after it. It led me right to her, where she lay caught in barbed wire. Maybe it’s all in the head, but I believe they look out for me.”
“You’re the kind of person they would help.”
“How would you know that?”
A hush fell over them. Both had reached the point where secrets could be aired without fear of judgment.
Gwen told her story to date, leaving out nothing. After describing the calamity at the banquet, she finished dismally.
“I’ve screwed everything up. I haven’t a clue how to get back, but I’ve got to reach Findabhair. There’s something wrong with Faerie. She knows it herself. Something creepy hiding in the dark. I’ve got to get her out of there before it’s too late. Before something bad happens.”
Katie was listening in stunned silence. She rummaged in her pockets to find a cigarette.
“Sorry for polluting your air, but I can’t manage this without a smoke. I can hardly get my head around it!”
Gwen got out of bed and dressed herself, but she was moving slowly. She felt weak and dizzy.
“I’ll make you a big fry for your breakfast,” Katie offered.
“Ugh, no. The thought of food makes me ill. And that’s not right!”
“Shouldn’t you rest then?”
“There’s no time. I must get after them. They’re probably doing this to hold me back, but it won’t work.”
“That’s the spirit!” said Katie. “What’ll we do? Where shall we go?”
Gwen noted the “we” gratefully. Despite her brave words she was wondering if she had the strength to do anything.
“Back to the Ancient Eating Place. Midir met me there before. He’s my best bet in a crunch.”
“We’ll take the motorbike.”
“Don’t you have work to do?” Gwen said guiltily. “I shouldn’t be dragging you into this.”
“Mam and the girls are at it. I’m supposed to be looking after you and that’s what I’m doing, right?”
As they sped down the road, Gwen was revived by the cool rush of air. The Burren looked worn and bedraggled after the storm. The road was littered with branches and twigs. The limestone pavements glistened with rainfall. A turlough had risen to flood a field.
When they reached the Fulacht Fia , their hopes were quashed. The site was empty, nothing but wet grass and sodden ground. A cold wind blew over the ring of stones.
“He promised to help.”
Disappointed, Gwen sat down wearily on a rock.
Undaunted, Katie continued to scout the area until she, too, gave up and joined her friend.
“This is hopeless,” sighed Gwen. “How to find a fairy in a haystack?”
“ Ssh, ” said Katie suddenly. “Do you hear something?”
Both were suddenly still and alert. The sounds came from behind them. Slowly they turned to face the clump of bushes a short distance away. Nothing could be seen through the dense tangle of hazel, but the noises came from the other side. A low crunching and munching, accompanied by little sighs and snorts.
Katie let out a low laugh. She was about to stand up to see whose goats had strayed, when the voices began. Gwen grabbed her arm and they both sat frozen, hardly daring to breathe.
“She made a right hames of the feast last night.”
“Bejapers and she did. Ruptions and ructions to beat the band. The place nearly burst asunder.”
“There’ll be talk of it for ages to come.”
“That’s what they get for letting the likes of them into the manor house.”
“Asha, they’re not all bad. What about our Katie?”
“Our good neighbor?”
“The best there is.”
“She’s a friend of your one, you know.”
“She is that.”
“I’m sure she’d want us to lend a hand and all.”
“Oh aye. And we’d have the wrath of the Boss down about our ears before you could say ‘taw shay mahogany gaspipes.’”
“He’d leave us as we are for another hundred years.”
“Ah now, he’d get over it.”
“He wouldn’t.”
“He would.”
“He wouldn’t.”
“He would.”
“And he would not.”
“Well, who then is going to
“You’re the kind of person they would help.”
“How would you know that?”
A hush fell over them. Both had reached the point where secrets could be aired without fear of judgment.
Gwen told her story to date, leaving out nothing. After describing the calamity at the banquet, she finished dismally.
“I’ve screwed everything up. I haven’t a clue how to get back, but I’ve got to reach Findabhair. There’s something wrong with Faerie. She knows it herself. Something creepy hiding in the dark. I’ve got to get her out of there before it’s too late. Before something bad happens.”
Katie was listening in stunned silence. She rummaged in her pockets to find a cigarette.
“Sorry for polluting your air, but I can’t manage this without a smoke. I can hardly get my head around it!”
Gwen got out of bed and dressed herself, but she was moving slowly. She felt weak and dizzy.
“I’ll make you a big fry for your breakfast,” Katie offered.
“Ugh, no. The thought of food makes me ill. And that’s not right!”
“Shouldn’t you rest then?”
“There’s no time. I must get after them. They’re probably doing this to hold me back, but it won’t work.”
“That’s the spirit!” said Katie. “What’ll we do? Where shall we go?”
Gwen noted the “we” gratefully. Despite her brave words she was wondering if she had the strength to do anything.
“Back to the Ancient Eating Place. Midir met me there before. He’s my best bet in a crunch.”
“We’ll take the motorbike.”
“Don’t you have work to do?” Gwen said guiltily. “I shouldn’t be dragging you into this.”
“Mam and the girls are at it. I’m supposed to be looking after you and that’s what I’m doing, right?”
As they sped down the road, Gwen was revived by the cool rush of air. The Burren looked worn and bedraggled after the storm. The road was littered with branches and twigs. The limestone pavements glistened with rainfall. A turlough had risen to flood a field.
When they reached the Fulacht Fia , their hopes were quashed. The site was empty, nothing but wet grass and sodden ground. A cold wind blew over the ring of stones.
“He promised to help.”
Disappointed, Gwen sat down wearily on a rock.
Undaunted, Katie continued to scout the area until she, too, gave up and joined her friend.
“This is hopeless,” sighed Gwen. “How to find a fairy in a haystack?”
“ Ssh, ” said Katie suddenly. “Do you hear something?”
Both were suddenly still and alert. The sounds came from behind them. Slowly they turned to face the clump of bushes a short distance away. Nothing could be seen through the dense tangle of hazel, but the noises came from the other side. A low crunching and munching, accompanied by little sighs and snorts.
Katie let out a low laugh. She was about to stand up to see whose goats had strayed, when the voices began. Gwen grabbed her arm and they both sat frozen, hardly daring to breathe.
“She made a right hames of the feast last night.”
“Bejapers and she did. Ruptions and ructions to beat the band. The place nearly burst asunder.”
“There’ll be talk of it for ages to come.”
“That’s what they get for letting the likes of them into the manor house.”
“Asha, they’re not all bad. What about our Katie?”
“Our good neighbor?”
“The best there is.”
“She’s a friend of your one, you know.”
“She is that.”
“I’m sure she’d want us to lend a hand and all.”
“Oh aye. And we’d have the wrath of the Boss down about our ears before you could say ‘taw shay mahogany gaspipes.’”
“He’d leave us as we are for another hundred years.”
“Ah now, he’d get over it.”
“He wouldn’t.”
“He would.”
“He wouldn’t.”
“He would.”
“And he would not.”
“Well, who then is going to
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