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.