“Five days,” I repeated.

The moment he walked away my happiness evaporated as I entered my room and remembered what unnecessary heartache we now had to deal with.

I paced the small room with my arms crossed. I knew I should have crushed Rock’s bits and pieces when I had the chance.

I was so engrossed in my dark thoughts about my little sister’s predicament that I didn’t notice the round-bellied green creature crouched on the bedside table until it freaking waved at me, grinning evilly. I stumbled, biting back a scream and tripping over a suitcase. The pixie flew up in the air, laughing with that unnerving high-pitched cackle as I dove for the door and flung it open.

“Robyn?” Cassidy called from the bathroom.

“One second!” I managed to say as the thing flew for the doorway, kicking me on the side of the head on its way out. Ow. I’d have given anything for a can of Raid at that moment. I slammed the door and sat in front of it, leaning my head back.

It was a spy. It had to be. No doubt, the pixie was going straight to his mistress to tell her everything he’d learned here this morning. Crap! How long had he been in our room and how’d he get in? And then I remembered the door bursting open during the night. Sneaky little bastard. He’d stayed still and quiet the whole time, hidden. The FFG would be proud of her little pet. I kicked the suitcase hard.

“What is going on?” Cassidy shouted, annoyed now.

“Oh, nothing much. Just found our freaky little pixie friend in our room.”

Frantic splashing sounds came from the tub. “Ohmigawd, nuh-uh!”

“Don’t worry, it’s gone now.”

She stilled. “Are you sure? Come in here.”

I stood and went to her, pulling the curtain aside and squatting on a small stool next to the tub. She was sitting up with a washcloth over her chest, and her knees pulled up in the cloudy water.

I told her what happened and Cassidy proceeded to once again call the FFG every bad name in the book. She knew it gave me great joy when she did that.

Cassidy ended her tirade, saying, “She needs to get a life and leave you alone.”

We were both thoughtful for a few minutes until she broke the silence.

“You know, McKale’s kind of cool.”

“Yeah?” I grinned. “He needed to warm up, I guess.”

“I’m glad he’s being good to you. I wish…”

“I know, Cass.” She wished a lot of things, and so did I. We reached out for each other and rested our joined hands on the edge of the tub. She laid her cheek on her knees.

“I’m scared.” Her voice hitched and a tear fell, sliding down her leg.

“Sweet girl,” I whispered as my heart shattered. “I’m here. I’ll do anything I can.”

“I keep thinking,” she said. “The Clour usually get humans pregnant, right? But I have magical blood. What if, you know, that makes it different? Maybe it’ll cancel out the curse and I won’t lose the baby.”

I stared at her. I didn’t believe for a second that her having magical blood would somehow reverse the curse against Rock’s people. Entertaining such thoughts would only make it harder. Plus, the idea of Cassidy as a teen mom was frightening.

“Don’t get your hopes up, chickadee, okay?”

She nodded and closed her eyes, pressing out more tears. “I love you, Robyn.”

BROGAN DECLARED IT A week of celebration in the village. The Shoe House was closed for business. Because of the feasting and constant excited bustle of the men, the women ironically worked overtime. They didn’t seem to mind, seeing how all of their men were in such fine spirits. There was an abundance of winking going on, and no female’s backside was safe from an onslaught of pinches, including mine. By the end of the first day I was certain a wager was going around to see which wee man could make me squeal the loudest.

It wasn’t viewed as an act of disrespect. Even McKale thought it was funny. I think he enjoyed how each pinch caused my face to redden. I was unsure how to react to the jolly men’s attentions.

“If someone back home pinched my butt they’d get slapped,” I explained to McKale.

“Well, yer bum is very near their faces. The lads can’t help themselves.”

“Ha-ha,” I dead-panned.

Despite the festivity of the villagers, I couldn’t bring myself to share in the cheer.

My mood was further dampened by several twinges of magic in the air throughout the day, though nobody in the village seemed to notice or care. Maybe they were used to it, but I didn’t think I ever would be.

The surrounding busyness did keep my mind occupied for long stretches. While my parents and sister agreed to partake in some games, I helped in the kitchen. The women taught me to make fruit pastries from fresh wild berries. And as much as they loved the men, they’d smack any hands that reached for food before it was ready to serve.

From the corner of my eye I saw a brown head poke around the doorframe. I looked up at Cassidy, who frantically waved me to her. She grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me around the corner where we were alone.

“I got my period!” she said, beaming. She threw her arms around my neck and I hugged her around the waist. My lungs released the world’s largest and happiest exhale. Ah, sweet friggin’ relief! Finally, something went right.

Without letting go of me, Cass said, “I’m sorry that I even told you I was late. I’ve been so out of whack, but I shouldn’t have worried you. This is your time and you have so much going on.”