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

  I stood on the bow of the boat, the wind blowing my hair back. The sun warmed my face, and for the first time since we’d found out Mom had cancer, I felt normal. “Honey? Come take the helm. I want to get dinner started,” Dad called to me.

  I walked along the deck. A Hylas 49, Sorcha was beautiful to me. My parents had met when they were both in Ireland as exchange students, so my dad named her Sorcha, the Irish equivalent of my mother’s English name, Claire. The name fit the boat. Sleek and graceful, she moved with a purpose. Just like my mom.

  Or just like my mom used to. Now, she sat in the cockpit, wrapped up even on this warm day, so thin that the breeze felt cold to her. A cheerful, pink scarf wrapped around her head, she looked up as I stepped into the cockpit.

  “Got it,” I said to my dad, who nodded and went below to the galley. I checked the compass, and put my hand on the wheel.

  “You were right,” I said. “Being out here, this is a good thing.”

  Mom sighed, looking out towards the horizon. I noticed she hitched her blanket up higher around herself. Being out like this brought into even more stark relief how ill she was.

  “Do you feel better?” I asked.

  “Yes and no,” she said. “I get tired more easily, but my heart’s at ease here.” She kept her focus on the horizon.

  I looked forward. I felt the urge to break down and sob. I’d been holding onto the idea since she’d been diagnosed that somehow this would all get better and go away.

  I was wrong. Mom wasn’t getting better. I blinked as the tears blinded me.

  “Iris, it’s okay to cry,” came Mom’s soft voice.

  I dashed at my eyes. “Cry over what? We’re here, together.” If I didn’t say the words aloud, they wouldn’t be true.

  “Over the way things have gone. I cry all the time.”

  That made me look at her. “When?”

  I knew dad worked from home to be with her. Part time IT stuff, because he didn’t really need to work. I didn’t know all the details, but my parents came from well-off families. All my dad would say when pressed was that he and his family managed money well, and it was lucky for us they did. Usually, when he said that, he and mom would exchange glances, but they never went into much detail. They weren’t close to their families, and it had never bothered me. The three of us always seemed to be enough for one another.

  That dynamic had changed.

  “I make your father go out each day. Take a walk, go for a bike ride, even go down and mess around with Sorcha,” she said. “Anywhere but holed up with me, watching me die.” The bitterness in her voice surprised me. She generally maintained a cheerful attitude.

  “Mom, you’re not dying,” I said fiercely. I could feel my gut gurgle at the words, twist into a knot at the thought.

  “I am, and we have to accept that. No one but me is doing that,” she said, equally fierce. “I’m mad as hell, Iris! Furious that I won’t get to see who you become, or be there when you have kids. Livid that I am leaving my best friend, the best man in the entire world. It’s not fair!” She wiped at the tears coursing down her face.

  “Mom, you’re better out here,” I said. I could hear the begging in my voice.

  “Sweet pea, I’m dying. We need to face it. I want you two to live after I’m gone. You take that scholarship you haven’t actually told Dad and me about, and you go make something of yourself. Tell your dad to do the same thing. He’s inclined to mope around. And tell him to date again! He’s not the sort that should be alone.”

  “MOM!” I knew my mouth had dropped open. “Why are you telling me all this? You’re not dead yet!” The enormity of what I’d just said made me let go of the wheel and clap my hands over my mouth.

  For an instant, we were both frozen. I knew I’d never forget that moment. The rigging hummed as the wind filled the sails and propelled us forward. The sun was a golden that you only see when you’re on the water. It made a halo around Mom’s head, and the struggle between horror and laughter hung suspended between us.

  Laughter won. We laughed so hard neither could speak. Kept laughing, which drew my dad up from the galley, wooden spoon in hand.

  “I…need…a…tee…shirt with…that…on it,” she gasped.

  “With what?” Dad asked her, his face screwed up in a mixture of love and alarm.

  “Not dead yet,” she said, looking at him. “I think it would be great for the funeral.”

  Dad’s mouth fell open.

  I understood. He didn’t know whether this was supposed to be funny. Mom weakly waved a hand at him. “It’s time we put it out in the open, Paul. Let’s face it, like we always have.”

  With those few words, we were the family we’d always been.

  My eyes teared at the memory. Were they worried? Did they know I was missing? I hoped not. Not just for the selfish reasons surrounding Heath, whom I’d forgotten for the moment, but because I didn’t want to worry my parents any more than they already were.

  My thoughts broke off as the door swung open. I stood up, ready to fight for what I wanted so I could get home.

  Unfortunately, it wasn’t Brennan.

  A short little—creature—came in, burdened with a large tray.

  I shrank back into the couch. I remembered Brennan saying he’d taken me from the human realm. Where the hell were we? And what was this thing?

  “Here, miss, Majesty sent this up for you.”

  Oh my god, it spoke! I rubbed my eyes. Maybe I had been drugged! I rubbed my eyes again, and blinked hard. The creature still stood there.

  “Um, what…what are you?”

  The creature—I couldn’t tell whether it was a he or she—gaped at me.

  “What, miss? What do ya mean?”

  “What are you?” I got out, my voice a little stronger this time.

  “What am I? Well, I’m a goblin, miss! A castle goblin, serving the king, and glad to be doin’ it!”

  “A…what?” I whispered

  The creature put the tray down on a table on the other side of the room. Then it walked back to me, hands on hips, to look at me.

  “Miss, is you all right?”

  “I don’t…I don’t know.”

  The creature looked concerned, and didn’t speak, only stared at me. I took advantage of the moment to study it. Since at the moment it didn’t look inclined to eat me or anything.

