In a dangerous whisper she asked, “What have you done to him?”
Her friends took a step away and looked at us like we were in big trouble.
“He’s not been harmed, I promise ye. He was causing no end of ruckus last night and the boys… detained him.”
Her hand flew to her chest. “Not with iron?”
McKale dropped his gaze and shoved his hands in his pockets. In a swift move the Princess glided forward and slapped him across the cheek with a startling whack. He let out a muffled sound and stared at her, stunned. My hands balled into fists at my sides and I rocked forward before reminding myself not to move. She would use any excuse right now to finish us. She stood close to McKale with her chin lifted to his face. His eyes met hers.
“Let it be known, McKale of the Leprechaun: I do not take kindly to others touching something that belongs to me. You will take me to Paulie. At once.”
This was about way more than her stupid pixie. We’d flustered her. But it was good that she wanted to return to Chaun land. Now we just needed to somehow get her to reveal her plan again.
“Will you be joining us on the return journey, Princess?” asked the bronzed Prince.
“I will.” She smoothed down the front of her dress and stood tall.
The Fae Prince held out a bent elbow to her but she ignored him, gliding past and leaving her court without a backward glance. The Prince glared after her, ego bruised, and then pointed to the steps.
“Go,” he commanded us.
We followed the FFG with the Prince close behind.
I kept my eyes down and was careful not to touch anything as we skirted the Gala festivities and made our way back to the initial tunnel. I made the mistake of looking up at the guard as we were passing through and he raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at me, silver eyes caressing my curves. My heart fluttered and I rushed to stay close to McKale. The Fae Prince was on my heels.
For a tiny being, the FFG moved fast. Even in her graceful gliding, the set of her shoulders gave the image of a female on a mission. As she moved along, buds from the tunnel’s branches and vines turned to her and opened, then closed again and returned to their positions when she’d passed.
“Princess Khalistah?” McKale called out.
She didn’t answer. My heart couldn’t race any faster as I realized McKale was going in for the kill right now.
“Princess, might I speak with ye a moment?”
Without turning her head she said, “I cannot imagine what thing of importance you think is worthy of my hearing.”
The Prince gave a snort behind me and muttered, “Your father gives the Leprechauns too much grace, Princess. He coddles them into believing they are equals.”
McKale picked up his pace to walk at Khalistah’s side, and I hung back. The Prince let out a huff of air like he couldn’t believe McKale’s tenacity.
“I wish to speak with ye about the terms ye set forth when last we met,” McKale whispered.
A loud group of Fae turned down our path and Khalistah shrieked, “Move!” Her eyes flashed with a swirl of icy white and the Fae scattered out of her way. They bowed as she passed.
“I have not the slightest clue of what you are speaking,” the FFG said to McKale once we’d left that tunnel and entered a smaller one.
The narrow path was confining, and I wanted McKale to stop pestering the FFG for information. I knew he felt pressure to get her confession soon, but I wished he would wait until we were on Chaun land again. We weren’t safe here.
“What is that human blathering on about?” the Prince grumbled. Then he raised his voice and called out to McKale, “Leave the Princess alone.”
The FFG answered without stopping or glancing back. “He has been like this since childhood. I am accustomed to his need for attention. Do not worry yourself, kind Prince.”
The way she said “kind Prince” sounded as if she were just as annoyed with the Fae as she was with McKale. But McKale was undeterred. I chewed my bottom lip and practically jogged to keep up.
“I thought since a few days had passed… perhaps ye’d had time to think on it and change yer mind?” When she didn’t respond he said, “Do ye still require me to come to ye after the binding—”
She halted in her tracks and the walls seemed to contract inward on us. The FFG pivoted to face McKale, eyes flashing white once again.
“You will come to me of your own free will.” Her voice was level.
“What is the meaning of this?” the Prince asked.
Without looking away from McKale, the Princess held up her pointer finger at the Fae male and said, “Silence.”
His perfect brow creased with confusion as he watched her address McKale with maddening calmness. She moved close, her chin jutting up to point those scary eyes at his face. Each word she spoke was laced with a venomous punch of enunciation. McKale looked ready, hopeful.
“Nothing changed, McKale of the Leprechaun, until you dared to enter my realm with her. You are the one who has broken our agreement. Now I am forced to break mine. I will have you. And your precious betrothed will be punished. My Fair Folk will have her sister as a Gala gift this very night!”
Air caught in my lungs and I sucked in a choking breath. McKale, however, wore an expression of relief. The FFG had revealed herself, just as we’d wanted. But what if the video equipment didn’t work? Or what if it did and the King didn’t care? I would lose both of them. I reached out to steady myself against the wall, but the thick vine under my hand was wet and it squirmed at my touch. I yanked my hand away.
The Prince sputtered behind me and came forward. “Explain yourself, Princess.”
She turned her frosty eyes to him and smiled. “How would you like a human girl all to yourself?”
“I…” He considered this. “Humans are a lot of work, and then they die. I have never seen the value in keeping pets. My only interest has been you; however, now I am not so certain. It seems you have been keeping unsavory secrets.” He eyed McKale with disdain.
“I have wanted to do this for a long time,” she whispered.
The Prince cocked his pretty, bronzed head to the side. “Do what?”
“Alter your memory.”
His face paled at the sly grin on the FFG’s face, and he took a step back.
“You cannot do such a thing without the King’s permission. He would never allow it.”
“He will never know.”
She stepped toward him and he stepped back. McKale and I moved to stand together. I was sickened by the entire spectacle taking place. I grabbed McKale’s hand.
The Prince put up his hands and shook his head, a frightful expression contorting his immaculate face.
“Ar oscailt intinn,” Khalistah whispered to the Prince. Open your mind.
He dropped his hands and relaxed, captured by her eyes. She whispered everything that he would forget, and what he would remember in its place. His feelings for her had changed and would now only be those of friendly admiration. We’d never stopped in this tunnel to carry on a conversation. Once on Chaun land he would take a fancy to Cassidy Mason and request that he be allowed to have her.
I let go of McKale’s hand and wrapped my arms around myself, chilled to my heart.
When the FFG said the closing words she spun and continued down the hall as if we’d never stopped. I was trembling uncontrollably. I glanced back at the Prince who was blinking, his face scrunched with mild confusion. The four of us followed down the twists and turns of living tunnel-work until we reached our portal with the brutish guard standing vigilant. He bowed low for Khalistah.