“Your mother could have easily been coerced to walk right out the front door,” Niamh said. “Your grandmother might have seen the whole thing and not remember a bit of it if Breanh wiped her memory.”
“So what are we looking for exactly then?”
“Right now, we’re keeping up appearances, for your family. Wherever your mother truly is, she’s far, far away from here.”
Time stopped, and my mouth dropped open. “Keeping up appearances?”
“Your family would think it was strange if you weren’t taking part in the search.” Niamh shrugged, the slightest pull of her shoulder upward.
“How can you be positive it was Breanh that took my mother? How do you know she didn’t just wander off?” I glared at Niamh, but she remained unaffected.
“The chances that she is still in this world are very small,” Liam began. “We will go to TÍ r na n’Ó g and see Niamh’s mother, Saoirse. She is a Seer, able to see many paths into the future.”
I shook my head. “Okay,” I said, though I didn’t comprehend what that actually meant.
“You will stay here,” Niamh added. “Your father and I will go to my mother.”
I threw out my hands, breathing hard. “You expect me to sit around and wait?”
“Taking you would be too big of a risk,” Liam said.
I gritted my teeth and glared at him. “I need to find my mother.”
“I know you’re frustrated,” he said. “But what’s important is that we keep you and your mother safe.”
“Obviously our ideas of keeping her safe are very different,” I said, spinning on my heel and marching back down the path without sparing another glance at either of them.
I could hear Liam’s footsteps behind me as I walked up the sidewalk. I tried to ignore him for as long as possible, but when I stopped he came around to stand in front of me.
“What?” I snapped.
He chuckled a little under his breath as he shook his head. “I’ve never seen anyone talk to Niamh like that.”
I snorted. “Just wait ‘til she finds out that I’m going with you.”
“Absolutely not,” he said, his posture rigid. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t you see? Niamh doesn’t care about my mother—I don’t even understand why she’s helping you in the first place.” I walked around him, heading toward where the crowd still gathered in our front yard. “But if you care about her, you’ll take me with you,” I called over my shoulder.
Aunt Jessie was talking on the phone when I walked up. I looked around for Gram and saw her surrounded by a group of my mother’s old friends, including Joanne. I was grateful that they were there to reassure her.
When Gram saw me, she excused herself from the ladies and hurried over. “Oh sweetheart, how are you holding up?” she asked, placing her palm on my cheek.
“I’m fine. But what about you?”
“I’m terrified, Allie-girl. It’s not like your mother to wander off for this long,” Gram said, glancing over at Pop.
“We’ll find her Gram,” I said. I knew Liam could hear me from where he stood on the sidewalk. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
***
My mother lies in a bed, swathed in gauzy fabric, her eyes closed in peaceful sleep. The room is quiet, and warm light comes from globes suspended in the air. A young woman with scarlet hair approaches her bedside, carrying a platter of fruit and a golden cup. Her blue gown looks straight out of the Middle Ages with floor-length, open sleeves and gilded embroidery on the hems. She bends to place the platter on a table by my mother’s head, her hair tumbling over her shoulder.
Another woman with mahogany curls and a similar mauve gown appears on my mother’s other side. She laughs as she smooths my mother’s hair back onto her silky pillow.
Suddenly, both women straighten up as another walks into the room. Her glistening blonde hair flows to the small of her back. She takes the golden cup in her hands and brings it to her curved mouth. After she takes a sip, she trickles a few drops of liquid onto my mother’s lips. As soon as it touches, my mother's eyes open. She stares dreamily at the women surrounding her. She doesn't look afraid—she looks content.
I opened my eyes, and rubbed my palms across my face before looking at the clock.
4:43 a.m.
I must have fallen asleep on the couch while waiting to hear from the police.
It took a minute to clear the cobwebs from my head. I could still almost smell the ripe fruit and hear the laughter from my dream. I reached over and patted the end table until I found my cell phone. I clicked it open and tapped a text message to Liam:
Where are you?
