Silent Vows by Catherine Bybee Page A

nothing to be concerned about.”
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    Catherine Bybee

    “He isn’t crazy about me.”
    “What makes you think that?” Liz opened her purse and took out her cell phone, glanced at it then tossed it back in her purse.
    “He hasn’t tried to kiss me since I told him I was a virgin.” Myra moved over slightly to give room for an elderly woman to sit.
    Liz’s jaw dropped slightly.
    “Don’t look so shocked. ‘Tis expected where I come from.”
    “Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. Grainna needs a Druid virgin. Man, you and my sister. Are you positive Grainna is in your time?”
    “’Tis the only thing that makes any sense. If she is in my time then my life would have been in danger if I stayed.”
    “I’ve heard about running from your enemies, but this is a bit far, don’t you think?”
    “True. But my coming wasn’t our choice. There are other forces that lead our lives.”
    “You mean the Ancients.”
    “Yes.”
    Liz shrugged. “Well, I think life is what you make it. Both good and bad. I would have stayed and kicked some serious ass.”
    Myra laughed. “I bet you could. I however, have never kicked anything.”
    “So what are you going to do now? Lose your,”
    she lowered her voice, “lose your innocence and go home? Or stay here?”
    Myra pushed a long strand of hair over her shoulder, grateful the conversation had come back around to the future. “Best I do nothing at this point.
    I have to believe I will know what to do when the time comes.”
    “But you will go back, eventually?”
    “Aye, I will.” Myra’s eyes leveled with hers.
    Liz’s jaw clenched. “If I help you, I need you to 90

    Silent Vows

    promise me something.”
    “If it’s in my power.”
    “Take us with you. Simon and me.”
    Myra felt a rush of air, uncertain of what to say.
    “I don’t mean to stay, just a visit. I need to see that Tara is alive and happy with my own eyes.”
    “I don’t know—”
    “Please. Think about what you would want if you were in my place. I need to see her.”
    “We don’t travel for our own personal wishes.”
    “And whose rules are those?”
    “The Ancients,” she said.
    “Have you ever met them? These Ancients?”
    “Of course not.”
    “Then how do you know they don’t want me to go back with you?” Liz was reaching, and Myra sensed it, but she didn’t blame her. “Maybe it’s all part of some master plan.”
    With no one to ask, no family to make the decision for her, Myra searched in her heart for the answers she needed.
    She didn’t look far. She knew she would return with Lizzy and her son. There was no reason not to.
    “All right. You may both come. But if my family feels you need to return immediately you must.”
    “As long as I see Tara.”
    “You will see her. I promise.”
    “Thank you.”
    They both stood and started walking the mall.
    “I need to do a little Christmas shopping while we’re here. Simon has been bugging me about some new video game he wants.”
    “What is a video game?”
    Lizzy squeezed her eyes and gave a very long-winded answer to Myra’s question.
    Myra asked about everything she saw. From the teenage boy with spiked purple hair, to the mechanical merry-go-round in the center of the mall.
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    Catherine Bybee

    They talked as if they had known each other for years instead of days.
    “Have you spoken to Simon yet?”
    They were walking out of the massive building into a sea of parked cars. “I’m going to sit him down tonight and explain what I can.”
    “Do you want me to help?”
    “No. I can manage. Simon’s a great kid. I don’t know how much of this he’ll believe. Hell, I’m having a hard time believing it myself.”
    “I’ll stay one more night at Todd’s then.” Myra’s skin stood up when she thought of how that night would end. Would he even allow her to stay?
    “If he gives you a hard time, call me. I’ll come and get you.”
    Liz drove Myra to the antique dealer who needed her to sign a few papers for the