‘Your mother has raised one brave girl.’

By the time her mam and Eileen came back into the room, Cat and Granny had changed the subject. Mikey was balanced on her mam’s hip and for once he was smiling and happy.

‘He’s like a new person,’ she said. ‘It must have been a dose of the cold making him so cranky these last few days.’

‘There’s something going around all right,’ said Granny.

They chatted for an hour or so until a nurse appeared and insisted Granny needed her rest.

‘I’ll be home in a few days,’ she said, hugging Cat close again. ‘And we’ll start a new Book of Secrets together.’

Cat smiled. ‘I’d like that.’

They emerged from the hospital into a cold, drizzly rain.

‘The weather’s really taken a turn,’ said her mam as she loaded Mikey into the car. ‘Pity. It was so lovely and crisp the last few days. At least you had a good night for trick-or-treating.’

Despite the rain, Cat couldn’t wait to bundle up in warm clothes and head back out. She had things to do, the first of which was to pay a visit to the Green Rath. She wanted to see the place for herself in the light of day. She needed to know for sure that the fairies really were gone.

The walk to the fort was different in the dull afternoon light. It felt shorter somehow and shockingly normal. It was hard to imagine all the things she had seen last night. In fact, as the day wore on, the more it all began to feel like a dream.

Cat entered Cullane Wood and trudged up the hill. When she stepped into the clearing she immediately shrank back again. There, standing at the entrance to the fairy fort, was a hooded figure. Her heart began to thump wildly in her chest. Was it one of the Trooping Fairies, or worse, the Pooka? But then the figure turned around and she realised it was Shane.

She stepped forward. ‘What are you doing here?’ she asked.

‘Cat!’ he said cheerfully. ‘I called to your house, but you were gone so I came here to find you.’

‘Oh,’ said Cat. ‘I was at the hospital visiting Granny.’

‘How is she?’

‘She’s good. Did you … did you want something?’

Shane looked down at his feet, suddenly awkward again. ‘I wanted to talk, I suppose, and it’s not like I can tell anyone else what happened. I don’t know what it is, but last night … it’s starting to feel …’

‘Like it didn’t really happen? I know! I feel the same way.’

‘It’s strange,’ said Shane. ‘I know it must have happened – I found a lump of wood dressed in one of Jenny’s nightdresses to prove it – but it all kind of feels like a dream.’

Cat nodded. ‘Oh, it happened all right, but maybe it’s part of the Pooka’s magic to try and make us forget so next time he can catch us unaware?’