See Me (See Me #1)(52)

At least Rock seemed to be making an effort now, even though he appeared unaccustomed to doing so.

“Um, so, Robyn and McKale are having their binding ceremony in five days,” she told him.

“Truly?” He grinned, but not as wide as usual.

“Perhaps I’ll see if me father can make an exception and allow the Clour to attend,” McKale said.

“Aye, if ye can get the stubborn old man to agree, I’ll be there.”

“Right.” McKale cleared his throat. “Well, we should get ye out of here before anyone sees ya.”

Tension still filled the air when the boys got ready to leave. Cassidy kissed Rock, and he was out the door, out of sight, quicker than a pixie.

McKale looked at my sister who stood there rubbing her arms. “Cass, if ye’d like I can have one of the women folk speak with ye. There’s several in the village who can advise ye what to expect. They’ll be discreet.”

She swallowed and shook her head. My heart tightened at what she’d soon be going through.

“No thanks,” she whispered. “I’m gonna take a bath now.”

She left us, and I took McKale’s hand, leading him outside of the bungalow door.

“Thank you,” I told him.

He nodded. I didn’t let go of his hand. In fact I tightened my grip when he started to leave. “Wait, Kale.” My stomach turned as I thought about the previous night. “Nobody came to visit you last night, did they?” He didn’t have to ask whom I meant.

“Nay. Why? What’s the matter?”

“There was a pixie outside our room last night.”

His jaw tensed and he stared out into the trees. “When she comes again, I will speak with her, and surely she’ll see reason.”

I didn’t know about that. I loathed the idea of them speaking, but what more could we do? He bent and kissed my lips, too briefly. But he kept his face close to mine and I admired his light eyes.

“Five days until our binding.” He spoke in a husky whisper.

A thrill tore through me and I reached out to grip the doorframe. The way he said it sounded much more like a sexy promise than a mere statement. Anxious excitement pinged around inside me.

“Five days,” I repeated.

The moment he walked away my happiness evaporated as I entered my room and remembered what unnecessary heartache we now had to deal with.

I paced the small room with my arms crossed. I knew I should have crushed Rock’s bits and pieces when I had the chance.

I was so engrossed in my dark thoughts about my little sister’s predicament that I didn’t notice the round-bellied green creature crouched on the bedside table until it freaking waved at me, grinning evilly. I stumbled, biting back a scream and tripping over a suitcase. The pixie flew up in the air, laughing with that unnerving high-pitched cackle as I dove for the door and flung it open.

“Robyn?” Cassidy called from the bathroom.

“One second!” I managed to say as the thing flew for the doorway, kicking me on the side of the head on its way out. Ow. I’d have given anything for a can of Raid at that moment. I slammed the door and sat in front of it, leaning my head back.

It was a spy. It had to be. No doubt, the pixie was going straight to his mistress to tell her everything he’d learned here this morning. Crap! How long had he been in our room and how’d he get in? And then I remembered the door bursting open during the night. Sneaky little bastard. He’d stayed still and quiet the whole time, hidden. The FFG would be proud of her little pet. I kicked the suitcase hard.

“What is going on?” Cassidy shouted, annoyed now.

“Oh, nothing much. Just found our freaky little pixie friend in our room.”

Frantic splashing sounds came from the tub. “Ohmigawd, nuh-uh!”

“Don’t worry, it’s gone now.”

She stilled. “Are you sure? Come in here.”

I stood and went to her, pulling the curtain aside and squatting on a small stool next to the tub. She was sitting up with a washcloth over her chest, and her knees pulled up in the cloudy water.

I told her what happened and Cassidy proceeded to once again call the FFG every bad name in the book. She knew it gave me great joy when she did that.

Cassidy ended her tirade, saying, “She needs to get a life and leave you alone.”

We were both thoughtful for a few minutes until she broke the silence.

“You know, McKale’s kind of cool.”

“Yeah?” I grinned. “He needed to warm up, I guess.”

“I’m glad he’s being good to you. I wish…”

“I know, Cass.” She wished a lot of things, and so did I. We reached out for each other and rested our joined hands on the edge of the tub. She laid her cheek on her knees.

“I’m scared.” Her voice hitched and a tear fell, sliding down her leg.

“Sweet girl,” I whispered as my heart shattered. “I’m here. I’ll do anything I can.”

“I keep thinking,” she said. “The Clour usually get humans pregnant, right? But I have magical blood. What if, you know, that makes it different? Maybe it’ll cancel out the curse and I won’t lose the baby.”

I stared at her. I didn’t believe for a second that her having magical blood would somehow reverse the curse against Rock’s people. Entertaining such thoughts would only make it harder. Plus, the idea of Cassidy as a teen mom was frightening.