Time Masters Book One; The Call (An Urban Fantasy, Time Travel Romance) (30 page)

The music called softly to him, beckoning, pleading for him to come. No words, only a simple melody sung by a sweet voice.

Dallan
cocked his head again. A voice? He stood straight, his eyes searching the distant hills, his heart breaking. “Mother of God,” he whispered as he looked to the sky, then back to the dist
ant lights.

Something in him stirred, as if waking.

Find her…

“What?” He looked back to the starry sky
as he stood and puzzled. He had not heard the voice with his ears; it was instead s
omething inside him that
spoke,
that
heard. “I dinna understand.
” Dallan’s brow furrowed. “Nay, how could this be?”

His gaze returned to the hills, one thought on his mind.

Find her…

But who was he to
fi
nd? The woman from the tavern; the one everyone
referred to as a Muiraran? Or was it someone else? Regardless, it would seem he had little say in any of it.

He turned and looked at a nearby chair, deciding if he was ready to sit yet, but his eyes drifted back to the window. “If only I kent ye be real or…” He looked to the sky. “Or if I just be addled in the brain.” He shook his head. Everything was so strange here: the people, the ‘cars’ the clothes.

Dallan
let his forehead fall gently against the glass.
He
remained there for the next hour, as he had done the night before, and silently longed for the past.
For home.

* * *

Lany entered the living room, a couple of blankets tucked under his arm.
He set them on the couch then turned to
Dallan
who
sat
sp
rawled in a chair,
his
head slumpe
d to one side, snoring softly.

Angus sat on the couch watching
over him as he slept
.

“Have they started yet?” Lany whispered.

“Nay, not yet. Mayhaps he wilna have any o’ the bad dreams tonight. I think she
called earlier, but it was diff
erent this time.”

“She’s weakening.”

“Nay, Master Lany. Lady Zara said she’s doing a form of
luring.”

“Luring?”

“Aye, she said the Maiden would
be having to self-feed if that’s the case.
  Very rare that.
”
  

Lany
dropped the blankets onto the couch next to Angus. “Singing to herself, making her own food.
"
 

“Aye,
because she feeds off of music she's able to do it.
"
 

"Living stars, she'll be ready to join any day now."

"
S
houldn’t we tell Lord John?
  Lady Zara said
ther
e's no been many
Muiraran
s
that can do what the Maiden is doing right now.
”

“Let him sleep. He’s going to need it. I’ll talk with Zara tomorrow.”

“She
was here earlier and
seemed pretty worried about the wee Maiden.”

Lany nodded as he picked up one of the blankets and very carefully threw it over Dallan, then went back to the couch and picked up the other one. “Zara’s not the only one. If she’s self-feeding, that
could mean someone cut her off
. Someone is deliberately starving her.” He pressed his lips together in anger. “Stars.” He placed
the second blanket atop the fi
rst.

Angus stood. “I’ll be back to bed
then. Good night.”

Lany sighed and stared at the Highlander in the chair. “Angus?”

“Aye?”

“Try not to snore so loud tonight, Eaton needs his sleep.”

“What? Havena ye ever heard snoring is a sign o’ good health?
Just look at the lad there!
” Lany glanced over his shoulder at him and grimaced. “Not for the rest of us.”

Angus snorted
and left the room.

Lany settled himself on the couch, wrapped himself in the b
lanket Angus had been using and
stared at D
allan’s sleeping form
. “I hope you’ve got what it takes tomorrow. It may be our last chance.”

* * *

 
Dallan sat, arms folded across his chest, legs crossed at the ankles, eyes narrowed at the many books of the library, a slight smile on his face.

“No, no, that won’t do at all.” John surveyed the Scot with disapproval.

“Aye, ye’ll scare the poor lass,” added Angus. “Try not to look like ye ha’ a sour stomach. Th
i
nk o’ something that makes ye happy.”

Dallan’s eyes immediately sought Kwaku. His expression instantly changed to one of acute, sadistic pleasure.

“No, no, no.” John buried his face in his hands.

Kwaku laughed, turned away, and walked down the aisle they were hiding in. The company had spent most of the morning trying to prepare Dallan for the meeting that would soon take place, a meeting that would determine the fate of the Known Lands.

The Time Master went to stand watch at the end of the aisle; the Maiden and he
r companions were on another fl
oor. He wanted to ensure she didn’t leave before Dallan had a chance to view her in a quieter setting and, if all went well, strengthen the bond between them, thus lessening their pain.

He looked back to the rest of the company, knowing they tried the impossible, that all their suggestions would be useless. He himself had been through this; he
knew what Dallan was in for. Th
ere were no rules, no set guidelines. Instinct and the true nature of the Highlander and the Maiden would determine the outcome.

He resumed his watch, waiting for Dallan to come by so he could give to him the only piece of advice that would help.

“Don’t scowl, Dallan. She’ll think you’re a, a… well, she won’t like it.” John stammered.

“Think happy, lad. Happy! Ye
wants
to make a good impression.” Angus all but danced in front of him.

Dallan looked from one determined face to the other, snorted and resumed his previous scowl.

