Chapter 3

“***** amazing,” Shane muttered as she rolled off, burrowing her head into one of the pillows on the bed.  She looked over at Maeve, “Wow… That was intense!”

Maeve studied her eyes carefully.  “Shane,” she began. “Do you have any idea what you are?”

“Huh?  What do you mean?”

“Listen, Shane…You are sidhe…”

“Sidhe?  As in faerie?  No way, man.  You must be kidding me, right?!”

“Follow me.”  She grabbed Shane’s hand, leading her back to the dressing room.  “Look!  Look at yourself.  What do you see?”

Shane studied her reflection in the mirror.  Her skin had always been pale before, but now it was kind of glowy.  And her eyes…weird…  She glanced over at Maeve’s reflection, noting a similar glow, although more golden.  For the first time, she noticed how close their figures resembled each other’s.  They were both tall and slender, small-chested with fine-boned features.  If not for their coloring, they looked as if they could be sisters, or cousins.

“Wha…what happened to me?” she stammered.  “*****!  Holy *****!  This can’t be happening…I’m dreaming or something…”  She shook her head, running her hands through her hair, which seemed softer than she remembered.  “What the *****!”  She stared at her hair in the mirror, suddenly noticing it was a little longer than it had been when she walked into this house.  Smoother and shinier, too.

“Come,” Maeve urged her back into the bedroom.  She threw a robe across Shane’s shoulders, and drew another robe around her own body.  “We have much to discuss.”  She sat Shane down by a small table that had a pair of chairs flanking it.  Sitting at the other chair, she reached for the telephone.  “Rose, have a tea service sent up.  Yes, that will be fine.”  Hanging up the phone, she turned to face Shane again, who still seemed stunned.  “When you’ve accepted it, we can move on.  I will explain to you everything you need to know.”

Shane brooded, still and silent.  Her eyes seemed very distant as she stared out the window.

A maid came bearing a simple tea set complete with a plate overflowing with small cakes, crackers, and fruit.  She set it on the table and left at a gesture from her employer, but not before casting a curious glance towards their guest.