Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

A s the evening sun cast its warm glow upon the dining hall, Mae found herself seated at the high table, savoring the delights of the supper spread before her. The air was filled with laughter, lively chatter, and the clinking of goblets, creating a jovial atmosphere within the ancient walls of the fortress.

Jen gracefully slid into her regular seat beside Cam, which also happened to be beside Mae, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Can you get over all this food?" she murmured, sharing a smile with Mae.

"There's so much of it," Mae murmured back. "Are we celebrating something? Is that why you asked me to join you this evening?"

Jen shook her head, her smile growing. "Not really a celebration, just par for the course here. And no, I asked you to join me because we've not had a chance to catch up in weeks. I wanted to know how you're coping with being here."

Mae took a moment to collect her thoughts, her gaze drifting momentarily to Niall, who sat across the hall at the same table as Brian, the poor man.

With a genuine smile, Mae confessed, "Gotta admit, while it's been difficult to process actually being here and not back home, I'm enjoying it. If anything, this is definitely an adventure. I mean, how many people can say they traveled through time and got to live in a castle with handsome Highlanders?"

Jen looked from her to Niall and said, "Any particular Highlander you have in mind?"

"It's that obvious, huh?" Mae laughed.

"To me it is," Jen replied. "Cam informed me you and Niall have been keeping an eye upon our problem child. That you volunteered to help him." She smiled brightly. "I don't think you would do that for just anyone, am I right?"

Mae felt her cheeks heat. "Yep, you're right. There aren't many people who could make me put up with the problem child. Have to say Niall is one who can."

The two women shared a moment of laughter. Mae's heart swelled at their comradery. It was something she hadn't had back home. She was grateful for Jen's friendship and the shared experience they had being here. A sense of comfort settled upon her as they raised their goblets, toasting the unforeseen twists of fate that had brought them to this time and place.

As the evening carried on, Mae's gaze frequently wandered toward Niall, her heart full of anticipation. She wondered if he too harbored deeper feelings for her. She wondered if their connection was as deep as she thought it might be. When he turned his head and his gaze met hers, he smiled and gave her a wink. It sent a small thrill through her. She hoped that she'd get to spend some more time with him after the meal and before it was time to go to bed.

It was odd being here, having an elaborate meal such as this and then an hour or two before heading to bed in the same building. It was almost like living in a hotel of sorts. She didn't have to cook or clean, well not really, just the minimal cleaning up of her own space, but there wasn't the kind of clutter one normally had in a space one lived in. At least not in the twenty-first century. People had so much stuff. Here it was the bare minimum. A few dresses, a wash basin, some bedding. That was about it. It was simple and easy and most of all, stress free.

Jen yawned and set her napkin upon the table. "I think I'm going to call it a night."

Mae turned and looked at her as she stood. "Already?"

Jen nodded. "Yeah, I'm training tomorrow, and I want to get a good night's sleep so I can kick a few butts." She laughed.

Mae laughed with her. "Okay, well, good night. I think I'm going to stay up for a bit."

Jen's grin grew. "Maybe see if you can sneak off with a certain Highlander and make-out?"

Laughing again, Mae nodded. "That is the hope."

"Good luck." Jen winked and then turned to her husband, putting her hands on his shoulders as she leaned down to whisper in his ear.

A moment later, Cam stood and bid us all good night as he took Jen's hand and the walked out of the room together. As she watched them go, planning to leave the dining hall herself and entice Niall to follow, Brian, in his intoxicated state, stumbled over and plopped himself beside her. The smell of alcohol wafted from him, clouding the air with an unpleasant tang.

Mae's mind raced as she desperately searched the room for a glimpse of Niall, but to her dismay, he was nowhere to be seen. Somehow, she had missed him leaving. She wondered why he hadn't gained her attention beforehand. There were only a few times in the past where he'd left her on her own to keep an eye upon Brian, but he always made sure she was in a position to do so without feeling vulnerable. Panic clenched her heart, knowing that without Niall's protective presence, Brian's unpredictable behavior could take a perilous turn.

Slurring his words, Brian scoffed, "Lass, your lies and tales of being a witch who traversed time are the ramblings of a madwoman." He let out a boisterous laughter.

Mae swallowed down her first response. She'd never told him personally about traveling through time, he had to have picked that up when he was eavesdropping upon her and Niall's conversations. The part about her being a witch, well that was her own fault. She'd claimed that in one of their first encounters. It seemed the thought of her being one no longer deterred him, unfortunately.

"So you don't believe me? Then what do you believe?" she asked, trying to keep her temper from flaring as she surreptitiously looked for Niall. She fully expected a crass or hypocritical response, but much to her surprise, he shared a strange story from his past.

"Me?" He blinked, giving her an odd look. "I believe in—" he started and then looked around, a little confused for a moment, but then in a hushed tone, said, "when I was a wee lad, I encountered a ghostly presence that left a mark on my soul."

Mae arched a brow at his response. That was totally unexpected. Brian believed in ghosts? And that one cursed him in some way? Perhaps that ghost turned him into the asshole he was, but she doubted it. She was pretty sure he'd always been an asshole.

Then a glimmer of an idea began to form in her mind. Brian believed in the supernatural, perhaps she could use that to get him to go away. He didn't believe she was a witch though, or at least, he wasn't afraid of her, if he did believe. Maybe she could come up with a way to use this ghost who cursed him though and that would get him to go. She'd need to ask him some more questions about what he'd seen before she could come up with a proper plan.

However, before she could delve deeper into the revelations Brian had shared, her attention was abruptly yanked away by the sight of him slumping forward, his head making a thud as it landed heavily on the table. His eyes fluttered shut as he succumbed to the blissful oblivion of drunken sleep.

The one time she sought to unravel the enigmatic layers of Brian's past, he had been rendered incapable of further conversation by his own inebriation. She couldn't help but feel vexed by the untimely interruption, her desire for answers stymied by the cruel whims of fate.

Sighing in resignation, Mae's gaze lingered upon the slumbering form of Brian. She observed the disheveled strands of his hair, tumbled across his forehead, and the faint lines of weariness etched upon his face. In this vulnerable state, he appeared more human than ever before, stripped of the boisterous mask he wore with such vigor. It almost made her feel sorry for him.

Almost.