John and Angus both shot Lany a pleading look. He held up both hands in fron
t of him as if to ward them off
. “Oh, no. Leave me out of this. If I’d listened to you two, I’d still be single. Let the poor guy handle it on his own.”

Angus opened his mouth to comment, then looked back to Dallan and shrugged. “He’s got a point, Lord John.”

John also looked from Lany to Dallan and sighed. “You’re right, Lany. Sorry, Dallan. I guess we weren’t giving you enough credit.”

Dallan’s eyes narrowed at John, as he decided whether or not to take the apology. After a moment of tense silence, he stood, walked over to John, and looked down into his face. “Aye, ye weren’t. Do I appear but a lad to you?”

John met his stare head on. “No, Dallan. I’m sorry.”

“I guess we forgot what it was like to be young,” Angus muttered. “We just thought ye…” He suddenly looked to John. “Does he know she’s…
”

“
Shhh
,” John cautioned.

Dallan stood
there a moment
, patiently waiting. “Angus, have ye nothing more to say to me?”

Angus sheepishly peered
up at him. “I’m sorry, lad. Th
is business has
us all on edge. Ye best be off and get it over with.”

Dallan cocked his head. “Tis only a wee lass, Angus.”

Angus’s eyes grew wide at the casual statement and he all but choked. “Aye, laddie. Whatever ye say.”

Dallan made to leave the aisle, but John grabbed his arm, stopping him. “Remember, Dallan, light conversation. Don’t question her to satisfy your own curiosity.”

“Aye, and keep yer voice soft, lad.” Angus added.

Lany groaned and rubbed his forehead.

Dal
lan glared at the others one fi
nal time before heading off to the end of the aisle. Kwaku’s arm shot out to stop him. “Going so soon, Boyeee?”

Dallan glared
at the arm blocking his path. “Out o’ my way.”

Kwaku merely chuckled. “Sometimes, Boyeee, de best ding to say to a woman is no-ding. No-ding at all.” He released him and began to laugh quietly.

Dallan glared anew at Kwaku before he
turned and walked away to silently seethe over the unwanted admission that the heathen’s advice had been the best he’d gotten all morning.

My
true-love
hath my heart, and I have his
,

By just exchange one to the other given
;

I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss
;

Th
ere never was a better bargain driven
;

My
true-love
hath my heart, and I have his.

Sir Philip Sidney

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“Oh Shona, don’t be such a dweeb!” Kitty chirped at her and everyone else within
ear shot
of the Library’s huge third fl
oor. A succession of “
shhh
” traveled up and down between t
he nearest shelves of books. Th
e only consolation for Shona and her crimson face was that she couldn’t actually see any of the “
shhh
” sound’s owners.

Shona buried her face in her hands. “For Heaven’s sake, Kitty, keep your voice down!”

“Well, what is it then with you? Why won’t you go out with anyone? It’s not like you never get asked. Look at how many asked you out at Stan’s!”

 
Shona grimaced at the mention of Stan’s. She sunk a little lower in her chair, her face even more crimson, as Kitty prattled on.

“At least you get asked. I never even get a ph
one call!” Kitty plopped
down in the chair next to Shona and let out a sigh. “I should be the one with the sleeping problem, not you. But I know he’s got to be out there somewhere.”

Shona, her face still hot with embarrassment, asked the inevitable.

“Who?”

Kitty looked at her aghast. “My Prince Charming of course!”

Her statement was so serious Shona had to smile and shake her head. “Well, I am sure he is out there. You just have to be patient.”

“You’re right, I just need to wait,” Kitty pouted. “I just hope I don’t have to wait too long.”
She stamped her foot on the fl
oor for emphasis.

“Are you two talking about men again? Lordy, Kitty, can’t you ever talk about anything else?” Tomy, just arrived, sat herself down across from Shona.

“What else is there to talk about?” Kitty replied with a shrug.

Tomy took one look at Shona’s red face, rolled her eyes and turned on Kitty. “Leave the poor girl alone! She doesn’t want to hear you carrying on about this man and that man and why you can’t get one!”

“It is fi
ne, Tomy,” Shona replied. “I do not mind. Bes
ides, it is nice to hear a diff
erent opinion on the subject now and then. One has to admit, Kitty’s viewpoint is a far cry from your own. Or, Julia’s for that matter.”

"A far cry indeed." Tomy imitated Shona, odd musical accent and all. 
“Honey, take my advice
and just stay away from ‘
em
. Th
ey’r
e no good!” She
gave Shona a curt nod of fi
nality before she began to dig through a huge canvas bag full of books. “Now where did I put that doggone paper I made up for you?”

Shona sighed as Tomy pulled a sheet of paper from between the pages of one of the books she carr
ied. “Here it is! I knew I’d fi
nd it. Now, I want you to have these done by tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow!” Shona interjected. “Why does it have to be tomorrow?”

“What’s wrong with tomorrow? You aren’t going anywhere tonight, are you?”

“No, it is just that I wanted
to get some other work done. Th
ose
councilors from the European university are here in the city interviewing candidates. They are coming to the
house tomorrow evening
for the fi
rst part of their interview with me. I do not see when I will have the time to get this done.”

“Julia will bite my head of
f
girl, if this isn’t done by tomorrow.”