Not ten seconds later, my phone beeped with a message:
Right outside.
My eyebrows furrowed. Had he really waited for me?
I stood and walked to the window that looked out on the woods next to the house. A sliver of the moon still hung low in the sky, but it was too dark to see anything.
I sent another message:
What are you still doing here?
After a brief pause, my phone beeped again:
Niamh went without me.
I looked up from my phone and out into the trees. I squinted and saw a tiny bit of movement in the woods. Slipping on my flip flops, I hurried out the sliding door. The sky was streaked with the lavender and peach light of early morning as I walked toward the spot I’d seen the movement.
“Good morning.”
I jumped as Liam appeared out of nowhere beside me. “How did you do that?”
He chuckled, the sound so quiet I barely heard it. “I told you—we’re fast. Too fast for you to see.”
I closed my eyes and inhaled. Nothing should surprise me anymore.
“Why didn’t you go with Niamh? And why are you standing in the woods at this hour?” I asked, glancing up at him.
He looked toward the sky as he rubbed the back of his neck. “It didn’t feel right,” he began, his accent thick. “Leaving you here didn’t feel right.”
My eyes widened and I swallowed hard to hold back the biting comment that came to mind. “What about my mother?”
“Allison, this is all happening so fast and I know you’re frustrated.” He swallowed, shooting me a pleading look.
“You worried about what I might do, didn’t you?” I said, the realization striking me as I spoke.
He cleared his throat and shrugged. “You’re the first daughter I’ve ever had,” he said.
I rolled my eyes. “All right, fine. Does this mean you’re taking me to fairy land?”
Liam sighed. “I suppose it does.”
***
The screen door bounced a few times before it shut behind me as I walked back into the house. I smelled coffee brewing and heard dishes clanking in the sink. As I passed the den, I saw my mother’s violin sitting in its case, open on the coffee table. It looked like she had just been about to take it out before she’d disappeared, not up in her room at all.
Gram sat at the table, idly stirring a cup of coffee in front of her, while Pop gazed out the back window. Aunt Jessie stepped away from the sink where she was washing the dishes from the night before.
“You all couldn’t sleep either, I guess . . . . Any news?” I asked, as they all looked at me questioningly.
Aunt Jessie smoothed back my hair and smiled at me with pity in her eyes. “No, honey. Nothing yet. There were a couple calls during the night but”—she sighed—“they were all dead ends.”
It was all I could do to keep my mouth shut. I wanted to tell them they were all wasting their time, that I was going to find her and bring her home myself.
“I’m just going to grab some breakfast, and I’ll be heading back out,” I said instead.
Uncle David walked into the room holding up his phone. “Nic said she’ll come here first, and you can go out with them. They’re about to head to the mall to see if for some reason she wandered down there.”
&
nbsp; I shook my head. “I’d rather split up for now, cover more ground.”
Pop cleared his throat, and when I looked over at him I froze. His face was ashen, with dark circles shadowing his eyes. “Allie, please don’t go out alone. Wait for your cousin.”
***
I felt a sharp twang of guilt as I packed my duffel bag. Leaving might hurt my grandparents a little at first, but it would be worth it when I brought my mother back safely. Staying here to keep them calm now would be worse in the end. As I zipped my bag closed, my bedroom door opened slowly.
Nicole stuck her head in, her expression worried. “You planning a trip, Al?”
“Actually...yes. And you’re just in time to help me.”
Nicole frowned. “I don’t think I like where this is going.”
“Come on, I never ask you for anything. I need you to cover for me, to keep Gram and Pop from worrying,” I said as I picked up my bag. “Now, I can’t tell you where I’m going, but you need to just trust me.”
“Are you kidding? You’re just leaving, and you expect me to cover for you without any information. Of all the times for you to lose your cool, Al.”
I put my hands on Nicole’s shoulders and looked directly into her eyes. “I need you now, more than I have ever needed anything. I am going to find my mother, and you need to have faith in me. Whatever you have to say, just cover for me.”
