Redeeming Vows (MacCoinnich Time Travel Trilogy #3)(38)
Author: Catherine Bybee

“We live in Southern California. Earthquakes happen.”

Rolling her eyes, she motioned to Fin. “Help him believe.”

The smirk flirted across his face sending a strange level of excitement through her. Most of the time his smartassness annoyed the hell out of her.

Not this time.

Fin backed up four steps. “Walk toward me, Jake.”

Instead of moving, he glared. A jolt from beneath his feet urged Jake forward. Each time the man picked up a foot, Fin shook the earth. With each step, Jake’s expression shifted from its early hard edge to one of indecisiveness.

“I told you.” Selma stood before the cop, placed both hands on his shoulders, and pushed him down into the nearest chair.

Liz could still see the worry and hurt expression on the man’s face. Not knowing what happened to his friend obviously ate at him. She knew the look well. She’d worn one herself for half a year when Tara disappeared.

“Todd is alive, well, and happy, Jake.”

“Five hundred years in the past?”

Fin positioned himself by her side, his hand rested on his sword.

“Yes. He wouldn’t want you to mourn him. And he’d appreciate any help you can lend us.”

“You—” he pointed a finger at Finlay “—are wanted for the disappearance of Tara. And you—” he said, waving his hand at her “—are wanted for questioning in regards to a missing police officer. I could have you both in jail within the hour.”

Fin edged closer. Liz placed a hand on his thigh, hoping to keep him seated. She said, “Yes, you could.

But if you hear us out, I don’t think you’ll do that.

Todd is fine, living happily, back in Fin’s time, but that could change if we don’t make our way back there.”

“What do you mean?”

“Remember the woman you both interviewed in the hospital shortly before we left?”

Jake nodded.

“She makes Osama look like a choir boy. She’s why we ended up here now, and the reason we need to hurry back. We need your help, Jake. Todd needs your help. Selma tells me you retrieved his cell phone, the one he locked in a trunk dating back five hundred years. Todd put it there to prove he had traveled back in time, and he wanted you to know he was okay.”

“I don’t know.” Jake ran his fingers over his jean-clad thighs.

“I didn’t either, at first. We need you to take a leap of faith. You haven’t found bodies because no one is dead.”

“We found blood in this apartment.”

“Yes.” Liz cringed, remembering. “My son’s. Not Todd’s. Simon survived because of Todd. He wouldn’t want to see him hurt now because we can’t get back to where we need to be. If we’re forced to spend time in jail or answering questions no one will believe, we may get back too late.”

Jake settled back in his chair and listened.

Chapter Seventeen

Tatiana stood on the edge of the ridge and witnessed the chaos unfolding before her eyes.

Clans separated from the others, each claiming a patch of land as their own. Knights stood guard, ready for battle. Where was the quiet harmony that met her only hours before?

The wedding that brought all the people together was called off because the bride “wished”

she’d never heard of Lord Brisbane. And as a result, didn’t.

Grainna held her hands in her lap. A small lift in her eyelids was the only indication of her pleasure at the pain of those who scrambled below them.

“What have ye done?”

“I’ve done nothing. This is of their making, their desires, their wants. I simply gave it to them.”

Something cold and dreadful filled the bottom half of Tatiana’s heart. An image flashed in her mind and brought with it a glimmer of hope. A premonition? Desire?

Cian.

A child cried in the distance. The sound scratched her soul.

“Go. Go find the young MacCoinnich. Console him.” Grainna’s view never faltered. Her eyes stayed on the destruction before her.

“Why?”

With a slow thoughtful movement, Grainna tilted her head in Tatiana’s direction, her eyes black with evil. “Is that not your desire? I’ll allow your heart to have this.” She turned back to the field.

“Go.”

Without turning her back on Grainna, Tatiana stepped away, forcing her body to keep from running. She tripped on a fallen branch, righted herself, and continued her backward walk.

Only when Grainna was well out of sight did she turn on her heel, lift her skirts, and run.

Laughter followed her.

Night started to fall on the encampment but none inside were seeking their rest.

The MacCoinnichs had pulled their tents to the west, their men sat in arms, waiting to take on any threat.

Tatiana stood beyond their perimeter and watched the movement of the MacCoinnichs and their men.

The masses of people around them thinned. At least two traveling parties had already departed.

Tatiana didn’t think Grainna would allow them to get far. Grainna didn’t allow anything to happen that she didn’t have power or gain over.

The thought stalled her.

She was a pawn in Grainna’s game. Expendable.

Tatiana pivoted toward the west and inched her way toward the sea cliffs. The ocean crashed upon the shore below, the noise rose above the sound of her breathing, her heart.

Tatiana had suffered her entire life. Her recent visions gave her little hope of any change. She’d had one glimmer of brightness, but the flame quickly faded, leaving her to wonder what the vision meant.

She found a large rock and sat down before crossing her hands over her arms in an attempt to keep some of her warmth. Below her, the image of two people walking caught her eye. Peering closer, she recognized the boy Simon alongside an older woman. His mother, perhaps? Maybe his aunt.

A sound behind her forced her to her feet. Her breath caught in her chest.

“I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Cian stood within feet of her. His kind face brightened when he recognized her.

“I-I’m… I shouldn’t be here.”

Cian glanced around. “Where is your kin?”

“My family is…” What could she say to avoid suspicion? Grainna was her only family now. And not one she truly wanted to claim. “They aren’t acting normal. I don’t know where to turn.”

His strong jaw snapped shut and his gaze shifted to the ground. “Seems the entire camp is under some…”

“Spell?”