“Do you fancy yourself in love with the young Mason girl?”

Rock turned his head to her, and watching her face with a pained, heartbroken expression, he nodded.

The Summer King clenched his jaw. We were all so still. The relief I felt moments before had slipped away as tension filled my body again.

“I cannot have your kind interfering with those who would actually work. You will forget you ever loved her. You will forget any time you had with her. Your kind are not welcome at this ceremony.”

Rock’s eyes went blank and his body slackened. Mom pulled Cassidy’s face to her chest and she let out a horrible, muffled screech. I felt like I might be sick.

The Summer King ignored all this, done with the drama. He flicked his wrists and the spell ended with a zap. The Fae rocked back on their heels, stunned. Rock turned and ambled back toward the trees, glancing back once to stare at the scene with puzzled wonder. And then he was gone, along with the other Clour. Cass buried her face into the crook of Mom’s neck. It took all of my will-power not to run to her and embrace her.

The King painted a smile across his face for his people. “Ah, well, it seems as though the so-called human magic has failed. Our only entertainment shall be this merry dancing and the binding itself.”

The Fae shared disappointed nods, all seeming as if they’d missed something but were too afraid to ask. Khalistah gazed around at the decorations with bemused interest. For one fearsome moment her eyes landed on McKale and I, but slid past without remark. I exhaled and felt McKale relax next to me.

Brogan bustled forward.

“Would our honored guests care to dance, then?” he asked.

“Go on,” the King said, waving a finger at his people. “Enjoy the hospitality.”

The Prince stepped forward and extended a hand to Khalistah. She curtsied and took his hand. Martineth still stood there, seeming stunned and distrustful, until the King reached for her hand and kissed it, causing her to relax.

“Will you not dance, my love?” he asked. “You know how much I enjoy watching.”

She gave him a seductive smile, and without a word turned to the dance circle.

As the Fae filtered out to dance among the Leprechaun, the King gave his attention to McKale and me. His frown and shifting eyes caused my heart to falter in its rhythm. I felt the warmth of my family as they joined behind us. I reached back and found Cassidy’s hand, pulling her close behind me. I felt her face lean against the back of my shoulder. There was nothing I could do to help or comfort her. Rock’s memories of her love might be gone, but the fact that her memories of him would remain was heartbreaking.

The King eyed our group and I focused on him now. Would he punish us?

His voice was pinched and frightening. “You have brought shame to my daughter and forced my hand.”

“King of Summer,” McKale began. His head was bowed. “We ne’er wished to bring shame to the Princess or yer people. We were powerless against her demands and didn’t know what else to do.”

The King pondered this. “Khalistah is quite keen on getting what she wants. How unfortunate that her desires led her astray. I would not have believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes. But know this…” His eyes flipped through a rainbow of colors. “I allow you to keep memory of this day only because you were wronged. Let us hope you will never find yourselves in a position where you feel you must fool our kind again.”

McKale dipped his head. “Thank you, King. I am so very sorry fer all that’s happened. Truly.”

“Humans are often careless of their affections,” the King responded. “Such is the nature of beings whose lifespan are so short… and speaking of that, I have another matter with which to discuss.” We stood still and quiet, waiting for him to continue. “While you were in Faerie my consort and I discussed a proper gift for your binding, considering how fond you seem to be of one another. I understand that you will live considerably longer than your binding partner—am I correct?”

“Er… yes, King, sir.” McKale scratched his cheek.

McKale would live approximately seven hundred years longer than me.

“Instead of a gift, I have an offer.” The Summer King surveyed Brogan, McKale, and all of us Masons. “If you and your people can assure me that you will keep this indiscretion between us from now until forever, I will increase the magical ability of the Masons, thereby allowing them to live as long as the Leprechauns. I do not make this offer lightly. If I find you have spread word of Princess Khalistah’s shame outside of these clan lines the price you pay will be more than lost memories. Do you understand?”

We all nodded. Incurring his wrath was not something we wanted. I was certain the only reason we still had our memory was because his daughter had offended him more than we had.

“And does this offer appeal to you?” he asked.

I looked at my family. Dad and Mom shared grateful glances. Cassidy, still sad, gave me a single nod. I looked at McKale, whose eyes shone with hope.

“Definitely,” I said.

“We would be honored to serve you all of our years,” Dad told the Summer King. “Thank you for showing mercy. Today’s events will never leave our lips. You have our word.”

McKale and Brogan stepped away. The King lifted his arms as he’d done to his Fae minutes before. A moment of fear shot through me as I wondered if this was a trick—if he’d decided to erase our memories after all. But the words never came to open our minds. Instead he sang a stream of magical words that enveloped us. I felt power constricting every cell of my body, blooming from my core outward, strengthening every fiber of my existence. Next to me Cassidy made a sound of surprised bliss.