"And Maighdlin?" Brian asked.

"She became a toad. A slimy warty toad with a purple nose."

Brian laughed and Liam giggled. Sean just blinked in confusion. "She didn't try to turn Riddoc into a toad?"

Brendan shook his head. "No. He was too smart to let that happen." He cleared his throat and continued. "After a time, Macha and Riddoc married. And they had sons, who had sons, who had sons. But none of them needed magical powers for they inherited something more valuable from their father-a clever mind and a thirst for knowledge."

"Are you sure Riddoc didn't throw Macha over the cliff?" Sean asked. "Or maybe he took her back into the forest and chopped off her head? Da tells his stories different."

"This isn't Da's story, it's mine," Brendan said.

Brendan always told the Mighty Quinn tales differently, Brian mused. In his versions, the women weren't always the villains. "I liked this story just the way you told it."

Brendan nodded. "I did, too. And now you know that we're descended from kings and queens, knights and ladies, plain farmers and a powerful sorceress. It's time for you to get to sleep. It's late." He crawled off the bed and pulled the blankets up around the three brothers. As he walked to the door, Brendan flipped off the light.

The room went dark and Sean rolled over, tugging on the blankets. Liam flipped over and nestled up against Brian for warmth and security. Brian threw his arm over his head and stared up at the ceiling. Images of the story still swirled in his head. The tale of Riddoc Quinn appealed to him-the clever boy and the beautiful sorceress living in their forest castle.

"Do you think Da is all right?" Liam asked, his voice timid.