‘What will happen to Jenny?’ Shane asked, his voice gone quiet.

‘If she’s good, she’ll live with the fairies forever. It’s quite fun, so I’m told. Not that I would know. I prefer my own company. Do you have any more of this?’ the Clurichaun said, pointing to the now empty bottle of sherry.

‘Not until you answer all our questions,’ Cat bluffed. As far as she knew that was the sum total of alcohol in the house, but she saw no reason to tell him that.

‘Bah! I think much better with a bottle in my hand but if you insist …’

‘I do. How long do we have to save Mikey and Jenny?’

‘The fairies ride out again at dawn. To where, who knows? As I’ve already told you, I don’t concern myself with the affairs of the Sídhe. We leave each other alone and that’s the way I like it.’

Dawn. Cat looked at the clock on the mantlepiece. It was already after 5:30 and darkness had begun to settle over the town like a thick blanket. She did some quick mental maths and figured she had less than fourteen hours to get the children back. It didn’t seem like much time, but it would have to do.

‘OK, so if the fairies have Mikey and Jenny up in the Green Rath, we just charge in and get them, right?’ said Shane, looking somewhat hopeful.

‘Hold your horses, lad!’ said the Clurichaun. ‘You can’t go charging into the middle of the Sídhe Court all willy-nilly. Not unless you like being beholden to them for all eternity.’

‘Well how else can we get them back?’ Cat asked.

‘You don’t. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,’ said the Clurichaun with what Cat thought sounded like genuine regret. ‘They’re gone. Forget about them and move on as best you can.’

‘He’s my baby brother,’ said Cat quietly. ‘I can’t move on. I won’t. There must be some way to help them? Please.’

The Clurichaun gave her a hard look. ‘You’re really determined, Caitriona Donnelly?’

She nodded. It was Mikey. She had to try.

The Clurichaun sighed and his small body seemed to slump. ‘Then here’s what you need to do. You must go to the Green Rath and ask – politely mind you – for an audience with the queen. It’s her who’ll have your siblings. You need to offer her something in exchange. Fairies are required to accept any exchange a mortal offers them.’

‘That’s it?’ Cat said, feeling her hopes rise. ‘Well, that’s easy!’

‘Not so fast! It’ll be far from easy. Fairies may be bound by certain laws, but that doesn’t mean we can’t bend them. Tread carefully. Oh, and best make your offer something good. Something worthwhile. The queen might be forced to trade with you, but she’ll consider the children extremely valuable and won’t be happy to part with them for trifles. She’ll remember the insult and believe me, no one can hold a grudge like the Queen of the Sídhe! Whatever you give them should be something of great value to you.’