Since only Rob and I understood the conversation, I had to explain everything.

“So we just have to find a well?” asked Charice.

“Yeah. He didn’t want Brigid or anyone else doing the healing, but I got the feeling that he didn’t want to help us himself either.”

“He might have, if you asked nicely,” said Rob.

“Maybe if someone didn’t regurgitate his food all over the floor, my dad would be okay right now.”

“My bad. From now on, I’ll stick to junk food only.”

We trudged on, following Dian’s directions.

Rob advised us to stay away from the Mag Tuired battlefield. There might be phantom spirits hovering, waiting to haunt us. After my experience with the Fetch, I was good. I’d seen firsthand how much destruction and mayhem a phantom spirit could cause, let alone a whole battlefield of them. We didn’t need any more curses. We just needed to drink from the well, heal my father, heal ourselves, and be off back to the Bay Area to figure out Donn’s next move.

After an uneventful but pleasant trek, we found the Slane well exactly as Dian Cécht described it. The water well rested in front of a small forest of trees and to the right of the Barrow River. A towering standing stone guarded the well.

With each step towards the well, my chest grew warmer. We made it. Dad was as good as healed. Instinctively I scratched Tain behind the ears.

Gavin nudged my arm. “What are you smiling for?”

Tain looked up at us, tongue drooping from his mouth, happy to be around us brothers.

I hadn’t realized I was smiling. “We’re going to heal him. He’ll finally be back. For reals.”

“It’ll be pretty weird for Dad. Coming to his senses, here of all places,” said Gavin. “Especially with the wizard hanging out too.”

“We’ll just have to take it one step at a time with Dad. But you’re right. He’ll be a little overwhelmed and confused most likely.”

We made sure to stay far away from the Barrow River on our left. A tangy aroma rising from the rushing water told me that crazy Cécht was not lying about the acid-like river being venomous. Cat-Rob put it to the test. He walked alongside the river on all fours, sniffing as he went. When his curiosity could be held no longer, he batted a small rock in with his paw. The rock sizzled as soon as it broke the river’s surface.

“Okay Rob,” said Charice. “That’s enough curiosity. Come back now.”

I jogged to the well and found the rope and bucket. Eagerness to pour my dog-dad a healing drink had me yanking the bucket up as fast as I could.

The well was not too impressive. It looked like a bunch of rocks stacked neatly on top of one another in a circle. I guess I was expecting an immaculate work of advanced stonemasonry, from the way Cécht kept going on and on about how he built the well himself and everyone should praise him for it. At the end of the day it was just a hole in the ground. But not just any hole in the ground, a wellspring that would heal my father and get him in his right mind again. For good.

But as I tugged on the rope it felt light in my hands. I reached the end of it to find it had been cut short and there was no bucket to draw water.

Tain growled and barked.

I spun to see why he was freaking out, just in time to see the bucket on the end of the rest of the rope come swinging into my face.

The bucket collided with my head and exploded into thousands of splinters. Dazed, I reeled back trying to stay on my feet. Didn’t work. I fell on one knee. Charice raced to my side and cradled my face in her hands. Gavin and Nehemiah dashed in between me and my attacker, but I knew who it was before he even spoke.

Diarmuid leaned against the standing stone, arms folded, as if he didn’t just wallop me in the side of the head. He emanated soft, brooding vibes that only a dejected and pawned-off demigod son can.

Turns out the Morrigan was right. I had not slain him.

“Red-head boy. I’m surprised to see you here standing in one piece. I thought the Dearg Due might have sucked you dry.”

“Hey Diarmuid,” I said, rising. “Crawling back to daddy’s fortress? Or are you still homeless?”

His eyes narrowed at me, but he pretended to yawn. He’d ditched the Earth clothes for a cloak and tunic with breeches to match that better suited the fantastical landscape. But he couldn’t change the look of that face. It still made me want to smash it. Mostly because of his stupid orange anime bangs covering his right eye.

“Trying to find healing at the Slane well? Well, I’m afraid I just dashed your chances.”

“How’d you know we were coming here?” asked Charice.

Diarmuid eyed Charice up and down and smiled. “I happened to be in the area. Felt the presence of a Good Luck wielder, did some eavesdropping.” As he said it he whipped his neck so that his bangs flipped out of his face. His right eye revealed itself and beneath it a tattooed rune practically leapt off his skin.

Charice locked on that rune and did not look away.

