The Forgotten Ones

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 Tír na n’Óg 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.
    “No, when she first came here, her father showed up in a rage. She went back to Tír na n’Óg before we had a chance to tell her,” Diarmuid said.
    Liam’s head swiveled in Diarmuid’s direction. “Deaghlan was here? Does he know what’s happened with Aoife?”
    Diarmuid and Tagdh both hesitated.
    “He does, Liam. Breanh told the King and Queen everything.”
    Liam smacked his palm on the table and muttered an oath under his breath. “Where is the fey globe now?”
    “Deaghlan demanded that Niamh give it to him.”
    Liam swore, louder this time. “We need to go, Allison. Deaghlan is Aoife and Niamh’s father. If he releases Aoife, she’ll go back to Breanh. Things could go very wrong if we don’t hurry.”
    Butterflies as big as helicopters filled my stomach. “Why would Deaghlan let Aoife out?” I stammered. “What about all the trouble she’s caused?”
    The muscles in Liam’s jaw popped under his skin. “Deaghlan doesn’t value human life. Humans are just playthings at his disposal. I’m fairly certain he doesn’t even think Aoife has done anything wrong.”
    I stared at Liam for a moment. It was like a nightmare, where no matter what you did things just got worse. How could I have lived my entire life without knowing these people existed? And now they held everything I cared about in the palms of their hands.
    “If Breanh has my mother, and Aoife goes there...” I couldn’t even finish that sentence.
    “Liam?” Diarmuid asked. “What will you do?”
    “We’re going to Tír na n’Óg to get Allison’s mother before something terrible happens to her.”
    Diarmuid and Tagdh rose gracefully from their seats. “We’ve been given specific orders not to allow you to enter the portal.”
    “I don’t understand,” Liam said, looking between the two men. Both stared back blankly.
    My heart plummeted at their grave expressions, and I knew that we would not get past them without a fight. They were stronger and faster, and who knew what kind of magic they were capable of. It wouldn’t be a fair fight. And judging by Liam’s frown, he knew it, too.
    I stared down at the table, running my finger along the image of the Great Lakes. Why would Niamh forbid Liam to go through the portal? I’d been wary of her before, but I didn’t think she would purposely keep Liam from being able to help find my mother.
    “Maybe it’s best this way,” I said, pushing up from