If I received a complicated Sidhe name, I’d be as likely to forget it as to make the mistake of letting someone else know what it was so they could attain absolute power over me. One syllable might be okay: ‘Pink’ would be cool if someone hadn’t already nabbed that name. Two syllables could work. If my true name turned out to be ‘Danger’, I could have a lot of fun. I imagined meeting someone for the first time. ‘Hi. I’m Integrity and Danger is my middle name.’ The best part would be no one would ever twig I was telling them the truth. It’d be a great in-joke. Unfortunately it was more likely that I’d end up with Poo Madra Na Cathrach Ar Mo Brog or something equally dim-witted and unpronounceable.

I ducked my head to avoid some low lying branches. I thought the trees lining the driveway on the way up here were unusual, but they were nothing compared to these. None of them possessed a single leaf but all the same they were stunningly beautiful. The branches and trunks were a soft silver, gleaming in the weak midday sunshine. I glanced back; I couldn’t make out Byron’s figure. Despite the lack of foliage, these trees did a damn good job of concealment.

I was surprised at how nervous I was feeling. I’d been a part of some seriously ambitious heists in the past and never felt more than the faintest trickle of nerves. In those scenarios, however, I was always well prepared. Right now I had no idea what to expect. By the time I reached the small clearing in the centre of the grove, with its gurgling fountain and paved stone circle, I was shaking.

‘Okay,’ I said aloud, balling up my fists, ‘I’m here.’ I pulled out the scroll Byron had given me and began to read, my tongue stumbling over some of the words. I felt beyond awkward. Once I was done, I took a deep breath and looked up. Nothing happened. Now what?

There was a whisper from right behind me. I spun round, expecting to see someone but there were only trees. The branches hung overhead, gnarled twigs reaching out towards me like ancient fingers. I shivered and turned back just as there was another strange whisper. I took a deep breath.

‘You’re going to have to speak up,’ I called out. ‘I can’t hear you.’

The whispers increased in volume, although what they were saying remained incomprehensible. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to identify the words. Their sibilantic hush made that impossible until they all abruptly fell silent and one clear musical voice of no distinguishable gender spoke, freezing my bones.

‘Adair.’