See Me (17 page)

McKale and I went to the waterfall with Cassidy and Rock one week before my birthday. The weather was hazy and warm that afternoon. I spread out a blanket, but McKale and I ended up scouting the forest floor for different edible mushrooms while Cass and Rock swam. The two of them were a loud pair, screaming with laughter and splashing. At least she wore a bathing suit this time. I had mine on under my sundress, but didn’t feel like swimming.

We made our way back to the blanket with handfuls of morel and oyster mushrooms.

“We’ll give them to Leilah,” McKale said, sitting next to me. “She does this thing with venison and butter and ‘shrooms. ‘Tis amazing.”

I crossed my ankles in front of me and smiled at him. Maybe I’d learn to cook some things with Leilah’s help. So far I’d avoided the kitchen as much as possible, intimidated by the lack of a microwave and easy-to-use stovetop. But I was beginning to feel comfortable enough to give things a try.

Cassidy and Rock walked up from the stream, shaking off excess water before lying on the blanket next to us. Rock tickled the underside of Cass’s knee and she laughed, curling into him until they were kissing. They embraced and rolled, bumping me.

“Uh, guys, I don’t think there’s enough room on the blanket for that,” I said, staring intently at the pile of mushrooms between McKale and myself. Rock looked up at me with a lazy grin, not moving away from my sister in the slightest.

“Always room for a bit o’ snoggin’. Perhaps the two of ye should give it a go.”

He bent his head to kiss her again and my face flamed.

“Rock!” Cassidy chastised, pushing him back a little. “Don’t embarrass them.”

“They could use a bit of proddin’, is all. McKale’s ne’er properly been—”

“Rock…” McKale’s low voice oozed warning. I wondered if Rock knew about the peck with FFG.

Cassidy’s head sprung up and she turned to look at McKale sitting at the edge of the blanket. “You’ve never kissed anyone? Awww! That is so cute!”

I cringed and he shifted, glaring daggers straight at his friend.

“Don’t worry, McKale,” Cassidy said. “Robyn has a little experience. She’ll teach ya.”

I frowned down at her. “Not cool.”

“What?” She shrugged and laughed, so I gave her a hard shove with my foot.

Rock exclaimed, “Oho! An experienced lassie, eh?” His eyebrows danced at me.

Before I could respond, McKale asked, “Have ye been with another bloke?” His serious voice made us all shut up and look at him. His eyes were a cloudy blaze on me and I flushed with heat at his jealous tone.

“What? No! I haven’t…” I stuttered. “There were two kisses, but I’m not, like,
experienced
. If anything, I wish I could erase both those from my memory.” I pulled my knees up and wrapped my arms around them, refusing to look at him now. I shot Cass a glare.

My first kiss had been during a game of truth or dare in seventh grade. I did it because I hadn’t wanted everyone at that party thinking I was chicken. The second happened last year, and I blamed Cassidy for that one. Mostly. Brad had a crush on me, and Cassidy talked me into letting him kiss me. Her reasoning? She said I needed the practice so McKale wouldn’t think I was a bad kisser.

Well, Brad hadn’t exactly been “good practice” with his overly eager tongue that treated my mouth like an extreme sports arena. I shuddered thinking about that choke-worthy incident.

And was McKale jealous? I wanted to tell him not to worry, that neither of those guys had “dazzled” me, but it was too humiliating.

Cassidy sat up next to me, reaching out and touching my shoulder in apology. “We’re just messin’ around.” I ignored her.

A rustling noise and voices sounded from across the stream. Dashy of the Clourichaun and one of the carrot cousins came out of the trees, their strawberry blond and red hair sticking out from their heads like straw. They were as thin and grungy looking as ever. Dashy’s face lit up when he saw us.

“Mason girls! When are ye comin’ back to play a bit o’ ball again?”

“Hey, Dashy,” I said with a smile. “We do need to come back soon.”

“Oy, there Rock!” cried the redhead, sounding grumpy. “’Tis your turn to cook the meal and clean the kitchen. Get on wit’ ye! We’ll no’ do it for ye again!”

“We’re hungry,” Dashy said.

“Shite,” Rock groaned.

I was struck dumb by the thought of Rock cooking anything. They were like a bunch of overgrown orphans. I couldn’t help but feel concern for their health and well-being over there all alone.

“Do you want some help?” I asked Rock.

His head spun toward me, a look of wide-eyed panic on his face. “Nay! ‘Tis no’ fit fer company. I’ll return on the morrow.”

“Rock,” McKale called. He scooped up the pile of mushrooms and held them out. Rock’s face lit up as he pulled out the bottom of his thin shirt, making a carrier for the fungi.

“Much obliged, Kale, m’boy.”

He clambered to his feet, patting down the wet curls on his head with his free hand. Sparing a wave and a brief backward glance at Cassidy, he waded through the stream to the other Clour boys. They immediately began jabbing at one another, grabbing ears and grunting as they disappeared into the woods.

“Do you think they’re okay over there?” Cassidy asked. She and I both looked at McKale.

“Aye, they get by.”

McKale and I sat close that night at supper, across the table from the rest of my family. Mom smiled at the two of us with nurturing warmth, willing us to be strong, come what may.

“Will there be music and dancing tonight?” Dad asked McKale.

“Oh, I believe so, Mr. Mason, aye.”

“Are you gonna bust a move, Daddy?” Cassidy asked.

“Well, I have been practicing.” He puffed out his chest and Mom giggled like a girl. You’d think the two of them would be sick of each other after being cooped up in this village, but they acted like it was a second honeymoon or something.

After dinner, my parents went for a walk before festivities began. The three of us sat there in silence. Cassidy stared at the fields.