“Who have we here?” asked Diarmuid. “I only caught a glimpse of you at our last encounter before Sean tried in vain to kill me. But my, you’re pretty for a mortal.”

She ran her fingers through her hair and stepped towards him. “I’m Charice,” she said in a low voice.

“Babe?” I asked.

She stepped up to him and put a hand on his chest, then leaned her body against his, like they were high school sweethearts.

Confusion crept over me. “Charice, what are you doing?”

“My foster dad gave me this.” Diarmuid pointed to the rune. “Makes me irresistible to women.” He shrugged and flashed his perfect teeth with a wry grin.

Tain barked at him.

Anger spread through me like hot lava. The guy had just taken another chance for me to heal my father. At least until we got another bucket. And now he had my girlfriend under a spell.

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My hands went into my jacket of holding and my fingers found Jade and Fragarach. “I’ll carve you up, Diarmuid. I bested you last time, and I can do it again.”

Instead of reaching for his swords, his fingers brushed my girlfriend’s face. “Are you going to let him hurt me, sweetheart?”

She shook her head. “No, never,” she said in a low voice.

“That’s right. Good girl.”

“Fight it, Charice,” I yelled.

Diarmuid shook his head, scolding me. “Seanny, Seanny. You’re outclassed. And if you press it, your about to find out just how outclassed you are. You’re on the Otherside now. My side.”

I recalled the warning the Morrigan gave me. Diarmuid was limited last time I’d fought him in Oakland. Here on the Otherside however, he was not under banishment. He had access to his full power. Well, every time I was here in Tir na nOg, I had way more power at my disposal too.

“What do you want Diarmuid?” asked Nehemiah. “Let the girl go. Maybe we can work something out.”

Diarmuid chuckled. “I just want to hurt Sean like he hurt me. He thwarted my plans, ruined my partnership with the Dearg Due. Increased tension between me and my father. I’m returning the favor.”

Faster than a flash of lightning he whipped out Nóralltach and Beagalltach, AKA Great Fury and Little Fury. Sister swords to my own Fragarach. He swiped the larger sword, Nóralltach. A great gale wind rushed from the blade. The slice of air gashed the ground, running right through the Slane well.

Rocks and water exploded. Slane well toppled in on itself.

My chances of healing my dad were shot to pieces.

“Who’s got daddy problems now?” said Diarmuid.

I screamed and crossed Jade and Fragarach. My Good Luck exploded within me running throughout my body. My eyes burned emerald. I dashed at Diarmuid but Charice cut me off, standing between me and Diarmuid. Amethyst wings of pure Bad Luck unfolded from her back.

“Move babe.”

Instead of answering me she brought her wings together and battered me with a blast of magic.

The force knocked me down, raked me over the ground, and tossed me into the toppled Slane well. Rocks punched me in the back. But I didn’t have time to wallow in pain. Charice hovered above me in the air. She launched Bad Luck blast after blast at me. I rolled out of the way as her blasts demolished what little remained of Slane.

“Snap out of it Charice,” I yelled. But it didn’t work. She was under Diarmuid’s spell. There was no breaking it, until I broke him.

Nehemiah jumped in. I hated to admit it, but without him, we didn’t stand a chance against Diarmuid because of the hex he put on Charice. The wizard raised his birch wand and pointed it at my girlfriend. He siphoned Bad Luck from her, effectively cutting her off from her power source. Her wings sputtered, then dissolved entirely. She fell some ten feet to the ground and landed on one knee like a ninja. It would have been awesome if it weren’t under these circumstances.

“Hold her down,” I directed Gavin.

My brother pinned her arms to her sides. She struggled, twisting and turning in his bear hug. Her wings exploded from her back again, knocking Gavin away. Again, the wizard siphoned power from her, making her wings dissolve.

But I didn’t have time to watch the outcome of that fight because Diarmuid and his swords rushed me.

He unleashed a wave of sword slashes, stabs, and swipes.

Our four swords twirled like helicopter blades. Sparks flew. The ringing of metal on metal pierced my ears and made me grimace.

Rocks rained down from above on Diarmuid. Owl-Rob scooped up some of the rocks that had made up Slane and dropped them on the demigod from above. But Diarmuid was in his element and deflected the rocks with his sword magic. With a flick of his wrist, he used Great Fury to blow Owl-Rob away with a gale wind.

I defended as best as I could. It took every ounce of my Good Luck just to block and dodge his attacks. At this rate I would not have an opportunity to use my magic to attack, only to retreat. In fact he was backing me up, pushing me away from everyone, singling me out.

