She couldn’t tell a lie! It was one of the many facts we’d learned about Fae from Dad over the years.

“Well, do be careful with it from now on,” the other girl teased. “You may want to take the Prince up on his offer to bind for a time someday.”

The girls glanced toward the bronze Fae male and smiled. Our guide was a Prince? He cast a warm glance at the Princess, whose eyes stared out at the distance. For that brief second I experienced a pang of pity for her. She’d given McKale a token that was apparently supposed to be given to someone she wanted to bind with, for a time. Fae didn’t do anything “forever” except keep living. Temporary bindings were as close as they came to love and commitment. But I didn’t feel sorry for her for long.

Khalistah’s eyes suddenly widened. “Where is my Paulie?” Her head swiveled to scan the sky.

“Pardon?” McKale asked.

“Her Pixie,” one of the M-girls clarified.

McKale and I shot a glance at each other.

“He’s, erm, still in Chaun land, Princess,” McKale answered. “I’m certain he’ll return soon.”

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.