‘I won’t let that happen. I won’t ever forget what happened last night.’

‘Neither will I,’ Cat said, and then she remembered something else. ‘I’m glad you’re here, actually. I was going to drop by your house and give you this.’

She pulled an envelope from her pocket and handed it to Shane. ‘They’re not the best quality because I just used my mam’s home printer, but we have loads more stored on the computer. I can send them to you later if you like.’

Shane opened the envelope. Inside were pictures, lots of them. He pulled one out at random. It was a picture of the two of them playing on a seesaw when they were small and there, watching over them, was Shane’s dad. For the first time Cat noticed how much Shane looked like his dad. They had the same nose and teeth and at the rate he was growing, he might even be as tall as him one day. Shane pulled out another picture. This time it was one of his dad playing a guitar at a barbecue in Cat’s back garden.

Shane flipped though the pictures with wonder. When he finally looked up at Cat she thought he might be about to cry.

‘Thanks,’ he said simply. There was nothing else he needed to say.

They stood for a moment in silence, but it wasn’t awkward or strained any more. It was simply the silence of two friends thinking their own thoughts.

‘Can you tell if they’re still here?’ Shane said finally. ‘I was wondering, after last night, whether I’d be able to feel something, you know? But I can’t.’ Shane blushed.

Cat closed her eyes and reached out with the Sight, but there was nothing there.

‘I guess that means they’re really gone,’ said Shane.

‘Seems like it. They’ll be back though. Eventually.’

‘And by then we’ll be ready for them.’

Cat noticed the way he said ‘we’ and smiled.

They turned and began to walk down the hill. ‘I’m going over to Ebele’s to watch a scary film later since I missed out last night and all. Do you want to come?’

‘No,’ said Shane and Cat wondered if she had imagined their reignited friendship. ‘I can’t, sorry. I’ve been away all afternoon and Mam needs me to help around the house. But maybe we can do something tomorrow instead? I’ve got a new video game I’ve been dying to play. I don’t know if you still like playing games …’

‘I do!’ Cat said cheerily. ‘But Ebele’s not a fan. Maybe if we both bug her we can change her mind.’

They walked back down the hill, chatting and laughing like old friends, and left the Green Rath behind them.

Epilogue

The Most Fun He’d Had in Years

From the shadow of an ancient oak tree, the creature watched the children until they were out of sight. Last night had been the most fun he’d had in years. She would be one to watch, that Cat-of-the-Fairies, he thought. Whatever else she might be, she certainly wasn’t boring.