this time, so Duncan and Fin brought her to our time to keep her alive.”
    Lizzy put her hand up, stopping her from going on. “You want me to believe that my sister is sitting in some castle in the sixteenth century?”
    “Aye. She is.”
    “And you’re some type of witch with powers?”
    “Druid, not witch. My gifts are part of who I am.
    I was born with these gifts, like both you and Tara.”
    “I don’t believe you.” Lizzy got up to leave.
    She expected that. “If I can prove it, will you listen to the rest of my story?”
    Arms laced defensively across her chest, Liz turned to her. “Prove it.”
    “All Druids have some abilities. Each person’s is different from the next. My strongest gift is the movement of the wind.” Out of nowhere, the wind around them swirled, causing Myra’s hair to pull back as if she faced a storm. Just as quickly, it ceased.
    Lizzy’s mouth gaped, then shut. “How do I know you did that?”
    Myra looked around to see if others watched.
    Two women sat on a blanket a few yards away while their children tossed a ball back and forth, an elderly couple walked hand and hand beyond them.
    Being careful not to draw attention to them, Myra stood and took two steps away from the bench.
    “Please sit down.”
    The bench moved half a foot in their direction.
    Enough so that Lizzy saw it, but no one else would.
    “I speak the truth. When we are alone I can give you a better demonstration. It isn’t safe out here where we could be spotted.”
    Speechless, Lizzy sat.
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    “My mother has visions, visions the Ancients use to communicate with our family. Shortly after Duncan and Tara married, her vision warned us about my safety.”
    “So your family sent you here, away from the danger.” Lizzy’s words were more a statement than a question.
    “Aye.” Myra swallowed hard. “I believe Grainna managed to escape back to my time and is there now searching for a virgin.”
    “And since Tara is married, she no longer fits the bill.”
    “Fits the bill?”
    “Sorry, I mean Grainna can’t break her curse by killing Tara.”
    “Exactly. My family sent me because—“
    “You’re still a Druid virgin,” Lizzy finished for her. She stood and started to pace.
    “Aye.”
    “This is really hard to