Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

M ae turned the page and squinted in the candlelight to see the words. Her eyes were getting tired, but she was determined to stay awake. Just as she was about to give up, there was a popping sound and then a dark chuckle from the corner of the room. Startled, she looked up and the shadow in the corner moved forward into the candlelight.

"How did you get in here?" she asked, staring at Dub Sith.

His laughter grew and his eyes sparkled and danced in the candlelight. "I'm Fae. Locks donnae stop me from going where I want."

Mae tugged the blanket up over her chest. "I see. Well would you mind letting me put on my robe?"

He waved his hand and then turned his back. Once he was facing the wall, Mae stood and pulled on the dressing gown and belted it at her waist. She wondered what he was doing here, why he'd come to see her in the middle of the night while she was all alone.

"Tisn't what you think, dear girl. I'm not here to harm you. Merely to commend you for your actions earlier."

Mae frowned. "You saw that?"

"Oh, aye, that I did. Might I turn around now? I donnae fancy speaking to the wall."

"Yes." Mae nodded, but didn't know why she bothered. It wasn't like he could see her nodding. Then she paused and considered the thought for a moment, maybe he could. Who knew what he could see or couldn't see? He wasn't human. For all she knew he had eyes in the back of his head.

He laughed. "I donnae have eyes in the back of my head, though I have an awareness of the things going on around me. So while I didnae see you nodding, I knew that you were," he answered her thoughts.

Mae blinked at him. She'd have to be careful of what she was thinking then, when he was around. There were certain things that were just meant to be private.

Smiling, Dub Sith laughed again. "Oh you are a joy. I promise I willnae read your thoughts if they are not directed at me."

Mae nodded. "All right, that sounds acceptable."

"I'm glad you think so." He snapped his fingers, and another log was added to the fire, and it began to crackle and burn more brightly. Another snap brought two comfortable chairs from think air and set before the fire as her room enlarged itself to accommodate them. "Shall we?" He directed her to the chairs.

Mae took a seat and before she knew it, a glass of her favorite wine, Oyster Bay Pinot Noir, was in her hand in a crystal goblet. "How did— nevermind. Th—" she started and then recalled she wasn't supposed to thank him. She smiled tightly. "This is very nice." She took a sip and savored it.

"I thought you might enjoy a taste from home." He smiled.

"You are right." She turned a mischievous grin his way. "Can you bring me some other things from my time?"

"Nae, lass. This one thing is all. Wouldnae do for things from your time to be found in this one."

"Well damn." Mae giggled. She'd known it was a long shot and hadn't really expected him to do it.

"Curiously though, what is it you would want to bring here?" he asked, arching a black brow.

"Oh, off the top of my head, a real modern bathroom, a battery operated cassette player with a million batteries and cassettes. I've had time to think about this, you see. Couldn't be too modern, because it would need internet service or electricity, but something run on batteries, that could work here." She grinned over at him. "And the bathroom, well that's just common sense."

He chuckled again and then snapped his fingers, allowing music to filter into the room. It took Mae a moment to realize it was a rock radio station from her time. Her eyes widened as the guitar riff hit her ears. And then she started worrying that others might hear it.

"It's only you that can hear it, dear girl. I've adjusted time and space here while we speak."

"I see. You've chosen a good station. I enjoy this music and I've missed it," she said, choosing her words carefully to keep from saying what she shouldn't.

He gave her a nod and they sat sipping upon the Pinot Noir. "You've dealt well with being here, I'm impressed."

"It could be better," she said, thinking of the troublemaker causing problems for them.

"Hmmm, perhaps there is something I can do to help with the situation," Dub Sith said, observing her over the rim of his goblet. "Tell me what has you troubled."

"It's Brian. He's caused trouble here for long enough. A week or so ago, he got so drunk he climbed up on the ramparts and nearly fell to his death. We finally got him down and he wrote to the Laird telling him that the Donald tried to kill him. He's only trying to stir up trouble here."

He took a sip of his drink and gestured for her to go on.

"You saw the aftermath of what he attempted to do this evening, but it wasn't a random occurrence. He's tried that on multiple occasions with many of the women here. He needs to leave, but he won't."

"So what you're saying is he needs to be made to leave."

