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  “Er… Summer King… might Robyn and I enter Faerie and return the item ourselves?”

  Every set of Fae eyes widened and snapped to him. A stillness fell, as if the air molecules had stopped moving around us. The King’s face was a mix of shock and humor.

  “I understand humans are not meant to enter the sacred Faerie realm,” McKale forged on. “And we would be ever so respectful, sir.” He looked up at the sun. “We have several hours before the binding will take place. We would seek the Princess and return immediately. ‘Tis very important to me.”

  The King gazed at McKale like he was dealing with a precious, albeit naïve, toddler whom he couldn’t quite understand. When the King let out a chuckle, neighboring flowers brightened and butterflies burst forth from their cocoons. Dancing Leprechaun and their women paused in awe to watch the newborn flutters all around them.

  “Lucky for you, McKale of the Leprechaun, I am feeling exceptionally giving this day. Consider this a binding gift. You may enter my realm so long as you return at once at the conclusion of speaking with my daughter. I will even have one of my guards guide you. One bit of warning, however…” His freaky shimmery eyes moved back and forth between McKale and I. “When humans enter, they seldom wish to leave. Are your minds strong enough to resist? It is quite a risk given your importance to this clan.”

  I held back a derisive sound. We were not in danger of the realm’s lure, but I’d never have the nerve to say that to its proud ruler.

  McKale let out a rush of breath and nodded his understanding. “Aye, King, sir. We can only imagine how difficult it will be to leave yer magnificent realm once we’ve set eyes on it. ‘Tis why Robyn agreed to accompany me.”

  The King waved a hand at the male with a sheen of bronze hair and skin, who then stepped toward McKale and I. “Take them. Do not linger.”

  My stomach dropped and Mom gave a tiny whimper. This was really happening.

  “Follow me,” the bronzed Fae said.

  I know my family wanted to embrace me and say things, but caution prevented them. With a final squeeze of my hand from Cassidy, and shared glances of fear with my parents, we were off.

  Stepping into the slice of sky to enter Faerie was like deliberately walking into my own worst nightmare. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done. McKale went first behind our guide, keeping his fingers linked with mine. The force between realms felt as if we were pushing against a strong wind, though there was no movement of air.

  When we were finally through I found myself breathing hard with a pounding heart. It was dark, but I could make out the portal guard in his glinting armored uniform, who’d stepped aside to let the three of us in.

  “Summer King’s orders,” our guide said to the guard. “They’re to see the Princess.” The two Fae shared disbelieved shakes of their heads.

  I felt McKale’s grip tighten around my hand and it gave me strength. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. We were in, and so far I didn’t feel any different.

  “Let us be on our way,” said our guide. Now that we weren’t in the King’s presence, the Fae male allowed annoyance to creep into his voice about the task of babysitting humans.

  We followed him down the darkened corridor which was squishy underfoot and smelled of wet earth. When we came to the opening, our surroundings brightened and our feet halted. I’d assumed we were below ground, but I could see now that we weren’t. We were in a labyrinth of sorts—a series of intricate tunnels. The walls were formed by twining growths of plant-life, greens and browns, like aboveground roots that had looped and braided. And through spaces between the twists of vines I caught glimpses of a clear, pink sky.

  McKale pulled my hand to keep up with the bronze guide. The Fae wasn’t waiting for us, and if we got lost in here we’d never find our way out. McKale’s other hand reached around his back as we walked and slipped to his waistband, pressing the button to activate his video equipment. I followed his lead, reaching up to rub the spot on my necklace that would turn it on. Now we just had to hope and pray that nothing in the strange land of Faerie would keep the electronics from recording. Dad assured us that his watches and other electronics had not stopped working or been broken when he’d entered in the past to deliver reports.

  We wove our way through tunnel after tunnel, some tight and confining, and some wide open. Voices and magical music filtered down halls as we passed, and my steps grew lighter at the joyous sounds. Pleasant, foreign scents swirled past, as fragrant as spun sugar and budding blossoms. It hit me with a jolt that Faerie was messing with my mood in a good way, which was frightening in its own right. The air held the magical feel of a theme park, encompassed by promises of fun and adventure. It prodded me to let go and enjoy. After weeks of heavy, burdensome worries, the lightness was welcome.