The acidic tang of the Barrow River filled my nostrils. I dug my Chuck Taylor’s into the ground, rooting myself, but his strikes battered my defenses so hard, he pushed me back anyways.

The soles of my shoes barely touched the Barrow’s edge. Instantly the soles sizzled as the cursed water ate away at my sneakers. Burnt rubber made me cough. I dove sideways into a roll evading the venomous water’s edge. But Diarmuid was there on the other side of me pushing me back towards the river again.

Rage filled his eyes. He struck at me again and again, battering me into the ground.

Tain, my dad turned dog, snarled at my enemy, but knew enough not to get too close. Part of me wished Tain would turn werewolf and rip Diarmuid to shreds. But Tain had undergone so many transformations over the last few days, it couldn’t be good for him. The shifting had been random, out of his control ever since I had hit him with my Good Luck blast. And now that I knew my dad lay somewhere behind those canine eyes, locked away, part of me worried that if he shifted to a Faoladh, I’d be losing more and more of my dad.

Donn’s son must have seen the concern in my eyes. He left me panting for breath and turned on Tain. The German shepherd went for his throat, but Diarmuid backhanded him across the jaw. Tain whined on the ground in pain.

“What’s the matter little doggy? Can’t turn into a Faoladh? Where’s the big strong werewolf now?”

He kicked Tain hard. Strength filled me as Celtic knots swirled around the hand that held Fragarach. Without thinking I spun towards the Barrow River and swung the aquatic sword. A stream of water as thick as a standing stone broke away from the river. I twisted my shoulders and directed the torrent of toxic water right at Diarmuid’s head.

At the last second he turned and his eyes widened with realization. The flying stream struck him full in the face and knocked him to the ground. He dropped his swords and clutched his face with both hands.

He shrieked higher than a Banshee. The pain sounded unreal. Served him right.

I didn’t have the strength to finish him. I barely bested him. And Tain needed help. I sheathed my swords, stored them away in my magic jacket, and scooped up Tain in my arms.

Cat-Rob bounded alongside me. “I’m okay. Got the wind knocked out of me.”

Nehemiah and Gavin had been struggling with Charice, but it seemed that maring Diarmuid’s face did not break the spell on her.

A femenine haymaker blindsided me. Tain fell from my arms with a whimper. My girlfriend tackled me to the ground.

“How dare you hurt Diarmuid?” She balled her fists, intent to cream me.

I did the only thing I knew would work on a love spell. I tried to lay a love spell on her. Grabbing the back of her head, I brought her mouth to meet mine.

Her fists reacted quick, pounding my face with a tornado of blows.

“Can’t you guys do that later?” asked Rob.

“She’s still under his spell,” I yelled, between battering strikes.

My hob shrugged. “That’s your problem then.”

I clenched Charice’s arms to my chest while trying to figure out a way to stop her. I wasn’t going to hit my girlfriend, so grappling with her was the least I could do. Instead of yanking free, her wings flapped, carrying us both skyward.

Before I got my bearings, Charice twisted into a dive. Wind whipped my hair as we gained speed, heading straight for the huge standing stone. At the last moment she released me. I freefell, smashing into the monolith. The standing stone stopped my momentum with a crushing defeat. Cracks spider-webbed across its surface.

Thank goodness the stone was planted at a slight angle. Gravity pulled me down the stone until I slid into the low grass.

Mentally I tried to tally my injuries, but there was no point.

Charice circled around for another direct attack. Her wings tucked in, making her a speeding bullet.

Emerald Luck ribbons shot out of my hand wrapping her like a Christmas present. I tugged on the Celtic knots like a puppeteer, slowing her approach but drawing her close. An instantaneous idea sent Luck magic not to my fists or feet, but to my lips.

I planted a magic powered kiss on her lips. Who said ole’ Seanny boy doesn’t know how to lay the mack down?

“Yuck,” hooted Rob, tucking his owl head under a wing.

The rage in Charice’s eyes died. She pushed away, but not because of rage, but embarrassment.

I’d broken his spell over her. She looked as confused as I probably had earlier.

Nehemiah cleared his throat.

Gavin hefted Tain.

My body was done.

I produced Fragarach once more and eyed Nehemiah. He knew what I had in mind and produced his birch wand. Together, with the last of my strength, we ripped our own rift through space time and retreated back to the Bay Area.