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T he tavern remained noisy and busy. Jamie still spoke with Courteney and she seemed to be crying when Crystal looked over for a moment.

Elena returned with a glass of whisky and slid it in front of Crystal. She didn't touch it however, because she was growing very impatient and wanted her wits about her when she walked out of the tavern after listening to whatever ridiculous thing they were going to tell her.

"All right. So let's have it. Why am I in danger if I walk out of here? Is it this motorcycle gang? The goblins? I think I'll be able to hear them coming."

The two women looked at each other strangely and then took a deep breath almost in unison. Melanie spoke first.

"The goblins aren't a motorcycle gang, but we will get to that in a moment. Where to start? I wish I could remember how it was told to me but the reaction of being told what we are about to tell you sort of makes your mind go blank in a panic. Wouldn't you say so, Elena?"

"Yes it does. I hardly remember how it was told to me, other than I didn't react well to it as I suspect our new friend here won't as well, but we have to try."

"Yes, do try. I'm very much over this." Crystal crossed her arms across her chest and leaned back in the chair.

"Melanie and I are from the same place as you, but we live here now. I'm originally from Baltimore where I was a police detective."

"You're a police officer? Then help me out of here. I told you before that a man drugged me in a bar and then I ended up in a lake. Why didn't you say something before?" Crystal said annoyed.

"It's more complicated than that." Elena continued, "I'm no longer a police detective here in this place. I'm married to a man named Brendan and I have a son named Brendan jr. My life in Baltimore is no more, the same as your life where you're from."

"What? Is that a threat?" Crystal said, getting aggravated.

"It's not a threat, Crystal. It is simply the truth," Melanie added.

"I was a private investigator. So was my father and I took over his agency before coming here, but now all of that is gone.

Elena and I still try to make use of our skills by helping the Watch when something like this comes along. "

"Okay I don't know what you're playing at. You're really starting to annoy me, both of you."

"Sorry, we're not doing this right." Melanie frowned and looked around the tavern before speaking in a very hushed tone.

"Okay, look, the truth is you died. You're no longer in the twenty-first century, the United States hasn't been created yet, it's the mid-fifteen hundreds and you're in Scotland.

The best we can tell you is that the fae intervened in your death and brought you through to this time.

Magic is real and that's how you're here. "

Crystal rolled her eyes and then picked up the glass of whisky and shot back a large gulp.

She winced at how harsh it tasted and thought about how the whisky was strong and the food was fresh and good, but that didn't mean she was in a different time like these women were attempting to say. That was simply ridiculous.

"Told you that you were going to need that," Elena said.

"Of course I need it. You're making sure that I need it by telling me this ridiculous story, but go ahead and continue because I'm very curious, however, I don't believe one word you are saying."

"The magic and creatures here are real. The goblins aren't a motorcycle gang, but actual goblins, as in creatures we would see in fantasy movies from our own time.

The fae, or Sidhe are of two groups, one are of the light court and one is of the dark court.

The ones who are associated with the light are friendly with humans, for the most part.

Goblins are from the dark court and are very dangerous.

The fae live a different realm than our world, but there is a doorway between the two at the bottom of Loch Ness.

That is how you came through. That's how each of us came through," Melanie explained.

"This is a really weird joke. Did someone put you up to this? Someone I know? To abduct me and put me through all of this? Maybe it's an angry fan of one of my books? Whatever it is, you should come clean now," Crystal said.

"You're acting in the same way all of us did, but you will see when you go outside that there is nothing modern in this world. There are no planes flying overhead, no cell phones, no cars, nothing modern anywhere."

"So what. That doesn't mean anything other than we're in some no fly zone. No modern anything is the same thing that the Amish do in their towns. I assume this is the same way, only much more extravagant and weird."

"That's very good reasoning. I'm impressed," Elena said. "It's wrong, but still impressive."

"Well I do write crime thrillers and psychological thrillers for a living so I have to think through all the steps. Whatever you throw at me I can reason out of it, so don't waste your time," Crystal said.

"Well there won't be a way to reason out this, I promise you that.

We've all tried. I know it's going to take a while for you to accept it and get used to it.

It was that way for all of us. We understand that.

We should take you to the castle. It's where all of us have gone while we were figuring things out.

I suggest you do the same thing," Melanie said.

"A castle? like a real life castle?" Crystal asked, recalling that Gavin had mentioned a Urquhart Castle before.

"Yes, you are in Scotland after all. There are castle ruins still there in our modern time."

"And therefore could be used now and just get rid of all the modern stuff, right? but I don't know why you would go through such great lengths to trick me. What is really going on here?" Crystal said.

"Exactly, why would we go through such trouble to create all of this for one person?

There is no reason for it because it's not what's happening here.

However, we get you being in disbelief. All of us who came through we're exactly like that.

I still sometimes have a hard time believing it, and think I'll wake up and be in my apartment in Baltimore. "

"You keep saying all of you. How many are there?"

"A little over a dozen women like us who have come from modern times to this time. You will meet them eventually," Melanie said.

Once again Crystal rolled her eyes annoyed that these women were taking her for a ride. "Is this being filmed? Is this some sort of elaborate prank show? It's very weird to have that and center it around a murder, but I guess murder mystery is always popular."

"The murder is real. Maeve is a real person. She was very good and kind, and what happened to her is horrible. There is no faking here, Crystal. You will see. Give it a day or two more. It just takes time." Melanie said.

"That is one thing I will not give you," Crystal said as she stood up from the bench.

"I've had enough of this. I am glad I stayed for your crazy explanation though.

I was very curious, though I didn't expect fae and goblins.

That's bizarre, but not as bizarre as time travel.

It couldn't be a better story if I wrote it to myself. "

"Where are you going?" Elena stood up in a panic.

"I'm leaving. I said I would give you fifteen minutes and I've done that.

Although I'm curious to see what castle you want to take me to, I'm not going to play along anymore.

I'm walking out of this tavern and finding the nearest phone or person who will actually break character and help me.

Thank you for your hospitality and feeding me and entertaining me, but I have to get back to my life and get back to finding that jerk Mason, and making sure he goes down for what he did. "

Crystal turned away from the table heading toward the door with Melanie and Elena calling after her.

She was seething with anger and frustration that they had tried to trick her.

She should have gone the moment she was dry and fed and she would be at the nearest police station by now figuring things out.

Instead it was well past noon and probably going to have an early sunset so she only had a few hours to figure everything out.

However the moment she was near the door she felt a large hand wrap around her arm. It caught her off guard. Her feet gave way under her as she was yanked off them and onto a man's lap.

She could smell how awful he smelled and his coarse, vile, gruff voice in her ear. "Aye, lass. You don't need to be goin' away. You be right here with me."

Crystal knew who it was before she looked because Cameron Gilroy had been sending chills up her spine with his very presence across the tavern. Now she found herself in his arms and on his lap.