Free See Me by Wendy Higgins

Cassidy in the trees with Rock, and I hoped she’d come to me soon. I felt stupid and out of place here. I needed my sister.
    The memory of McKale kissing the Faerie’s hand kept resurfacing, making me ill and something else—something bitter. Jealousy. He’d seemed so… overwhelmed or something.
    After seeing that, I felt apprehensive of what else I might find out about McKale. I was scared of his possible secrets and past. But getting to know him was the only chance I had in this battle. Khalistah had taken the first round, but I wouldn’t go down without a fight.
    Unfortunately, I had a feeling Faeries wouldn’t fight fair.

 
     
     
    I HADN’T FULLY CALMED yet when I heard voices and the door swooshed opened.
    “Robyn!”
    I exhaled with relief at the sound of Mom’s voice.
    “It’s so dark,” Cassidy whispered. “Robyn? Are you in here?”
    “I’m here,” I replied. I wiggled around until I was able to push myself up on the bed with my legs crossed. Cassidy stumbled through the dark and sat next to me while my mom found the oil lamp and turned it on. She wore flannel pajama pants and a pullover fleece. Her face was tight with worry as she came and sat next to me. Having both of them was a comfort, a balm for my agitation.
    “Why didn’t you wake me? Cassidy says there were Fae about? I was so hard asleep I didn’t even sense them. Did they hurt you?”
    “Not exactly. But… I think there’s something going on with one of them and McKale.”
    My mom sucked in a shocked breath. “ No. ”
    “Freaky Fae girl,” Cassidy brooded. “What did she say to you? I couldn’t hear but I could tell it was something bitchy.”
    Mom glared at her and Cassidy amended. “I mean something not nice. I wanted to run after you, but Rock held me back—”
    “Rock was there?” Mom asked.
    “Yeah, he was hiding, though.” Cass looked at me. “I’m sorry I didn’t come right away. I really wanted to, but Rock made me wait until the Fae left.”
    I shook my head. “It’s okay. It was smart of him not to let you draw attention to yourself.”
    Even Mom agreed. “What else happened?”
    The last thing I wanted to do was rile up my mom and sister. I wouldn’t tell them about how Khalistah called me “large,” but they did need to know the basics of what was going on, and what I was up against if I was going to attempt to build a healthy relationship with McKale.
    “She asked if McKale really intended to bind with me and he said he had to do his duty for the clan.”
    Cassidy’s eyebrows flew together. “He called you a duty ? Ouch.”
    “That’s what this is, Cass,” I reminded her. “It’s a duty for both of us.”
    “Yeah, but look at you. He should be happy and honored that he gets to bind with a hottie like you. I’d just hoped… you know.”
    We were all quiet. My parents’ marriage had been arranged, but they’d met first as teens and got to know each other through letters. What started as a duty became a joy they both shared.
    “This is dangerous territory, girls,” Mom said. “Where the Fae are involved, one can never be too cautious. Tomorrow we will sit down with Brogan and McKale, and have a family discussion. McKale is only human, no matter how ancient his magical blood may be. The touch of a Fae manipulates the human mind. A single kiss from her could make McKale obsess. If a human fully gives themselves to a Fae, they are lost to anything but that Faerie. They become mindless slaves. We need to find out what we’re dealing with.”
    I trembled inside remembering how McKale reacted to such a small touch from her.
    “I don’t think he’s, like, done anything with her,” I said. “I don’t know. He seemed pretty normal until she showed up.”
    “Yeah, and then he couldn’t take his eyes off her,” Cassidy added.
    “Faeries can be mesmerizing,” Mom said. “But don’t jump to any conclusions yet. Let’s hope they’ve done nothing more than share simple touches,