The old fairy let out a loud whoop of joy and the Pooka was happy. It was already the most fun he’d had in years and the night had scarcely begun.

Chapter Six

The Not-Brother

Was it a dream or a memory? Cat wasn’t sure. All she knew was that whatever was happening, it wasn’t real.

For one thing, her granddad was there, standing by the living-room window and peering out into the night-time gloom with a concerned expression on his face.

‘It’s picking up out there,’ he said, his voice a deep bass rumble caused by too many years of pipe smoke. ‘It’ll be blowing a gale soon. I better check on the hens. They’ll be getting spooked.’

‘Never mind the hens,’ said Granny. ‘They’ll be grand. They always are. Now sit down and have your tea, would you? It’s getting cold.’

Granddad looked undecided. Cat knew he hated the thought of leaving his animals at the mercy of the storm. Granny tutted and threw her hands in the air.

‘Oh, go on so, you’ll only drive us mad hovering there all night. Isn’t that right, Caitriona?’

Granny winked at Cat who found herself snuggled under a blanket on her grandparents’ familiar worn sofa. She remembered this night. It was just before Granddad had gotten sick.

He ruffled her hair with calloused fingers and stepped out into the garden to face the lashing wind and hail. Cat wanted to cry out and beg him to stay with her a while longer. She missed his gravelly laugh and the way his eyes twinkled when Granny pretended to give out to him. But hard as she tried, she couldn’t form the words. Dream-Cat simply pulled the blanket up closer to her chin to ward off the autumn chill.

‘How about a story before bed?’ asked Granny as she handed Cat a steaming cup of milky tea. She nodded. Cat knew exactly which story it would be: The Children of Lir. It was her favourite and no one else told it quite like Granny.

The old woman lowered herself onto the sofa with a contented sigh. Cat could feel the weight of her, the warmth. Even in the land of dreams Granny was a force of nature.

‘Once upon a time,’ she began, ‘there was a girl. This was no ordinary girl. She was special because she could see things that other people couldn’t.’

Wait, Cat thought, this is wrong. This isn’t the story Granny told.

‘One day, this brave young girl woke to find something had happened. Something terrible. The whole world had turned upside down and she needed to fix it. She was afraid and she felt terribly alone …’

Cat tried to speak, but she couldn’t open her mouth. She tried to move, but she was stuck to the couch. Outside, the wind wailed and Cat was sure she could hear the sound of laughter and bird wings beating against glass.