  Without my permission, a smile stretched out on my face as our tunnel widened and we came upon an opening filled with laughing voices and music more wondrous than any I’d ever heard. It sounded like songbirds and chimes and instruments that rang out in a way that caressed the wind. The sky burst with luminescent color above us—pastels shifting like clouds.

  Our guide stopped to speak with a guard at the tunnel’s exit. I sidled closer to McKale, wishing we could dance. I wanted to spin and leap. McKale let go of my hand to shake out his limbs. He rubbed his ears before glancing at me.

  “Robyn?” he whispered. “Is it affecting ya? Get a hold of yerself, love.”

  What was he talking about? I was fine. I gazed at his multifaceted hair, autumn colors enhanced by the Faerie sky. How could I not appreciate the beauty of it all? No harm could come from enjoying the sensory of this enchanting land. Standing there in my gown, I was more feminine and alive than ever. I knew if my feet began to dance, each movement would be filled with unfamiliar grace. I wanted the bronzed Fae to hurry his chat with the other guard so we could see the Gala up close.

  After our guide had finished debriefing the tunnel guard about our situation, the guard took an interest in me. His gaze held me in place, intense. Silky black hair spilled around his amour, and I couldn’t look away from his silvery eyes.

  He held out a perfectly masculine hand to me, palm up. “This is a pretty one. So much taller than our Fair females. I think I might enjoy curves such as these. Greatly…”

  Without thinking I reached out to take his hand, not wanting to seem rude. The last thing I heard was McKale hissing my name in warning.

  Touching the Fae’s hand was like submersing my palm in hot peppermint water—it gave me warm tingles that shot from my hand up my arm and cartwheeled to the core of me. My entire body tightened and pulsed with a sensual charge. I was filled with need and want and—

  My hand was torn from his and I was shocked by the volume of my own gasp for air. I closed my eyes against the image of the grinning Fae guard, far too gorgeous to deny if he reached for me again.

  I fought to catch my breath and shake away the unhealthy desire. Was that what McKale felt each time he and Khalistah touched? It’s a wonder he hadn’t run off to Faerie long before I arrived. That was… wow. I shivered in horror at my own weakness.

  “With all due respect,” I heard McKale say. “The Summer King expects us back soon, so we cannot dally.”

  The guard’s only response was a low chortle.

  McKale grasped my hand in his when our guide began to move around the outskirts of the Gala.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered, shaken.

  He squeezed my hand.

  Though the moment of lust had passed, I couldn’t seem to rid myself of the light happiness coursing under my skin.

  The Gala arched in a wide circle, surrounded by tunnels of flowering vines, which all led to this spot. Breathtaking Faeries twirled in every direction to the delightful music. Each female was petite and graceful, but I appreciated their beauty so much I couldn’t bring myself to be jealous. I was only glad to be near them. Every curious glance in our direction brought a surge of appreciation.

/>   I wanted to stop and watch, but McKale’s incessant pulling kept my feet moving. His grip became so hard that I almost cried out. He never stopped walking, but I followed his stare toward a group of Fae sitting in a lush garden. Fae of both genders were lounging on plush cushions with young men and women, humans, surrounding them: lying at their feet while staring up with adoring eyes, dancing for their masters, feeding the Fae with their fingers.

  While all of the Faeries seemed to take a mild interest in McKale and I passing through, the humans never once looked our direction. Their eyes were only for the Fae. The dancing girl, no older than Cassidy, turned our way, but her gaze passed right through us, her expression full of physical bliss, but empty of life.

  A revolting tremor shook my whole body and McKale glanced back at me, worried.

  Oh, my gosh, was my first coherent thought. That could be McKale or Cass. Or me if I don’t get myself under control!

  “I’m okay,” I whispered to McKale, though I wasn’t sure. I struggled to push through the fog in my mind.

