Tanith has stolen O'Liam ironfinder from the sinister Conor, Lord of the Land Beneath and she has promised to give him Maebh, the Irish princess who tried to take over Ynys Haf while Gwydion was enchanted and unconcious. Tanith has kept neither promise and she must find some way of satisfying Conor without sacrificing either Maebh or the leprechaun. Ynys Haf is in the grip of a drought, everybody is missing and the Oldway creatures are about. So, as usual, it is up to Tanith, with a little help from her friends, to put things right.