Shaking her head, Nicole turned away. “Fine, but don’t do anything stupid. It’s not like you to be so crazy. Please don’t do anything stupid,” she repeated
“Thanks, Nic . . . really.”
“Did I mention I don’t like how you’re acting?” Nicole said over her shoulder, walking out of my bedroom.
***
I met Liam in the clearing after I snagged a few snacks to bring with me. He looked curiously at the bag slung over my shoulder.
“You’re ready, then?”
“Yep, I’m ready.”
“And you’re sure about this?”
“Stop stalling. How are we getting there?”
“The portal is at Niamh’s house, about an hour from here.” he said, hesitating. “By car. But if we run, we’ll be there in about a minute.”
My eyebrows shot up and I gasped.
“I know, I know. But it’s true.”
I shook my head. “Maybe you can run at light speed, but I can’t.”
“Allison,” he said, as if I was being ridiculous. “I’ll carry you.”
“Whoa, I don’t think so. I’d rather drive.”
“We’re wasting time,” he said, his jaw tightening. “It’ll be over very fast. You won’t even have a chance to think about it.”
I looked at him a moment longer. “Fine.” I threw my hands out. “Carry me.”
In a flash, he had me up over his shoulder like a fireman rescuing a child, and the air was sucked straight out of my lungs like a vacuum. The change from standing still to flying through the air was so intense that I swore I left my vital organs in the wooded lot. I tried to pry open my eyelids, but the pressure kept them locked down. The only thought I had was of falling from Liam’s shoulder and exploding into a million pieces.
When Liam slowed down and I felt the pressure release, my lungs automatically gulped in air. I opened my eyes to see grass and boulders and a dirt road blurring by. Then he came to a complete stop and I wriggled off his back. My equilibrium was still in Stoneville, so I was glad he held me steady by the elbows. I might have gone down like a sack of rocks otherwise.
The trees on either side of the road towered above us, their long branches intertwining overhead to give the impression of a tunnel. The grass was wild and tall around the two indents of the road. It was obvious that no vehicles had been up this way in quite some time.
“Niamh’s house is just around that bend,” Liam said, walking along the overgrown path.
I followed closely behind, keeping underneath the green canopy where the air was cooler. The only sounds were the chirping of songbirds and our footsteps on the earth.
“It’s pretty here. But why are we in the middle of the woods?”
“We’re backed up to a wildlife preserve in Wheelwright. We try to stay away from iron as much as possible, so this spot is perfect.”
“How can you stand being in Stoneville then? Iron and steel are everywhere.”
“We use magic,” he said, glancing at me sideways as he walked. “There is no iron in TÍ r na n’Ó g, as you can imagine. There is a mineral known as fhÁ illan, however. FhÁ illan is, in many ways, the opposite of iron.”
He lifted the sleeve of his shirt. A silver-colored band decorated with intricate swirls and triskelions encircled his upper bicep. That’s what I must’ve seen those days ago.
“This fhÁ illan band repels the effects of iron for a time. It’s not complete, but it’s bearable.”
As we walked, I thought about the dream I’d had the night before. “I dreamed of my mother last night.”
“Oh?” he asked, waiting for me to continue.
“She was in a room, surrounded by these women. One of them was so beautiful it practically hurt to look at her. They were all smiling and laughing.”
Liam’s eyebrow furrowed. After a moment, he asked, “What did the woman, the one you said was beautiful, what did she look like?”
“She had long, pale blonde hair. Her skin was equally pale, flawless. At first I thought it was Niamh, but Niamh’s hair is much more golden.”
“That sounds like it might be Niamh’s mother, Saoirse,” Liam didn’t seem to actually be talking to me, but rather thinking out loud.
“I hope that’s a good sign, that my mother seemed happy.”
