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Babd was startledawake as the carriage came to a halt and someone—a young man with dark hair and beady eyes, flipped open a corner of the hide that covered the girls' cage, flooding the cage with blinding sunlight. A sinking feeling hit Babd's stomach. She and her sisters we being treated like livestock being prepared for sale.

The carriage went dark again as the dark-haired man dropped the hide, covering the cage that held Babd and her sisters.

Based on the sound of two feet striking the ground, Babd surmised that her father dismounted the carriage.

"So you've brought them," the man said.

"I have," Fionn replied. "They're in the carriage."

"So I've seen. My master would like to see them for himself, to ensure they are pleasing before finalizing your request."

"Understood," Fionn said.

"To understand we're pleasing?" Babd asked her sisters with a whisper.

"Surely just one of us," Macha said. "And since I'm the prettiest, he'll choose me."

"You're not the prettiest," Anand retorted. "But if he thinks so, I won't object."

"To choose us as what?" Babd asked, though she suspected she already knew the answer.

"As a wife, of course!" Macha said, her eyes even wider than her open-jawed grin.

Babd rolled her eyes. She and her sisters were far too young for that—but now that they were likely of childbearing age, though just barely, it was not unthinkable that girls of their age might be quickly betrothed.

"Who do you think our suitor is?" Macha asked. "A king, perhaps!"

"You really haven't been paying much attention, have you? Don't you recognize the man who looked at us before?"

Macha shrugged. Babd cocked her head. She wasn't sure either.

"He was with father when he returned with the Oxter."

"You mean when he returnedwithoutMom," Babd said, narrowing her eyes.

Anand nodded. "I think that man is aligned with the Dagda. He's trading one of us to him, so he can acquire something new."

"Even better!" Macha exclaimed. "To be the wife of a god!"

"Presuming he chooses you," Babd said.

"Of course he will choose me!"

"The question is what father is hoping to acquire, and why," Anand said.

Macha rolled her eyes. "Isn't it obvious? He wants revenge against the druid who kidnapped Grainne."

"The druid didn't kidnap her. He rescued her. Dad was holding her hostage."

Before either sister responded the hide was pulled off the cage, this time all the way, the sunlight forcing all three sisters to shield their eyes.

"Come this way, all of you," the man said as he released the lever that had locked the cage from the outside.

Covering her eyes, Babd slid out of the cage and tumbled on the ground. Her legs had fallen asleep and gave way beneath her. The man extended his hand and caught Babd by the arm. Babd looked at him curiously—the look on his face, she saw right through it.

When his eyes met hers he immediately blushed. Was this young mantakenwith Babd? Usually, it was Macha who garnished that kind of attention. But Babd would use this to her advantage if push came to shove. She grinned sheepishly back at the man, meeting his eyes with hers and then casually looking away and giggling.