Redeeming Vows (MacCoinnich Time Travel Trilogy #3)(47)
Author: Catherine Bybee

The hurt in his voice rang strong in Lizzy’s heart. She understood his pain more than most. Six months of not knowing if Tara was dead or alive stretched into eternity for her and Simon.

Selma slowly advanced on Jake until she placed her fingers on his shoulders. He flinched, but didn’t move away. “At one time, you believed in me on some level. You called me, remember?”

He graced her with a nod.

“Believe in me again. Who knows? Maybe Todd will find a way to leave a personal note or word for you to read so you’ll know the truth.”

“If he did, wouldn’t there be something from him in that trunk?”

“He left his cell phone in there.”

“With no way to power it up after centuries of decay.”

“Centuries of decay. Listen to yourself. If Todd didn’t travel back in time, how could the phone have been placed in that trunk?”

The doubt in Jake’s eyes started to fade, but shadows flickered in the back of his eyes. If only we could open a window and glimpse back into time for him to see.

“Wait,” Liz said a little too loud, making all of them jump at her voice. An idea formed in her head and reminded her of all she’d accomplished with Tara, Mayra and Amber before being whisked away.

She may have stumbled upon the power of defying gravity, but she’d been practicing harvesting power and energy for the use of spells for well over a year.

Liz glanced over to the spot the star gazers had been. They’d retreated from their fire when they ran out of wood. Only a few other parties gathered on the beach but they were far enough away to afford Liz’s party some privacy.

“I have an idea.” She summoned Selma to her side.

“Fin I need you to make a ball of flame. Make it about this big.” She circled her hands to indicate the size of a basketball.

“What are ye going to do?”

“I’m going to try and see what’s going on back home.”

“How do you plan to do that?”

Liz reached over and picked up the backpack that held the sacred stone and removed it. “With a little help from this and the Ancients.”

After setting the stone to the side of the fire pit, she motioned to Fin. “Place the ball of flame over the stone and come and take mine and Selma’s hand.”

“Should we sit?”

“No, if we start to levitate, it won’t be as obvious to anyone watching if we’re standing.”

“Levitate?” Selma sent her a worried frown.

“Side effect,” Liz said as if she’d answered the woman’s question. “Don’t worry, we won’t fly south for the winter.”

Fin motioned with his hand and gathered a flame from the existing fire until it wrapped around itself in a neat wispy ball. The flame hovered in the air until it sat over the stone, only inches above it.

Liz reached for Fin and Selma’s hands and waited for their connection to complete. “Here goes nothing.”

Her lungs filled with salt air and blew out in a slow breath. “In this day and in this hour, I ask the Ancients for some power. Give us a window to see the past, make it solid and make it last. Guide our minds to the Scotland sea, as we ask this, make it be.” “Jesus you’ve got to be kidding me. You sound like a f**king television show.” Jake started to walk away.

The wind picked up around the three of them and the ball of flame started turning blue with white-hot heat.

Liz caught Jake out of the corner of her eye as he stepped toward their small circle and glanced at the flame.

The fire reached toward the sacred stone until the entire piece was engulfed inside.

“Did you do that?” Liz asked Fin.

“No.”

“Ah, Lizzy…” Selma screeched when their feet left the ground.

Stay low. Liz willed them to stay close to the sand. They rose nearly a foot then leveled down to four or five inches. Before Liz could congratulate herself on directing her new power, the three of them turned clockwise until Liz faced the nearly full moon. “That’s new,” she mumbled.

“Look,” Fin stared into the blaze that now turned white, iridescent.

It’s working. Thank God. Liz hissed at Jake,

“Watch. Concentrate on Todd and anything you see.

Fin, watch the men. I’ll look for Simon and the women.” She didn’t know how long their connection would last and didn’t want them all looking at the same thing.

“What should I look for?” Selma called out.

“You’re empathic. Hone your gift.”

The words barely left her lips and the white heat swirled into a window of the past.

Images swam at them. The sea rushed on the shore and broke against a camp that resembled their small party while they traveled. Brisbane’s home sat in the distance, the harmony of the people obviously disheveled with the distance between the camps.

“Jesus Christ,” Jake swore behind them.

Liz’s heart surged simply seeing the picture. Her eyes searched the sphere for Simon or Tara. Where were they? She noticed Ian and relief washed over her. They were still there. People rushed past, the white flame distorted her view.

“No,” she whimpered, fearful the window would close before she saw her son.

Fin drew in a loud breath while Selma held hers tight.

Cian stood still among the trees. Next to him, a gray, dark cloud swirled. The cloud wasn’t right.

Something watched him, reached for him. Liz screeched out a warning, at the same time a hand pulled Cian’s arm away from the cold swirl of despair.

Simon stood at Cian’s side.

Tears stung Liz’s eyes. Her hand gripped Fin and Selma’s.

The image faded in streaks of blue and orange.

For a brief moment, Liz thought she saw her son turn his gaze on her. I love you.

Then he was gone.

The flame shattered into thousands of tiny pieces until only the stone remained.

In slow motion, Liz lifted her eyes to Fin who watched her with an intensity that bordered on frightening. “We have to get home.”

“They’re waiting for our return.”

Liz nodded, knowing he was right.

Selma glanced to the ground. They’d elevated over a foot and a half.

Closing her eyes, Liz chanted inside her mind.

I’m grounded, heavy, my feet meet with the earth.

When her body touched the ground, Liz felt the weight of their troubles fall on her shoulders.

Selma squeezed her hand. “Can we let go now?”

Liz sent a silent prayer of thanks and let Selma’s hand go.