“I wish we could do some
real
dancing.” She zoned out for a second, and then her eyes cleared and she bolted up straight. Her eyes twinkled and her telltale mischievous smile appeared.
Uh-oh.
Cassidy had an idea. She whispered, leaning over the table toward us with a zealous look in her eyes.

“Let’s leave the village tonight!”

“What?” I asked. “We can’t. You’re crazy.”

She reached across the table and grabbed my hand, trying to get me to share her vision.

“Yes, we can! Oh, my gosh! I’ll get Rock, and the four of us can take the car. We’ll be back before the morning. Nobody will ever know!”

Dreams played out across her face as she bounced up and down on the wooden bench. A sliver of her excitement sneaked into me, cool and tingly, and I looked up at McKale.

“I’m no’ certain,” he said, wearing the tense-forehead look.

“Have you ever left here?” Cassidy asked. He shook his head and her eyes grew big.

“Never? Come on, guys! Let’s do it! It’ll be so much fun, I promise.”

“Where will we go?” I asked, always having to play the devil’s advocate, even though I already knew without a doubt that Cassidy would win. Her enthusiasm had infected me and I could feel it pumping through my veins. “What if we get lost?”

“There aren’t exactly many roads to get us lost. We’ll go to the nearest town.”

“Okay, but, maybe we don’t have to be sneaky,” I said. “We could just ask Dad. He’d probably let us go, and even give us directions—”

“Uh-uh! No way!” Cassidy shook her head. “What if he decides to be all over-protective and say no? Or, even if Dad agrees, he’ll want to tell Brogan, and
he
might say no. We can’t take the chance. I
need
to get out of here. Come on, Robyn. Please?”

Aw, not the little sister doe eyes. She knew I was softening because she bobbed her eyebrows up and down. She then pinched my leg under the table with her crazy monkey toes and I laughed, kicking her toes away and squirming on the bench. Giddy glee bubbled inside me, and I welcomed the presence of happiness after weeks of tension.

McKale and I shared a smile, and it sent a hot shiver down my back. The thought of getting far away from that evil portal was glorious. Cassidy was a fun-loving genius. Suddenly I didn’t even care if we got in trouble. It would be worth it.

“Okay, fine.”

Cass gave a little squeal and clapped her hands.

“Has she gone mad?” McKale asked me.

“She does this kind of thing all the time,” I assured him. “Curing boredom is sort of her specialty.”

Cass beamed at us with crazy eyes.

“What will it be like?” McKale asked. “Out there?” It was nearly impossible to imagine never having been off this land. His timidity made him look younger, and he was so cute I wanted to kiss him. The thought of kissing him caused me to suck in a breath. I looked at his mouth. His bottom lip was fuller than the top one; it looked soft and inviting. I had to blink and force my eyes back up to his. What had he asked me? Oh, yeah.

“It’s a lot different out there, McKale.
A lot
. It might be weird at first, but it’ll be fine. We’ll be together.”

He nodded, and this time it was his turn to look down at my mouth. I held my breath and savored his absorbed interest. When my lips felt suddenly dry, I gave them the smallest lick, and he jolted in his seat.

“Aww, look at you two,” Cassidy said. She fluttered her eyes at us and sighed, laying her chin on interlaced fingers.

McKale scratched his cheek.

“Right, then. I’ll fetch Rock,” he said, standing. My sister and I watched him retreat into the trees, then we grinned at one another like a pair of exalted deviants.

Oh, yes. Tonight, we were taking McKale and getting the heck out of this place. I could hardly wait.

Take
that
, FFG.

I THOUGHT CASSIDY WAS
going to give us away with her erratic behavior all night during the Leprechaun festivities. She strummed her fingers on the table and shifted nonstop, staring at the sunset and glowering at the partying Chaun. Our family sat together at a table while the music played and people danced.

“You’re sure hyper all of a sudden,” Mom said to her.

“She wants to dance,” I blurted. “But… nobody’s asked her.” I sent Cass a warning glare that I hoped would make her chill.

“I’ll dance with you, chickadee.” Dad stood up and held out his hand, which she accepted, and she seemed relieved to be doing something.

Mom and I watched them for a bit. Then she got up from her side of the table and came over to sit close next to me. She ran a hand over my hair, then the backs of her fingers down my cheek—all the while gazing at me like I was some kind of miracle. I didn’t mind. It was one of those mom things I loved, although at the moment it made me feel guilty since we’d hatched our secret plan of momentary escape.

“Do you need more time before the binding, Robyn? Because I’ll tell Brogan myself, if you do.”

Ah, so that’s what was on her mind.

“I don’t know.” I chewed on my bottom lip. “Maybe ask again in a few days?”

She smiled. “Okay. Is there anything you want to know? About what to expect… after the binding?”

My face warmed and I peeked around to make sure nobody was listening. “I don’t think so, Mom. You’ve already explained everything.”

“Well, the science of it, yes, but there’s so much more, love.”

There were a lot of things I wondered, but I didn’t know how to articulate them. Right now, the thought of binding and sex and all of that made me feel like I was taking the drop on a roller coaster. I was too nervous. I wasn’t ready.

She wound my hair behind my ear and her eyes shone. “I’m always here if you need me. Your father and I will visit every year. I promise. And I’m certain Cass won’t be able to stay away either.”

Now she was making me feel a little weepy. I hated thinking about being here without my family. Especially while things weren’t one hundred percent stable. But would things here ever be stable with the FFG lurking? Would she continue to interfere even after we were bound? Angry discomfort reared inside of me. Each time I started to feel normal and happy, I remembered her and all cheerful thoughts vanished.