It didn't take long before they came to a gas station and a few houses to take a break and look at Moargan's old mustang.

Moargan sat just outside of the trailer while Ned looked at her car. She looked very bored as she threw dust in the air and watched Eeiren roll around in the dirt, a disgusting habit if she had anything to say about it. Eeiren had to lick that stuff off later.

Beneath her shirt, where no one could see it, an emerald stone hanging from a dainty gold chain was glowing. Moargan could feel the warmth of it on her chest and knew that trouble was coming; she just didn't know what form it would take this time.

Annie took a deep breath and approached Moargan, but before she could get there, Carey popped up on the other side of the hood to help Ned. She ducked behind the bus and watched Carey and Moargan talk for a few minutes.

It didn't take long before Ned had whatever was wrong with Moargan's vehicle fixed and she revved the engine. With a huge smile she thanked Ned and ran into the bus to grab her gear. Within seconds she was back and ready to leave, much to the boys' disappointment. Annie had to move fast if she was going to ask her to travel with them.

"Moargan! Wait a sec," Annie cried as she ran toward the gathering crowd. Moargan looked up with an expectant look on her face, as if she knew what Annie was going to ask her.

"Yes, Annie? What can I do for ye?" she asked.

"Well, I was wondering if you would consider traveling to Washington with us. You could meet Fi and maybe make some friends besides your cat and car."

"As much as I'd love to join ye, there are some things that I have to take care of as soon as I get to Seattle, but I'm sure that we'll see each other at the festival. Thank you for the invite though," she declined.

Before they group parted ways they decided to have supper together at the local truck stop. When Moargan's turn to order came everyone stared at her.

"Is the flour you use iron fortified?" she asked the waitress.

"I believe so," she answered confusedly.

"I'm allergic to iron, so that rules out bread and meat. I'll just have whole milk and honey please. That should tide me over for a few hundred miles." She smiled at the waitress as she returned the menu.

"I've never heard of an allergy to iron," Molly commented.

"Yes, not many people have the condition, but both of my parents did. That is how my father died. Most of my relatives have died from it, in fact. It's genetic."

"I'm very sorry to hear that. It's hard losing people you love." Molly was sympathetic to Moargan's situation.

"Aye, that it is, but things like that happen and there is nothing you can do to stop it. I've learned to move on. You should learn to do the same, Ms Phillips." Molly and Jack's mouths hung agape. How could she possibly know that Molly was still pining over Rick's death?

Before anyone could comment, Moargan's milk came and she drained her glass in a matter of seconds. "Well, it was nice meeting you all. I'll see you at the Festival. And Annie, I can't wait to meet your friend, Fi."

With that she was out the door and disappearing into then darkness. "Dude, that is one weird girl. Huh, Jack?" Clu declared.

"Yeah, but she's great, isn't she?" Carey said with a goofy grin on his face. Everyone at the table rolled their eyes and Ned smacked the back of his head.

***

Outside, under the cover of darkness, Moargan sprinkled a strange golden dust on the old car and it began to change. Soon a large white horse stood before her, ready to do his mistresses bidding. "Well, Tir Nan Og, are we ready to approach the next gifted one. Bricuri should have prepared her by now."

The horse touched its single spiraled horn to her shoulder in an affirmative gesture, urging her to mount up to complete the next leg of the journey. Eeiren leapt onto his back and watched Moargan.

Do you think that she is ready? Remember what happened to the last one.

"Aye, Eeiren, I remember, but that was not his fault. The forces attacked so unexpectedly I didn't have time to get there. He wasn't the One anyway. I have a good feeling about this one though. She is stronger."

In another flash of light, much like the one that blinded Carey on the road, the trio disappeared and a small ball of light raced west toward and unexpecting Fiona Phillips.

***

As the group of travel weary people walked back to the bus to finish the last leg of the journey something caught Clu's eye where Moargan's car had been parked.

"Dude, look at those mushrooms. I've never seen them do that before," he exclaimed. Mushrooms had formed a strange ring, and in the center were a set of paw prints, heeled boots, and a set of hooves from a very large horse.

Annie approached it and plucked one of the fungi from the ground. "I've seen this before when my parents were in Ireland. They're called fairy rings, but I've never seen one in the US. I wonder where it came from?"

The rest of the group disregarded the mushrooms as trivial and loaded the bus, but Annie pocketed one, thinking Fi would want to see it. They should be there by morning, provided no one else popped up in the middle of the road.