Heart Of The Goblin King (The Realm Trilogy Book 1) Read online

  Heart Of The Goblin King

  The Realm Trilogy, Volume 1

  Lisa Manifold

  Published by Ocean Top Press, 2016.

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  HEART OF THE GOBLIN KING

  First edition. August 15, 2016.

  Copyright © 2016 Lisa Manifold.

  Written by Lisa Manifold.

  Heart

  Of the

  Goblin King

  The Realm

  Book One

  Lisa Manifold

  DEDICATION

  To Rachel, Shannon, Monica, Corinne, and Wendy.

  Between the five of you, I am becoming the writer I want to be.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Epilogue

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  This is always a hard section for me to write, although it’s one of my favorites. I love being able to publically acknowledge those who have a hand in making this book come to life.

  I only worry that I’ll forget someone.

  First, to my critique groups. It’s funny, I hear the complaint that no one ever sees the whole thing from start to finish. I’d never get a book out if you did. But I love that you all give me heartfelt and honest feedback. Even when it’s what I don’t really want to hear.

  To my amazing, long-suffering editor, Rachel Millar. What would I do without you? Talk about hard home truths! I love them, though, and all that you give me. I love ya to the moon and back.

  To the fantastic Aria at Resplendent Media. She does all of my covers. I may at times give her an idea, and in the case of Brennan, a cover model, but she makes a visual of what’s in my head, and she gets better every time she does. Thank you for bringing Brennan to life.

  To my parents: Mom, Dick, Dad, Liz, Sue and Don—your continued belief and support means the world.

  To Sap and Big Easy, my sister and brother—you are my favorite cheerleaders, and future BBs.

  To Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers for providing a place for me to learn and stretch my wings. The value of being part of such an organization is priceless.

  My Darling Boys—just before this went to print, they wanted to help me edit, and read over what I’d written to make sure it was right. For always asking me how my writing is going, and telling me how proud they are of me. I only hope that my going for what I want can inspire you both one day.

  To Jimmy, my wonderful husband. You support me in all I do. I love you.

  Chapter One

  Brennan

  After what seemed like an eternity, his mother let him go. Lessons were finished for the day, and the sun shone brightly on the afternoon. He could go and find the others, and forget about magic and all the drills his mother made him practice so many times. “You must always have control of your power,” she said. As though he might forget it.

  He put the thoughts of lessons out of his mind and raced into the garden. Hopefully the rest of the boys would be playing there rather than in the woods. Hopefully Cian would be in a good mood and let him play too.

  He heard them before he saw them. They were playing caman, even though there weren’t enough players for two full teams. Cian led them, as he always did. Brennan could hear his brother shouting to another player.

  He moved around the hedge that opened up to a grassy area where the other boys were. He didn’t speak, only watched them, struggling and laughing as each one tried to get the ball. Cian, as usual, spoke first.

  “What are you doing here? Don’t you have lessons?”

  “I’m done,” he said.

  “And?” Cian stood up a little, letting his body lean on the caman stick, the snotty look Brennan hated on his face. “Why are you here?”

  “I bet he wants to play,” said Illion. His brother’s closest friend.

  “Is that true? You actually want to join us rather than becoming the greatest magical magician ever?” Cian snickered as he asked Brennan, looking to the other boys for support.

  No matter what he said, there was no hope of escaping humiliation. May as well be honest. “Yes.”

  Cian laughed, and the others laughed with him.

  “Weren’t there any goblins you could play with?” Sneered Illion.

  Ever since their father Jharak had announced that his younger son was the heir to the Goblin Realm, Cian and all his friends lost no chance to make fun of him. He didn’t understand why it was a bad thing. He liked the goblins. They were funny and, although they were also funny looking, they were loyal, and kind, and caring in ways Brennan had never imagined they could be. Besides, just because he was the heir didn’t mean he’d be the Goblin King. The current king had a lovely wife and would no doubt have sons of his own.

  “Enough of this, Cian. Let’s play,” said one of the boys impatiently. Brennan couldn’t tell who it was.

  Cian faced Brennan. The mocking look had disappeared. “No one wants you here, Brennan. Go away! No one wants to play with you, nasty little goblin!”

  Without waiting for a response, he gestured to Illion and the game resumed.

  Brennan held back the tears and bit at his lip. He would not cry in front of them. Walking back to the hedge and around to the side away from the game, he tried to puzzle it out. Why did Cian hate him? He’d done nothing to him. In fact, Brennan did whatever Cian asked.

  “When is your father going to send him to the Goblin Kingdom? I’m tired of him hanging around. He’s starting to creep, just like a goblin.” Illion had to know that Brennan could still hear them.

  “Not soon enough.” Cian’s reply was bored, uncaring.

  It stopped Brennan in his tracks. How could his own brother feel this way? Dismiss him like this to people who weren’t even family?

