“I’m sick of that stuff. I’d kill for a soda.”

“Sorry, chickadee. I’ll get you some water.” Dad walked off with a grin.

“Ready to dance?” I asked McKale.

He kicked a small tuft of grass. “I’m no’ the best o’ line-dancers.”

“We’ll get through it together. Come on.”

I tugged his hand toward the dance formation. It was the middle of a song and the dancers were holding hands in a circle, moving back as they lowered their arms, and moving in as they lifted joined hands to the sky. When we stepped into the circle of dancers, a few people started clapping, and soon the entire clearing of Chaun broke into cheers. McKale’s grip tightened on my hand. They were cheering for us.

It was mine and McKale’s first time dancing in front of the Chaun as a couple. Our first true appearance together. Seeing their expressions of relief and joy made me realize they’d been worried that McKale and I weren’t hitting it off. So much was riding on our union. Seeing us hand-in-hand brought the clan’s hopes to the surface.

Emotion swelled inside me as McKale and I took our places among them. Every person who wasn’t dancing circled around us, clapping in sync.

Brogan stood with my family, and even from a distance I could see firelight reflecting the moisture in his eyes. This was the confirmation they’d all been waiting for, and I was glad to give it. Maybe I was biased, but as I linked hands with my betrothed and we stepped in tune to the music, I was certain it was the happiest dance ever performed. Despite his worries, he moved lithely, full of grace. And the way he captured my eyes… there was no way anyone watching could doubt what had grown between us. Especially as the dance ended and he tilted his head down for a kiss, which was met with a round of hooting from the clan.

Leilah and Rachelle came running over afterward, and I embraced them.

“By glory!” Leilah whispered in my ear. “I’ve never seen our McKale so sure of himself! A lucky lad, he is.”

Brogan climbed atop a table and belted out, “Well, Leprechauns! It looks as though we’re going to have ourselves a binding!”

Raucous cheers bellowed and I smiled up at McKale as that roller-coaster sensation wooshed through my body.

“Leon Mason!” Brogan shouted. “As the father of the binding female, you shall name the date.”

Daddy looked at me. I nodded, though nervous energy ratcheted under my skin.

“Six days from now!” Dad announced in a loud, clear voice.

“Six days it is!” Brogan lifted his glass and the clan raised theirs with him. “Here, here!”

“Here, here!” the clan chanted.

Oh, wow. Oh, gosh. Oh, shitballs. Six days.

One by one, Chaun members and village women approached us, kissing our hands and hugging us. In that moment, I admitted to myself I’d been harboring mild negative feelings toward the majority of McKale’s people. It bothered me how McKale was treated, and how they seemed to think women were lesser in many ways. But with each well-wish received, hurtful emotions shed away into forgiveness, leaving behind fresh, new sentiments.

My family was the last to embrace us. Dad held me close and kissed my head.

“You’ll always be my baby girl,” he whispered. I swallowed hard and squeezed him in return.

Mom and Cassidy cried. Shocking, I know. But I understood their happy tears now. I knew love was bursting inside their hearts for McKale and I, and it made me adore them more than ever.

Heavy, celebratory drinking ensued that night. Even after I headed off to the bungalows with Cassidy, we could still hear slurred singing drifting up the path.

“Somebody’s in love,” Cass teased. “Two somebodies, actually.”

I wanted to respond that there’d been no L-word action, but something in her voice was off. Her smile felt forced, and none of her usual amusement filled her words. She seemed fragile. We entered our room and closed the door, lighting the gas lamp. I needed to be gentle with her.

“What’s going on, Cass? Talk to me.”

She swallowed hard and blinked. Her hair was matted to her head from the rain earlier in the night. I’m sure I looked just as pleasant.

“I’m just tired.” She concentrated on changing out of her damp clothes.

“It’s something more than that.”

She didn’t answer me, choosing instead to climb into bed.

“No, I’m seriously so tired. I’m just going to sleep, and when I wake up, everything is going to be okay.”

Before I could attempt to get to the bottom of the issue, a weird buzzing and flapping noise came from outside our door.

“What the hell is that?” Cassidy sat up in bed with wide eyes. We stared at the door.

It continued, and we both jumped to our feet.

“Sounds like… a bird or something,” I said. A really large bird. Cracking the door, I peeked out into the darkness with Cassidy looking over my shoulder. I reeled when I heard the flapping again, but it was further away now. We opened the door enough to step out and look around. A small, hazy green form disappeared into the dark trees. Faint, high-pitched cackling sounded from within the nearby forest. I stared out, frozen, but Cassidy grabbed my wrist and tugged me back into the room, slamming the door behind us. We both leaned against it, breathing hard.

“That was one of those creepy little pixie things, wasn’t it?” Cassidy asked.

“No way.” I had no idea why I was denying it when we both knew that’s exactly what it had been.