  McKale gave me a tight nod and turned forward again, pulling us faster to catch up. He kept rubbing his ears with his free hand, I realized he was attempting to muss the affects of the music. I dropped my eyes and refused to look at the Gala revelers. I hummed Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star to clear my head of the magical sounds. I’d thought I was too strong and level-headed to be led astray by the land of Faerie. I’d been wrong, and that terrified me. I wanted to call off the whole thing and turn back before I lost my wits again. My breathing quickened.

  You can do this, Robyn, I told myself.

  I’d been allowing McKale to lead me with my eyes closed, but I opened them when I felt his body go rigid and his step faltered. He righted himself and kept going, tugging me along, but when I dared a peek out at the Faerie I understood. There, in the middle of the revelry, was a hill lined with strange trees. Their trunks were bent in different directions, branches with willowy green leaves swooping the ground as if caught in dancer poses. Through the trunks and branches on the hill was Khalistah, dancing alongside other Fae who held the same regal airs. I felt no appreciation of her beauty like I had the others. All I felt when I saw her was a renewed urgency to ruin her efforts.

  The bronze male led us around a mound of earthen steps to the upper courtyard lined with the dancing trees. I dropped McKale’s hand, not wanting to spark the FFG’s fuse any worse than necessary. The entire group of about a dozen Fae stopped as we entered. They stared, unabashed. One, in particular, wore a look of pure shock and malice.

  I’d never seen the FFG divulge as much emotion as she did in the brief moment after she noticed us. Her icy eyes flashed from light blue to bright white and my stomach dropped with fear. In an instant her features were soft and languid again. She joined the others as they gathered nearer.

  “Has the Summer King sent a couple of Gala gifts?” asked a Fae girl with hair as black and wavy as ink in water. The way it flowed around her reminded me of a mermaid.

  “I daresay not, Melindalah,” Khalistah answered. “This is McKale of the Leprechaun and his… betrothed.” Her eyes raked me from bottom to top. At the sight of my binding gown, she covered her lips with two fingertips and a giggle slipped out. “How quaint.”

  My face heated and I dropped my eyes to disguise my anger.

  Another girl who looked to be Melindalah’s mermaid-esque twin stood on the FFG’s other side. “Is this the one who fancies you to pieces, Princess?”

  “The very same, Mirandalah.” Khalistah eyed McKale with a sort of lazy ownership before snapping out of it and linking her fingers in front of herself. “I cannot imagine what brings you into our realm, McKale of the Leprechaun, but I must warn you to be on your best behavior while here. Humans have a tendency to lose memories when they speak unpleasantries among our kind.”

  Her warning was clear. We were not to humiliate her in front of her peers, or else.

  “Aye, Princess. That I understand. I’ve only come to thank ye for yer time as the clan’s Shoe Mistress. Ye’ll be missed, ye will.”

  “Especially by you,” cut in one of the mermaid girls.

  McKale cleared his throat. “Aye. And… I’ve come to return something ye left behind when last ye visited.”

  He withdrew the golden chain and talisman from his pocket and everyone looked at the Princess, aghast that she’d be so careless. She stared at it, very still, but did not reach for it. In her stance it was clear that she knew, for sure, we were up to something now. For the Leprechauns, a returned gift was like a broken promise. A break-up.

  With an uncharacteristic stiff movement she stuck out her hand and took the chain. There was a stillness to her body that made the others stare, wondering what was really going on here.

  “You left your heartsong trinket with a human?” one of the girls asked, aghast.

  “Do not be ridiculous, Melindalah!” The FFG laughed. “I was called back into our realm and…” Her throat seemed to close up and she gave a dainty cough. “A simple misunderstanding, is all.”

  She couldn’t tell a lie! It was one of the many facts we’d learned about Fae from Dad over the years.

  “Well, do be careful with it from now on,” the other girl teased. “You may want to take the Prince up on his offer to bind for a time someday.”

