I bolted out of the bed and ran from the room. The music beckoned me, its song of sorrow matching the song of my own heart this night. It was an audible version of all my emotions. As I chased the source of the invisible grieving, my feet took me straight toward McKale’s bungalow where I halted.
The pixie was sitting on McKale’s doorstep, hands behind his little head. Its wicked smile revealed tiny razor teeth when it caught sight of me. I stepped back, right into Cassidy who was breathing hard. She grasped my upper arms and held me close to her. We stood there together saying nothing as the evil creature eyed us and the slow cry of low musical notes filled the air.
McKale’s song had captured my heart, urging me to him, and yet, because of this creature I couldn’t see him.
I looked up at a motion in my peripheral vision. It was Leilah, standing next to her boyfriend with a hand on her heart. A trickle of others began to join her, drawn to the power of the song. Mom was there, holding her robe closed with Dad at her side. As clan members drifted into the spaces between bungalows, I felt the power of their support. Our numbers were great in comparison to one small pixie. Revived, I lost all fear for the creature on McKale’s doorstep. I stared at it and took a step forward.
“Be careful,” Cassidy whispered, sensing my intentions, but she dropped her hands from my arms.
I went forward and stopped a few feet from its beady-eyed stare as it raised itself up to face me like a giant, fat, green bumblebee. “Let me pass.”
I was prepared for his attack this time, so when he darted up I swatted, my hand connecting to its squishy belly. But only for a second before he disappeared with a poof and reappeared on my other side, yanking my ear with his claws. The clan was on him before I had a chance to feel pain from his scratches. It was too much for the unsuspecting pixie. He tried to sift away, only to be grasped, punched, kicked, and smacked by another person wherever he reappeared. Leprechauns cried out in urgent voices about the “gloves and cage,” while little women screamed and skittered out of the way.
A bearded man ran out with crazy-looking gloves that appeared to be woven with thin metal. It took a moment before I realized it was Brogan without his hat. He was fearsome in his focused state, and he moved quicker than I thought possible. Behind him ran two of the Chaun holding a small, iron cage. One of the guys thunked the pixie hard from behind with his fist, dazing it. The pixie let out a hideous snarl when Brogan snatched it mid-air and the gloves wrapped around it. Brogan tossed the creature into the cage and someone slammed the door shut, locking it securely. We all cheered. Cassidy and I high-fived each other, laughing. Mom and Dad hugged us.
Brogan walked over, slightly out of breath. He pulled off the gloves and held them up for our inspection.
“Iron,” he said. “Makes ‘em ill—depletes the magic in their skin.”
Brogan nodded toward the cage where the pixie now huddled, shivering and growling in the center. “We’ll return the little sod to ‘is people on the morrow.” And with that, someone whisked it away.
Cassidy nudged me and nodded to the side with big eyes.
I followed her stare to find McKale standing in his doorway watching me, uncertain.
“Kale!” I ran, bumping people and knocking McKale back as I flung my arms around his neck. He was a rumpled mess from his time with the Clourichaun.
“Robyn,” he whispered into my hair. His arms tightened around me.
“I didn’t mean I was choosing for you to go,” I said.
“I know it. I knew it then, but I couldn’t let her think there was any way we’d let her have yer sister.”
I pulled back enough to look at him. “Thank you. You bought us time.”
He cupped my face in both his hands and examined my face with tender urgency. His eyes told me he hadn’t given Khalistah the kind of kiss she desired. If he had, he would still be dazed and unable to focus on me in this way.
Someone cleared their throat, causing McKale and I to remember we had a full audience of worried people. We broke away and opted for holding hands as Brogan stepped forward.
“We found McKale coming back to the village,” he explained to me. “He’d rid himself of the pixie fer a time while it ran after some grub, so we told ‘im the plan.”
McKale’s thumb stroked the top of my hand. “I was coming yer way to see ya when the blasted pixie came back, so I went to me own room to be safe.”
We were all quiet.
“Keefe,” Brogan said, running a hand down his beard.
The young man stepped up and removed the beret from his head.
“I want someone watching the portal all night. Ye lads can take shifts. Tell ‘em to keep the horn handy and sound it if the gate opens.”
“Aye, Brogan.” Keefe gave a small bow and ran to do his duty.
“Brogan, sir, if I may…” Leilah stepped forward and gave a timid curtsey.
“Aye, lassie?”
“’Tis no’ the tradition, I know, but…” Even in the dark of night I sensed the flush of embarrassment on her features. She stared at the ground and Brogan urged her to continue.
Leilah lifted her head and asked, “Might McKale and Robyn bind this very evening? The official ceremony on the morrow could still take place fer show.”
Murmurs rose around us.
McKale and I looked at each other. Brogan ran a hand down his beard, unsure.
Mom stepped forward. “It’s a good idea. If they want to, I say let them bind. Let them have this night.”
She didn’t have to say “just in case” because we were all thinking it. The thought of what might happen tomorrow if our plan failed made my stomach seize. This could be our last night together: our only night. Brogan looked at my father, who nodded his agreement. I smiled at McKale as a fluttery nervousness settle inside.
“Aye?” he whispered to me.
“Yes,” I whispered back.
He gave me a half-grin and nodded before turning to Brogan.
“We wish to bind this night, Father.”
“Aye. Well, then.” Brogan nodded to Leilah. “Fetch the bindings. McKale, straighten yer room, son. ‘Tis no’ fit fer a female in that state of disaster.”
My cheeks flamed. Everyone cheered as Leilah ran off and a group of older women descended upon McKale’s room, bustling past him and clucking about the mess. He gave them a sheepish shrug and grin as the oldest woman swatted his backside then shut the door on us.
A sudden thought hit me and I thought aloud, “What about my dress?” My current outfit was a t-shirt and cotton shorts. I wasn’t even wearing a bra! I crossed my arms.
“You’ll wear the dress tomorrow for the fake binding,” Cassidy said. “You don’t need it tonight.” She dug an elbow into my ribs and I met her glinting eye.
Oh my goodness… I’m gonna pass out. I couldn’t even look at my parents, even though I knew they hadn’t heard Cass’s remark.
Cass giggled and wrapped an arm around my waist. “It’ll be fine,” she whispered.
Leilah returned with a woven basket full of colorful silken scraps. I pressed my free hand to my nervous stomach as the women began to untangle the mass of material.
Mom sidled close to my side. “Are you okay with this?”
I nodded. Dad cleared his throat behind us.
“Nothing like an impromptu wedding,” he said under his breath. I turned to see him rubbing his neck.
Mom wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. “Our babies are growing up, Leon.” They both gazed at me, eyes full of sentiment, and Cass squeezed my hand.
Things got a little crazy when McKale and the women emerged from his hut. It didn’t take long to realize this was a “hands-on” kind of ceremony. McKale and I were pushed by excited hands to the middle of the group where a small opening had been made. Mom and Cassidy followed us while Dad hung back with the other men. A fiddler and flautist had retrieved their instruments and began to play soft, sweet music. Love ballads.