“What do you want with us?” It was a challenge, bold and strong, but I could feel a trembling in Cathal’s body that belied the confidence in his words.

“All this way, and you do not know?” the woman asked, and I wondered that I had ever thought her friendly, for now her lovely eyes were hostile.

“You lied to her,” Cathal said. “Do that again and you’ll answer to me.” This time I heard something in his voice that frightened me, and to my surprise, the woman of the Fair Folk took a step backward.

“A warning for you,” she said with a little cold smile. “Do not leave her alone again. Next time she might go too far for you to follow.” She motioned to her companion, and together they turned their backs and walked away without another word, carrying Finbar with them.

“No—wait—!” I cried, but they moved into the shadows and were gone.

“Back to the fire,” Cathal said.

I stood frozen, resisting the pull of his arm. Had I got this so wrong? Had I been utterly blind? That had been my brother. I was sure of it. “They had Finbar,” I said, and my voice came out small and wobbly. My nose and eyes were running and my hand hurt. “They had him, Cathal. He was right there.”

“Come, Clodagh. Whether that was Finbar or not, he’s gone now and those folk with him. You’re cold and shocked. Come back to the fire and you can shout at me all you want.”

But when we reached the fire, I sat down and found that my anger was all gone, with only sorrow left in its place. “I was so sure she was Deirdre of the Forest,” I said, “the woman who has appeared to Sibeal in the past, as she did to my grandmother long ago. A benign presence. It seemed so easy. She said she wanted to help us. It seemed right, Cathal.” I bent over my hand, trying to get my fingernails around the end of the splinter.

“Let me.” He sat down beside me, took my hand in his and examined the sliver of wood through narrowed eyes. “It’s in deep; I might need to use a knife.”

“Just do it, please. I’m sorry, Cathal. The look in her eyes at the end . . . I forgot the warnings. She mocked the Old Ones. She said they were only meddling. And perhaps they are. I don’t know whom to believe anymore. I don’t know whom to trust.”

“Trusting me might be a good first step.” He had taken out a long-bladed knife. He held my hand firmly and maneuvered the weapon with skill. I shut my eyes; that seemed to make it hurt less.

“If I didn’t trust you, would I be letting you do this?” I said grimly. “Cathal?”

“Mm? Keep still.”