  The girls glanced toward the bronze Fae male and smiled. Our guide was a Prince? He cast a warm glance at the Princess, whose eyes stared out at the distance. For that brief second I experienced a pang of pity for her. She’d given McKale a token that was apparently supposed to be given to someone she wanted to bind with, for a time. Fae didn’t do anything “forever” except keep living. Temporary bindings were as close as they came to love and commitment. But I didn’t feel sorry for her for long.

  Khalistah’s eyes suddenly widened. “Where is my Paulie?” Her head swiveled to scan the sky.

  “Pardon?” McKale asked.

  “Her Pixie,” one of the M-girls clarified.

  McKale and I shot a glance at each other.

  “He’s, erm, still in Chaun land, Princess,” McKale answered. “I’m certain he’ll return soon.”

  In a dangerous whisper she asked, “What have you done to him?”

  Her friends took a step away and looked at us like we were in big trouble.

  “He’s not been harmed, I promise ye. He was causing no end of ruckus last night and the boys… detained him.”

  Her hand flew to her chest. “Not with iron?”

  McKale dropped his gaze and shoved his hands in his pockets. In a swift move the Princess glided forward and slapped him across the cheek with a startling whack. He let out a muffled sound and stared at her, stunned. My hands balled into fists at my sides and I rocked forward before reminding myself not to move. She would use any excuse right now to finish us. She stood close to McKale with her chin lifted to his face. His eyes met hers.

  “Let it be known, McKale of the Leprechaun: I do not take kindly to others touching something that belongs to me. You will take me to Paulie. At once.”

  This was about way more than her stupid pixie. We’d flustered her. But it was good that she wanted to return to Chaun land. Now we just needed to somehow get her to reveal her plan again.

  “Will you be joining us on the return journey, Princess?” asked the bronzed Prince.

  “I will.” She smoothed down the front of her dress and stood tall.

  The Fae Prince held out a bent elbow to her but she ignored him, gliding past and leaving her court without a backward glance. The Prince glared after her, ego bruised, and then pointed to the steps.

  “Go,” he commanded us.

  We followed the FFG with the Prince close behind.

  I kept my eyes down and was careful not to touch anything as we skirted the Gala festivities and made our way back to the initial tunnel. I made the mistake of looking up at the guard as we were passing through and he raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at me, silver eyes caressing
my curves. My heart fluttered and I rushed to stay close to McKale. The Fae Prince was on my heels.

  For a tiny being, the FFG moved fast. Even in her graceful gliding, the set of her shoulders gave the image of a female on a mission. As she moved along, buds from the tunnel’s branches and vines turned to her and opened, then closed again and returned to their positions when she’d passed.

  “Princess Khalistah?” McKale called out.

  She didn’t answer. My heart couldn’t race any faster as I realized McKale was going in for the kill right now.

  “Princess, might I speak with ye a moment?”

  Without turning her head she said, “I cannot imagine what thing of importance you think is worthy of my hearing.”

  The Prince gave a snort behind me and muttered, “Your father gives the Leprechauns too much grace, Princess. He coddles them into believing they are equals.”

  McKale picked up his pace to walk at Khalistah’s side, and I hung back. The Prince let out a huff of air like he couldn’t believe McKale’s tenacity.

  “I wish to speak with ye about the terms ye set forth when last we met,” McKale whispered.

  A loud group of Fae turned down our path and Khalistah shrieked, “Move!” Her eyes flashed with a swirl of icy white and the Fae scattered out of her way. They bowed as she passed.

  “I have not the slightest clue of what you are speaking,” the FFG said to McKale once we’d left that tunnel and entered a smaller one.

  The narrow path was confining, and I wanted McKale to stop pestering the FFG for information. I knew he felt pressure to get her confession soon, but I wished he would wait until we were on Chaun land again. We weren’t safe here.

  “What is that human blathering on about?” the Prince grumbled. Then he raised his voice and called out to McKale, “Leave the Princess alone.”

  The FFG answered without stopping or glancing back. “He has been like this since childhood. I am accustomed to his need for attention. Do not worry yourself, kind Prince.”