Green by Laura Peyton Roberts Read Free Book Online

from my scalp. I could see her shears from the corner of my eye, cutting empty air.
    "Um, Kate," I finally ventured. "Don't you have to put some hair between those blades?"
    "I would if I was trying to make it shorter. I thought you wanted me to grow it. Make up your mind, girl!"
    I sat up so abruptly I nearly knocked all three off the stool. "Wait! Are you telling me you can cut hair longer?"
    Kate glanced at her scissors, then back at me, as if I might be trying to trick her. "What good is a pair o' enchanted shears that only cuts things shorter?"
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    "But ... then ... Why didn't you make my hair all long again?" I wailed.
    "Well, now, Lil," Bronwyn said. "It's a bit o' magic, not a miracle. Anyway, Kate's finished now, and a fine job too."
    Kate beamed. "Shall I fetch the mirror?"
    "Maybe later," I said, too depressed to look.
    "Out o' that tub, then, and see what we've got for tea," Bronwyn said.
    I stood up, streaming water. Lexie dashed down off the stool and came back struggling to see over a folded, human-sized towel in her arms. Alone behind the screen, I took off my wet clothes, dried myself, and wrapped the towel around my body.
    The hut's back door had been opened, revealing a wide field of clover ending against a rocky hill. A teapot had appeared on the table with a heaping tray of sandwiches. Despite everything, my stomach growled as I took the only chair. Kate dragged her stool back over, and the leprechauns climbed up to join me.
    Bronwyn poured us greenish tea from a teapot twice the size of her head. The three of them slurped from miniature cups as we sat there eyeing each other, equal height for the first time. I felt like I'd been transported back to one of the pretend tea parties I used to give when I was younger, except that instead of my motley assortment of half-bald babies and teddy bears, the other seats at this
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    table were filled with, perfect living dolls in seriously collectible outfits.
    "Have a sandwich," Bronwyn offered.
    I took one off the stack: brown bread, butter, and some sort of wilted green herb. Too hungry to be particular, I stuffed the entire saltine-sized thing into my mouth.
    Kate smiled at me over her cup. "It's a little ray o' sunshine having another girl around."
    "Yeah, where are all the girls?" I asked. "You're totally outnumbered out there."
    "That we are, but that's how we like it," Kate said with a wink. "Makes us special, doesn't it?"
    "I guess," I said uncertainly.
    "We leprechauns live a long time, Lil," Bronwyn explained. "A very long time, indeed, by human standards. If our numbers were equal between the sexes, we'd have overrun you ages ago. But our lasses are born scarcely one to four lads. It's nature's little way o' keeping the folk in check."
    "Lexie here hasn't even chosen her first husband yet, let alone increased the clan." Kate poked Lexie in the arm. "Such a shy, delicate blossom," she teased. "Give us a hint, Lexie. There must be some lad you fancy."
    Lexie blushed and looked down at the table. "I'll choose when I'm willing," she murmured.
    I took another sandwich, preferring not even to think about the subject embarrassing Lexie. Except ...
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    "How does a human get leprechaun blood?" I blurted out.
    Lexie went even redder. Kate laughed merrily.
    "Surely you don't need that explained at your age?" Bronwyn asked. "Your mum didn't teach you about birds and bees?"
    My cheeks heated up to match Lexie's. "She taught me birds don't do it with bees," I got out.
    "Aye, you've caught me there," Bronwyn said.
    "Go on," Kate urged. "Tell her!"
    "It happened hundreds o' years ago"--Bronwyn poured more tea, settling into her story--"during a Rendezvous, where the clans meet to mix together. A pack o' lads from all five clans had their fill o' clover ale and were racing dogs in the moonlight when they came upon a dance at the edge of a human village. The sight of so many fine single girls all eager to be wooed by young men near drove our poor lads out of their minds.