“I mean no disrespect,” Niamh said, “but you people aren’t very bright.”

  Ciara rested a hand on her chest. “I’m just happy that we visited when you were feeling respectful.”

  “Explain yourself,” Siobhan said.

  Niamh flopped a hand in Siobhan’s direction. “You came here to retrieve two Treasures for your world.”

  She makes us sound like grave robbers, Siobhan thought. She shrugged. “And?”

  “They do your cause no good and now you can’t get back. You say that you know these things, so I’m inclined to say you’re not very bright.”

  “Fine, for your sake, I’ll agree with you,” Siobhan said. “Does that stop you from aiding us?”

  “It does not.” Niamh pointed at Ciara. “It’s herself who gives me pause.”

  “What about me?” Ciara asked.

  “The fabric of this group you travel with is strained,” Niamh said. “I sense that is because of yourself.”

  “I’ll grant her this,” Brigid muttered to Donal, “she is bright.”

  Brendan narrowed his eyes at his sister.

  “Can we step aside and speak privately?” Siobhan asked.

  “Do you have so little trust in your people that you don’t want them to hear?”

  “Have you been listening?” Siobhan asked. “It’s not a lack of trust, it’s a lack of patience for the slagging and the insults. I doubt it’s the best use of your time.”

  Niamh nodded and followed Siobhan back toward the trees.

  “Strained or not,” Siobhan said, “we need to get through. We need to find Caragh MacRannell.”

  “Because Caragh told your people she can get you home. Of course she did.”

  “You know her then?” Siobhan asked. “Are you friends?”

  “I wouldn’t say that.” Niamh tilted her head. “She’s friends with someone I respect and support. She’s… tolerable. Sometimes.”

  Siobhan pointed at Maura. “That’s her daughter there. That’s not enough to let us through?”

  “Not with one of the Morrigan’s kin among you,” Niamh said.

  Siobhan cinched the right side of her mouth.

  “You thought I wouldn’t notice?” Niamh asked.

  “I’m failing to see why it makes a difference.”

  “I won’t be the one to permit a Morrigan I don’t know to cross into Tír na nóg.”

  Goosebumps raced from the back of Siobhan’s neck down each arm. The thought of entering the land of the Tuatha Dé was still surreal, as close as the moment was. Siobhan shook her head and returned to the conversation. “Never?”

  “Not this one. Even the young one’s divination skills—or lack thereof—could sense the strain she puts on you all.”

  “No need for that talk,” Siobhan said. “He’s done nothing to warrant it.”

  “Fine,” Niamh said. “In earnest, why is she with you?”

  “Those twins running with us?” Siobhan asked. “Their parents wouldn’t permit them to join us unless we took Ciara.”

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  “They look a little old to be needing their Mam and Da’s permission to go play.”

  “Their Mam and Da are the Lord and Lady of the land,” Siobhan said. “They’re also helping our friends and family defend our land while we’re gone.”

  “Forever’s a long time to defend a land,” Niamh said. You’re failing to grasp that. You mortals always think you can hop between here and íriu as easily as sliding over a stone fence. Hop back over this fence? The best thing that can happen is that you lose several years of your life with no idea what happened. If you’re unlucky, you get sent immediately back to Tech Duinn as a member of the dearly departed—and with patchy memories of your time here as a mortal, no less. Some don’t remember which land they visited and they wind up living in the wrong places.”

  The light caught Niamh’s face in such a way that Siobhan swore her host blinked away a tear.

  She really is that Niamh, Siobhan thought. She softened her tone. “Is that what happened to Oisín?”

  Niamh jerked her head back. “What? Why would you—who said—”

  “Is that why he’s not here with you?” Siobhan asked. “Where is he living now?”

  Niamh swiped a hand toward the east. “Out in Tír fo Thuinn, with his precious band of Fianna. Even after all these years he remembers little of our time here together.”

  Siobhan’s heart hastened. These lands truly are connected. The others can find us. She felt her face brighten at the notion. Niamh appeared none too pleased at Siobhan’s reaction to her story.