  Cian really did hate him, Brennan thought. It wouldn’t matter what he did, Cian would always hate him. He could feel his face begin to burn as the blood rushed to it. His fists clenched, thinking of all the horrid things Cian had said and done since Father made the announcement. That’s when everything changed. Brennan, not Cían, began receiving advanced lessons in magic. As the eldest, Cian felt he should be taught more of magic, but their parents hadn’t agreed. Brennan’s lessons had doubled, and Cian became a stranger to him. He didn’t understand why anyone would want to be stuck learning magic all day long. Usually, Mother was very cross and scolded him a great deal. Nothing to be envious of.

  Cian’s voice came to him again. “The fewer sniveling goblins we have skulking about, the better. Enough of the little goblin scum. Let’s play some more before Mother comes looking for me.”

  He could feel the rage that had been building ever since his father made the announcement and everything changed for him. It curled inside of him like a living thing, pounding on his insides like a prisoner trying to break free. That’s what he was—a prisoner. How could Cian not see it? Because he didn’t want to.

  Stupid, mea
n, hateful, spiteful—his thoughts centered on Cian, everything he felt but that he hadn’t been able to say. Just once, he’d like Cian to feel how his words hurt. To feel the pain he inflicted with no thought at all. Cian was going to be a terrible king, because Cian was mean. Brennan wanted his brother to feel the weight of his words and actions. He felt the anger rise from him, taking wing now that it was free from confinement.

  A yell from the field behind the hedge where he struggled broke his thoughts.

  “Cian? Cian!”

  “What happened to him?”

  “Go find the Queen!”

  ***

  Brennan stood hunched next to his mother, trying to disappear. Even though the other boys had been sent away from the castle, talk flew like birds on the wind. Everyone knew that he’d been angry with Cian. Everyone knew that Cian had fallen, never to get up again after arguing with his younger brother.

  Eyes followed him wherever he went. His parents looked at him with eyes deepened by sorrow.

  His mother put an arm around him. He turned his face towards her robes, hoping to keep from crying in front of all these people. The warmth from his mother was the only thing decent on this gray, overcast day. In a rare moment of affection, Mother allowed him to stay close to her, and kept her arm around him. They stood together until he felt her grip on him loosen, and Brennan looked out from her robes.

  The body of Cian, wrapped carefully with his face exposed, being carried out by the men of his household. As the heir to the Fae King, Cian had his own household, just as Brennan did. He could see the marks of tears on their faces. Maybe Cian wasn’t mean to them as he’d been to his brother.

  The small bier with its attendants reached the coach that stood waiting outside the gates. Brennan didn’t understand why they weren’t taking him to the place of kings, where all their ancestors were buried. He had been kept from everyone, even his parents, ever since Cian had fallen in the garden.

  Brennan leaned into his mother again, trying to find some sense of this, to feel something other than overwhelming guilt.

  It didn’t come. Nerida now held herself stiff, and Brennan looked up at her to see why. He couldn’t contain his shock when he saw a solitary tear slide down Nerida’s cheek. Fae didn’t cry, even in times of sorrow.

  He hung his head, and stepped away from his mother. He didn’t deserve any comfort. He’d killed his brother, and made his mother cry.

  This is my fault. I let go of my magic. I lost control of my emotions. He felt like crying himself. He knew that wouldn’t make things any better, not with his mother refusing to allow him close, and all these people watching. He took a breath, forcing himself to hold everything in. Had he not allowed himself to be angry, to let his anger and strong feelings out, Cian would still be here. No wonder he’d been alone. He could not be trusted.

  I must never lose control like this again. Never again.

  Chapter Two

  Iris

  “So, um, Iris?”

  Oh my god. He sounded nervous. Heath sounded nervous! It seemed an impossible thing to say about the tall, kind, ridiculously handsome captain of the lacrosse team who’d also been my crush since I’d first seen him. Nervous about talking to me, plain old Iris Mattingly.

  “Yes?” Please sound calm! I turned to look up at him from where I sat in the student union. Please sound normal, and not as though I was about to scream like a little girl! He looked even taller than usual, leaning over me.

  “You going to the game tonight?”

  “I hadn’t decided yet.” I made myself stop there, not wanting to be foolish.

  “Would you like to come with me?”

  Would I? If I threw my arms around him and smothered his face in kisses, I’d bet the invitation would be off, so I only nodded, and smiled. “That would be great, Heath.”

  “It would?” I hoped I wasn’t imagining the excitement in his voice. “Yeah, it would—I mean, it will be. So, I’ll pick you up around six?”

  I nodded again, trying to contain the grin that wanted to take over. “Okay. Let me give you my address.”

  He grinned then, the wide smile that made me fall for him in the first place. “It’s okay, I know where you live! I’ll see you tonight!” He leaned down and kissed my cheek, and then turned and sauntered off. It happened so fast that it didn’t even seem real.

