Page 55 (1/2)

She seldoed to watch the Druid girl, Alyssa To her coular visits

Grainna prided herself on changing strategies when the need arose And it was ti help in her quest The winter solstice was coin crossed her path again She had learned her lesson with Tara

Alyssa could be a virgin Although not as powerful as the MacCoinnich’s, she was hter, Myra Lancaster’s attention would ed herself outside the girl’s ho on her cane, she walked directly in his path “I’m so sorry,” she pleaded when he tripped over her fraive ht, no harm done” Matthew dusted off his shirt

“Ye’re so kind, Sir Knight, so very kind”

Grainna waved her hand in front of his eyes, catching his gaze and settling it on her ruby necklace

Slowly, she moved the pendent until she saw his eyes flicker “Yes, ye are so kind, Sir Lancaster

Would ye help a poor woman such as me to my home? ‘Tisn’t far” She slipped a smile, innocent and pure onto her face, his mind opened for her to possess

“Ahhh yes, there are many beautiful birds near my home So many different species Ye could watch them all day and never see the same tice”

“Oh, hoonderful I do like our feathered friends”

She took his arm as he led her to his horse

So easy, she smiled So very easy

In the thick of the woods they took to a faster speed By nightfall, she had hio It was deep in the forest where few traveled,discovery nearly iical potion, she liquefied hishim to her needs Once sleep took over, she finished what she had started, and by , he was like the men of the future

She circled the small hobble with the same protective spell she used in her youth Only this time she placed the sas she had come across in an effort to keep her identity secret from the Ancients

Asor sht

Now that she had so, she wouldn’t have to leave as often

Victory was close and tasted bittersweet The Ancients had cursed her once, and according to Druid law, could not do so twice

Without the threat of theain, she would wreak havoc over the land, relishing with great pleasure in the revenge she would take on the MacCoinnich’s…starting with Tara No, she wouldn’t kill her She’d keep her alive long enough to witness her husband’s death Even then, she rief of a Druid orin in the form of a thin line pulled at her lips With her powers restored, Grainna would end them all

Myra’s planned departure was less than a week away Nerves were jumbled and everyone was ill-tempered Because of the unknown threat, no one outside the fa A plan was in place to keep her absence undetected until long after the winter solstice By then, with any luck, Lora would knohen she was co back

And the charade could be dropped

Tara coached Myra about how to approach her sister She gave her intih to listen to her story

Tara had written a very long letter to Lizzy explaining where she was and how she had gotten there Hopefully, it would open the door for Myra

“Her biggest concern will be for Simon She’ll need to trust you, or she’ll never let you in”