“Cass doesn’t heed warnings very well. Not when she’s got her mind made up about something.”

“Perhaps they’ll enjoy one another, then.”

He glanced over at me as we walked, and I felt the warmth of him. I looked away, feeling self-conscious as I remembered his heated look at my chest earlier. We walked in silence for a few minutes.

“Do you have any brothers?” I asked. He didn’t answer right away.

“Nay. I’m the only child from my father’s binding to survive.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. How about your mother? Is she here?” I knew the answer the moment the question left my mouth. If she were here, I obviously would have met her.

“They believe something tore internally during my birth and she bled for days before passing. I was too large for her.”

“Oh, McKale,” I said softly. Again with his size.

On impulse, I reached over and took his hand, twining our fingers together. The feel of it must have taken him by surprise because his steps faltered a second. From the corner of my eye I caught him peering down at our hands. My heart was beating way too fast. I’d never held hands with a boy.

I cleared my throat. “Are you on a break from work right now?”

“Aye. Mid-day meal. Leilah saw me and told me she’d sent ye to the falls.”

We walked in silence, holding hands the rest of the way until the thick forest opened up into the bright clearing and we stopped.

“I must return to work,” he said. I heard reluctance there, and it made me smile shyly. I watched his eyes explore my face. In the sunlight the hazel colors were a mix of sea green and light caramel.

Just then an obnoxious kissy noise sounded from behind us, followed by excessive girly cackling. McKale and I broke apart, turning to see Cassidy and Rock coming up the path.

“That was mean!” Cassidy gave Rock a shove. His dark curls bounced around his face and he started tickling her ribs. As they carried on, McKale and I caught each other’s eyes again.

“I guess I’ll see you tonight,” I told him.

He tilted his head down toward me and I melted a little when he replied, “’Til then.”

I TOOK A LONG NAP back in our room while Cassidy found our parents and took them to the falls. I wondered if they’d had the pleasure of meeting Rock yet.

Doubtful.

Several hours later I dragged myself from the soft bed, still groggy. I’d been more tired than I thought. Sounds of people talking and moving came from outside, so it must have been near the end of the workday.

I brushed my hair and teeth. Using the makeshift restroom was not the most enjoyable experience of my life. There were just some things about village life I didn’t think I’d ever get used to.

Cheers sounded from the field as I left my room. I walked out to find a friendly game of what appeared to be soccer. Yes! I looked around for McKale, but he hadn’t come down from work. Joy filled me as I found my family and stood with them, watching the game. The ball was well-crafted brown leather that had been stuffed and stitched firm.

Unlike the version of soccer I knew, they were allowed to touch the ball if it was in the air—a swipe of the hand to knock it down and keep it in play. But it still involved dribbling the ball by foot, passing, and kicking it into a goal, which was made of rock pillars. I was itching to get in on the action, so when the players broke for water, Cassidy and I approached the leader. He was young, like McKale, with only a small bit of blond facial hair.

“Excuse me, sir?”

He looked up, wiping his brow with a cloth.

“Robyn, isn’t it? The name’s Keefe. What can I do for ye?”

“Hi, Keefe. Um, my sister and I were wondering if we might be able to play?”

His eyebrows went up in surprise and he didn’t answer.

“I mean, unless you think we’re at an unfair advantage because of our height,” I added.

He chuckled, clearly amused and further surprised. “Please don’t take offense, miss, but ‘tis not your height that worries me. I fear ye are the one at a disadvantage because yer…”

He waved his hands up and down at me.

Huh? I’m what?

“A lass!” he sputtered.

What the crap? Okay, this gender thing was getting old. Cass planted both hands on her hips and gave me the stink eye as if to say, “Are you going to let him get away with that?”

I kept my face calm, while petting the hackles on my inner-feminist. She’d actually been a good sport about everything up until that moment. Now all I wanted was a chance to make him eat those words. Cassidy and I shared a conspiratorial smile.

“Where we come from girls play, too,” I told him. “Many of the girls are as good as the men.”

“Or better,” Cass added.

Keefe was plainly trying to hold back a condescending smile. A small crowd of sweaty players gathered around us.

“Just for fun, give us a chance. Please,” I begged. “We promise not to be upset by the outcome. We can be on different teams to make it fair. You just have to make us one promise.”

“Oh, yeah?” Keefe asked, setting his hands on his hips. “And wha’s that?”

“Not to go easy on us because we’re girls.” I grinned and the whole group of little guys cracked up laughing. Keefe grabbed his waist, apparently getting a stitch in his side.

“Alright, then, misses. If ye insist.”

Cassidy and I gave each other a high five, and took our shoes off since everyone else was playing barefoot. I was sure Keefe was only letting us play because he didn’t want to offend Brogan’s guests and McKale’s betrothed, but the reason didn’t matter to me. I simply wanted to stretch my muscles and play something I knew I could win.