Granny leaned back in the chair and sighed. ‘Good girl. Now, we better get the dinner started.’

Just like that, the dark cloud hovering over Granny seemed to lift and she was back to her old self. They went into the kitchen and began the ritual of making dinner.

‘There’s one thing I don’t understand,’ Cat said as she handed Granny a freshly peeled carrot.

‘What’s that, love?’

‘Well, you said the fairies that took Nancy were Trooping Fairies, right?’

‘I did.’

‘And they only stay in town long enough to hold their Revels?’

‘Yes.’

‘So, what did you disturb that first day up in Cullane Wood?’

Granny paused in the middle of chopping the vegetables and looked thoughtful. ‘You know, I’ve often wondered that myself. I believe it was something older, a being that thrives on mischief and chaos. I think that day in the ringfort some cruel Pooka whispered lies into Nancy’s ear that caused her to return time and time again until one day, she never came back. Now, let’s speak no more of it.’

Outside, a light breeze picked up and the magpie who had been perched on the window ledge took flight, but neither Cat nor Granny noticed a thing.

Chapter Four

The Book of Secrets

The stew was almost ready when Cat’s mam arrived home looking frazzled, a screaming Mikey balanced on one hip and a bag of shopping hooked onto an elbow.

‘Here, give the baby to me,’ Granny said, jumping up and taking Mikey into her arms, kissing him on the forehead and bouncing him up and down. Almost immediately he stopped crying.

‘Thank you,’ Cat’s mam said, sinking onto a kitchen chair without even removing her jacket first. ‘Poor Mikey’s teething and he cried the whole way home from the childminder’s.’

‘I don’t know why you don’t just leave him here with me, Laura, sure we get on great, don’t we, Mikey?’ Granny tickled him under his chin and he squealed with laughter.

‘We’ve been over this, Mam, he’s hard work. Watching him for an hour once or twice a week is one thing, but you wouldn’t be able for him at your age. Not for the whole day.’

‘Sure, amn’t I well able to take care of Caitriona?’

‘That’s different, Cat practically looks after herself. Cat, would you mind dishing out the dinner while I get Mikey settled? I’m absolutely starved. I had to work right through lunch again and I swear by four o’clock I was ready to chew my own arm off.’

Cat jumped up and carefully ladled spoonfuls of warm stew into bowls for herself, Granny, and her mam. She dug through the cupboard until she found Mikey’s colourful plastic bowl and put a small amount in his, though she wondered why she bothered when it would most likely end up all over the floor or in his hair.

‘Ah, Laura,’ Granny said, using her disapproving voice. ‘They work you too hard in that place. Would you not think of finding something else?’