Liam didn’t say anything, just kept walking until we came to a vast clearing. The rolling hills were dotted with purple and yellow wildflowers. Nestled between two ancient oak trees sat a pale blue shaker-style farmhouse. It appeared to be at least two hundred years old, yet impeccably maintained.
As we opened the front doors, we heard low voices. I widened my eyes as Liam gestured for me to follow him inside.
The old wooden floorboards creaked under our feet, and the house smelled of wood and old, oiled leather. In the small foyer, a staircase led to a second floor. Doorways were at both sides of the room.
Sitting at a round wooden table to the left were two young men, one I recognized as Tagdh. He didn’t seem very surprised to see us, though. He smiled tightly and glanced across at a man with shaggy black hair. It seemed as though they were expecting us, even.
A large map lay on the table in front of them. I didn’t recognize the locations, but there were little blue beads dotted over its surface.
The black-haired man rose to his feet. “Liam. We were wondering when you’d arrive.” He spoke with a thick Irish accent. His gazed moved past Liam to rest on me.
“Allison, meet Diarmuid, Niamh’s advisor,” Liam said.
Diarmuid looked at me curiously. His eyes were soft blue and gentle. “Lovely to meet you, Allison.”
“And, you met Tagdh in Stoneville,” Liam said.
Tagdh stood and inclined his head and looked at me with a blank expression. I tried to smile at them, but it came out more like a grimace.
“Liam.” I turned to see a young woman with wavy, ginger hair come through a swinging door.
She hurried to place the plate of fruit she was carrying on the table and turned to Liam. She grabbed his arms, and her gaze ran up and down the length of him.
“I’d heard you were all right, but I’m so glad to see for myself.” She turned to me, confusion plain on her face. “And, who’s this?”
The woman released Liam and tilted her head to the side as she appraised me. I felt heat creep up my neck.
Diarmuid came to stand at the woman’s side. “This is Allison. Liam’s daughter.”
“Daughter?” The woman stood frozen, looking at Liam with utter shock.
Liam cleared his throat. “It was a surprise for me as well.”
“Forgive me, Allison. I’m Eithne. Come, sit.” Without meeting my eyes, she gestured to a chair across the table, and I sat down. Liam took the chair next to mine.
“Eithne was once Aoife’s handmaiden, the one I told you about,” Liam said. “She and Diarmuid are bond-mates, similar to a married couple.”
Liam waved his hand at the map, clearly done explaining. “I’m guessing Aodhan is on another mission?”
Diarmuid leaned back in his chair. “That he is.”
Now, that I was closer, I could see that the map showed the Northern United States and Canada, most of the beads concentrated in lower Ontario.
“Who’s Aodhan?” I asked. “Does he have something to do with my mother?”
Eithne’s eyebrows shot up and her mouth formed an O.
“Aodhan, like your father, was once human,” Diarmuid said.
The other three Danaans kept their eyes cast on the floor, and I got the impression that talking about Aodhan made them uncomfortable for some reason.
“After a time in our realm, he wished to visit his family. When he returned, they were long gone. He’d been in TÍ r na n’Ó g nearly three hundred years, but now he lives here, alone, hunting for Danaans who harm humans.”
I wished we had someone like him on our side. He sounded like just the guy to help get my mother back from Breanh.
“My brother Niall tracked him to Canada,” Tagdh continued. “There are reports of serial killings up in Thunder Bay. Humans left completely drained of blood just left on the streets.” Tagdh's voice was strangely void of emotion considering the gruesome news he shared.
“Is there a portal there that’s been left unguarded?” Liam asked.
Eithne got up and excused herself, exchanging a look with Diarmuid. Huh. What was her deal?
“There’s one just over the Canadian border. Since Aoife was imprisoned, her folk have been running wild up there. It was just a matter of time before Aodhan caught up with them.”
Liam cleared his throat and turned away, but I could see his jaw clench. Between his reaction and Eithne’s I guessed there was more to this story than I was getting.
“Does Niamh know about the situation up there?” Liam asked, still gazing out the window.
PANDORA Page 49