Mae frowned. "We can't make him leave, he's here under orders from the Laird. He has to decide to leave on his own."

Dub Sith nodded, looking thoughtful as he stared into the fire. "Perhaps there is a way we can arrange for that to happen."

"Does it involve me kneeing him in the groin again? Because that was fun." Mae giggled as she sipped her wine.

Chuckling, he answered, "Nae, dear girl, I think we can do better than that. What is he afraid of?"

The question threw Mae at first. How was she supposed to know the answer to that? But then, it occurred to her that she did know what Brian was afraid of. He'd told her in one of their earlier conversations. Brian was afraid of ghosts. At least she was pretty sure he was afraid, as that was what he'd implied. Hesitantly, she told Dub Sith her thoughts, though she now knew he probably didn't need her to voice them.

"Nae, but it is nice to hear such a voice as yours, dear girl. And I do believe we can work with that." Dub Sith leaned forward and told her what his plan for Brian was.

Mae couldn't help but be appreciative of his help and really wanted to thank him, but she held her tongue. "I look forward to watching what you've planned play out." She raised her glass and swallowed the final sip of her Pinot Noir. When she did, the goblet disappeared from her hand.

"Tis time for me to go," he murmured, finishing off his own drink and then snapping his fingers, returning the room to normal.

Sadly, that meant the music was gone as well. "Will you come back and do this again?" She'd greatly enjoyed his company as much as the wine and music.

"Perhaps one day, if the Fates wish it," he said with a wink and then he was gone.

Before she could even register that he was gone, there was a knock on the door. Startled, she moved toward it, ready to just yank it open, but stopped herself just in time. "Who is it?"

"Niall, love."

Smiling, she opened the door. "Hi, you just missed Dub Sith."

Niall frowned. "You've been entertaining the Fae in your room?"

Mae shrugged. "Didn't really have a choice. He just showed up. Apparently, locks don't stop him from going where he wants."

"That tis disturbing."

"Not as disturbing as knowing he can hear my thoughts."

Niall paled at that. "Nae, you're right, that tis more disturbing, indeed."

"He promised not to listen to what wasn't directed at him though, so I suppose I'll just have to hold him at his word."

"Aye, Fae cannae lie, so if that is what he said, then it is true."

"Good to remember." She took his hand and led him deeper into the room.

"Why did he come to see you?" Niall asked, not sounding upset, only curious.

Mae explained everything that happened while Dub Sith was there. "He's going to help with our Brian problem."

"We'll get to that in a moment. How did he get the music to play in your room for you? Did he bring a group of musicians here? Where did they all fit?"

Mae explained the concept of recordings and radio stations and how music is listened to in the twenty-first century. "So it was just a radio station from the city I lived in."

"In California?"

Smiling, Mae nodded. "Exactly. He said he adjusted time and space."

Niall shook his head. "That is beyond my comprehension, love. Adjusting time and space? I cannae even begin to imagine the power it would take to do such a thing."

"Considering he brought me here, I'm going to guess it wasn't too hard for him."

Niall laughed. "You're probably right. So what is this plan of yours?"

"I'm not sure exactly how it will play out, so I don't want to say too much, but we're going to scare him and make him want to leave."

Furrowing his brow, Niall looked at her curiously. "An' how do you expect to scare him? Drop some wee spiders in his bed?"

Mae giggled. "No, but that would be good too. I seem to recall Brian telling me that he is afraid of ghosts."

"Is he, now? And Dub Sith has a way of makin' the ghosties appear, does he?"

Mae just smiled and teased, "You'll just have to wait and see." She moved to sit in his lap. "You're not afraid of ghosts and goblins are you, Niall?" she continued in her teasing tone.

"Ghosts, no, goblins are a whole ‘nother matter all-together." He fake shivered. "Those things are awful."

Mae laughed. "I bet you could take them."

"Well, they are just wee little buggers so probably so, but they've got a vicious set of teeth on ‘em."

They spent the rest of the evening discussing the various myths and legends of Scotland and the Fae as well as what her plan actually entailed, and then made love into the wee hours of the morning. When Mae woke, wrapped in his arms shortly before sunrise, she would swear it was one of the best nights she'd spent so far in this world, and she really hoped there would be more to come in the future. As it was, it was time to rise and start setting her plans into motion.