  Heath kissed me. He’d kissed me!

  I raised my hand to my cheek in wonder. How gross would it be if I didn’t wash my cheek for…forever? I couldn’t even contemplate why Heath, my crush, knew where I lived. The kiss distracted me from anything else.

  Oh my god. What did I have to wear?

  Out of habit, I glanced down at my watch. Oh, hell. I wouldn’t have time to shop before, my eleven o’clock class. As I headed for class, I wondered how he knew where I lived, and whether or not I should be concerned. My concern faded each time I thought about him kissing me.

  I couldn’t tell what we talked about in English lit that morning. I didn’t even care.

  ***

  I looked out onto the football field, trying to contain my impatience and anger. This was not going as planned. Well, it wasn’t as pleasant as I’d hoped it would be.

  The night started well. Heath came to the house, and met my parents. I could tell they liked him. We’d talked easily on the ride to the game, and Heath had asked if I minded if we sat with his friends. All good to that point.

  Most of his friends were nice. Some had girlfriends, and most of them were nice, too. But then things took an abrupt turn. One of the girls sitting with this group, Trista, I think her name was, obviously had designs on Heath. Because the moment we sat down, she leaned around him and started in on me. She looked at me intensely. “Are you new here?”

  I nodded. I wanted to be friendly, but she didn’t give off the friendly vibe. “I am.” I offered a smile.

  She didn’t smile back. She cut her eyes at Heath, and then looked at me. “Thought so,” she said, and turned away.

  That wasn’t awkward or anything. A couple of the girls rolled their eyes at Trista, but none were brave enough to say anything to her. I thought I’d gotten lucky and missed out on all the mean girl stuff when I skipped high school by being home schooled. There’s no other kind of school when you live on a boat full time. Apparently I didn’t get to skip that part. College had the same mean girls, and Trista seemed proud to count herself among their ranks.

  “Doesn’t it totally suck when you have new people pushing their way in where they’re not wanted?”

  I heard a murmured response.

  “Shut up, Trista.”

  Trista ignored that and continued. “I mean, if I went to school somewhere new, I would let people come to me, and not invite myself out and count on people just being nice.”

  Okay, really? Please. I glanced at Heath. He was glaring at Trista. “You’re being really rude to my guest. The guest I invited.”

  Trista couldn’t hide her shocked expression. She hadn’t counted on Heath having manners. Or, apparently, the strength to call her on her behavior. I had to duck my head to hide a grin.

  “Iris, I’m really sorry. Obviously, I’m too nice and give people more credit than they deserve. You want something to drink?” He stood up, not waiting for an answer, and took my hand. As he did, he glared around at the crowd of people we sat with. The way he looked dared anyone to speak up. No one did.

  I stood with him. “A Coke would be great.”

  “Then let’s go get one.” He turned his back on his friends and led me to the stairs.

  As we got further away, I could feel my shoulders relax. Sort of.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, the angry tone gone from his voice. “I can’t believe she was such a…” He trailed off, looking down.

  I could tell he wanted to call her a really rude name. I could afford to be nice. “It’s fine, Heath. Sometimes people are just rude.”

  “No doubt.” He still wouldn’t look at me.

&nb
sp; “Heath, it’s okay.”

  That made him look up. “No, it’s not!”

  The fact that he felt defensive about me—protective, maybe—made me want to burst into song. “It is. I am new, and I’m out with the nicest guy in school. That’s going to irritate people.”

  “What? Not the dreaded ‘nice’! I sure as hell don’t want to finish last! How about the most amazing guy in school?”

  I started to laugh. The tension of moments ago dissipated. “Well of course you are! I have very exacting standards, you know.”

  “So do I. That’s why I’m out with you.”

  I didn’t know what to say to that. I squeezed his hand. Thankfully, I spotted the signs for the restroom, which would give me a little reprieve.

  “Hey, I’ll be right back.” I let go of his hand, feeling the loss of its warmth.

  “Okay. I’ll grab your Coke.”

  I couldn’t help the leap of happiness I felt when he said that. Get a grip. It’s a stupid Coke. “Thanks,” I said. “Wait for me here?”

  “Right here. This very spot,” he smiled at me.

  I hurried to the bathroom. There wasn’t much of a line, which is some kind of miracle for the women’s restroom at a football game. I waited my turn, too keyed up to talk to anyone even if I weren’t waiting in line in a bathroom, and hurried into the stall. When I closed and latched the door, I heaved a sigh. Tonight was…wonderful, and overwhelming all at the same time. It felt good to have a moment alone and just think. Being with Heath had all my senses on overload. Add to that things were going even better than I expected, nasty girls named Trista notwithstanding. I knew his fraternity formal would be at the end of the month. Maybe he’d ask me…my mind swirled with happy possibilities.