  “I’m sorry, Niamh,” Siobhan said. “There was something you said earlier, and it dawned a solution in the back of my mind just now. What happened between the two of you sounds awful, and I realize it’s not my place to speak on it. What I can tell you is this: if we had any other way to get the Treasures, we would.”

  Niamh shook her head. “That may be, but you have the twins here, don’t you? There’s nothing to stop you from leaving the Morrigan child here and continuing down this path.”

  Siobhan sighed. “She’s an absolute melter and I’ll never forgive her for her part in what happened to my friends. But she’s not useless. And I made an agreement with her. I’m not leaving her behind unless she gives me a reason.”

  “Even if it means getting turned away here?” Niamh said. “This is the only way for mortals to enter Tír na nóg, you know.”

  “I don’t know, but I believe you. My answer is unchanged.”

  “Mortals,” Niamh said with a heavy sigh.

  “Ourselves?” Siobhan asked. “If half of the things our tales say about the Tuatha Dé are true, you should save some of that judgment for your own people.”

  Niamh grinned. “So I should. Strictly speaking, aren’t some of them in there your people, too?”

  “Indeed,” Siobhan said. She waved a hand at the sílrad pretending not to eavesdrop from their rocky seats. “The same for them as well. Including Maura. I don’t know which one of you she resembles, but she descends from Nuada himself.”

  “Does she, now?” Niamh said, scratching the back of her jaw.

  “And she hasn’t seen her mam, Caragh, in several months. I take it from what you first said when you crawled through that doorway that it’s been a while since she’s been here?”

  “I’ve lost track, to tell you the truth,” Niamh said. “Unless she’s hiding from me, she’s not over there. Why would you want to go?”

  “She was speaking with someone there,” Siobhan said. “Regularly. Do you know who?”

  “I do. It’s the only reason I continued to let Caragh through.”

  “Is there a reason you’re not giving me a name?”

  “Two reasons: I haven’t decided if I’m letting you through, and you wouldn’t believe who it was even if I told you.”

  Siobhan pinched her nose. “Niamh, I promise you we’re not looking to move in there. I’ve got no interest in distant family reunions. Quite the opposite. We’re trying to save our home from certain Fomori who refuse to stay on your side of the fence.

  “We need to find Caragh. At the very least, we need to find the places we should be searching. Give us passage. Give us a place to look.”

  Niamh turned away, holding the front of her jaw in her right hand. She stared at Maura. Her eyes shifted to Ciara and then hung on Donal.

  “You should know I’m not the only obstacle along this trail,” Niamh said. “Don’t’ think that you’ll be able to argue your way out of trouble with anything else you encounter.”

  “Can I get a name?” Siobhan asked.

  Niamh grinned. “You don’t need one. There’s a path through the forest once you clear this trail. Follow it west until you reach a road, and then follow that road west. Do that, and you’ll find Caragh’s contact.”

  “It sounds as easy as it sounds cryptic,” Siobhan said. “Thank you, Niamh. Care to follow me back and hear some gratitude from my people?”

  “Thank you, but no,” Niamh said. She blinked, and grey light glinted in her eyes. She pushed her hand toward the north wall of the path and a doorway expanded from nothing.

  “Siobhan, I have another piece of advice before I go.”

  “Let me guess,” Siobhan said with a grin. "It’s a riddle about how Ciara will end us all.”

  Niamh smiled. “Good guess, but no. The young lad with you, I sense his troubles, too. When you get to where you’re going, mention them to the person you’ll meet.”

  Siobhan stepped backward and held up both hands. “As a warning?”

  “Not at all,” Niamh said. “I think she can help.”

  “Did you say ‘help?’” Siobhan asked. “How?”

  “Just ask them.”

  “Ah here, these knots you’re talking in,” Siobhan said, “they’re revenge for bringing Ciara into Tír na nóg against your wishes, aren’t they?”

  Niamh chuckled as she stepped through the doorway. “I might have been wrong about you. You’re brighter than you seem. Good luck to you. Truly.”

  The doorway closed with a wave of Niamh’s hand.