  Its head had a football shape to it, with large pointy ears. A small mane of hair rested between the ears, and from this angle, I could see it pulled up in a bun at the base of its head. Because of that, I was going with female. She had on garments in gray and white and she wore a skirt. I felt better about guessing she was a she. Earrings dangled from her ears, although up close, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know exactly what they were made of—they had a bone-like appearance. She was a mix of colors. Gray, green, and brown, although no one color stood out. Her eyes were large, and very dark. Right now, they were studying me as intently as I studied her.

  “I brought you food, but I think you might need th’ mage more than anything else, miss.”

  I found myself nodding. “I think they’re going to look for him. So, uh, not trying to be rude, but what did you mean you’re a goblin?”

  “I am a goblin, and you’re in the Goblin Realm. His Majesty is the king of the Goblin Realm, and a good king at that. Not like that old one,” She grimaced. “Knowed ‘im since he were little, him and Master Drake. They’re not goblin, ya see, they’re fae. But they take good care of the Goblin Realm. What’s your name? I haven’t seen a full-growed human before.” She stepped closer to me.

  “I’m Iris. What’s your name?”

  She laughed. “My name? Don’t think a human could rightly say it. Ya are human, aren’t ya?” Bright eyes looked at me with interest.

  “I am. What should I call you?”

  The goblin laughed. “Never thought to think what a human would call me. We don’t see many around here! Call me Glynan. It’s as close as you’ll get.” />
  “Thank you, Glynan. What’s for dinner?” I walked over to the tray, feeling ravenous. Where had that come from? I thought you weren’t supposed to be hungry when you were fearing for your life.

  “This isn’t dinner. It’s a…” she hesitated, “It’s more of a small meal, a refreshment. Bread, fresh from the oven, and honey, and a nice sweet cider, made from the castle orchards.”

  “It sounds delicious. Smells delicious, too.” I got a whiff, and it made my mouth water.

  “Majesty says to please eat as much as you like, no need to wait on ‘im.”

  I got up carefully and walked to the small table. I took a piece of the bread, already cut, and drizzled the honey on it. “Would you like to join me?”

  She looked shocked. “No, miss. But…” she glanced around, “I’d like to talk with you, if I may. Majesty didn’t say as we couldn’t talk.”

  I wondered when she’d seen him. Then I shrugged. Like I cared. I took a bite of the bread. It was delicious. Grabbing the goblet that sat on the tray, I went back to my couch. “I’d like the company,” I said to her, smiling, once my mouth was no longer full.

  She came back over, looking me up and down. “Never seen a grown human. You’re not as big as I thought.”

  “Why haven’t you? Aren’t there humans here?” For some reason, the thought of no other humans made me very nervous.

  “Oh, we get the baby humans. So cute, they are. Master Drake was human, once.”

  “What does that mean?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking. “He was human once?”

  Without realizing it, Glynan sat on the stool that Brennan sat on earlier. “Sometimes, we get human babies, sent here to the Goblin Kingdom. Wished away by their parents! Who would wish away a baby! Anyway, here they are. The Fae Realm, though, ‘tis a hard place. Most of the babies don’t make it beyond a year.”

  “What makes it so hard? And wait, you’re fairies? Or Brennan is a fairy?” I wanted to laugh, but I didn’t want to offend her.

  Glynan shook her head, making her ears swing and the earrings clatter. “I don’t know, miss, only that humans don’t live long here. I’ve never seen a grown human. But sometimes, and I don’t know why, the human baby will make it, and if they keep growing, they become more fae than anything else. Fae and fairies is two different things. Fairies are fast little things, given to stealing your earbobs when you’re not looking. Fae is something else, like Majesty and Lord Drake.”

  I tried to remember if I’d really looked at Drake. Nope. Heard him, hadn’t really seen him. But Brennan didn’t look all that different from me. It must be something I couldn’t see. “Drake doesn’t look any different than Brennan.”

  Glynan nodded. “He’s been here a long time. No reason why he’d look like anything other than fae.”

  “Glynan, what do you mean, fae? You keep saying that, and I don’t have any idea what a fae is.”

  Glynan opened her mouth to answer. The door banged open, and Glynan jumped up, looking around. Her expression screamed guilty!

  Brennan stood at the door, hands on hips, and he looked…ferocious. It was apparent he wasn’t happy. I hoped Glynan wouldn’t be in trouble for sitting and talking with me.

  “Glanthemaranynas!”

  She jumped when he spoke—I thought it might be her real name.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I was keeping your guest company, Majesty! Just talking a bit!”

  “That will be all.” His scowl didn’t change as she scurried around him and out the door.

  He took a few steps in, hands still on hips. “Did she at least bring you something to eat?”

  Wow! Why was he so mean to Glynan? His words and demeanor reminded me that this guy had kidnapped me, and wasn’t to be trusted. I would have to be on my guard. It also meant I didn’t need to be all that worried about manners.

  “She did.”

  His face relaxed. “Good. I am sorry to report, we have no idea of where the mage might be. It seems we will have to wait.”

  “Why can’t you send me back?”

  He stopped on his way to the tray of food. “What do you mean?”

  “You’re so great and powerful. Send me home. Let’s be done with this. You get on with whatever you do,” I flapped a hand, trying for dismissive to cover my anger at him, “And I’ll get back to my life.”

  He sighed, his face taking on the expression one uses when talking to a little kid. “As I mentioned before, I cannot focus my magic on two points. I will need to modify your memory, and manage the portal. Both take a great deal of magic. I need the mage to assist so that you are returned safely.”

  “Modify my memory now, put me to sleep or something, and then send me back.”

  “You are so eager to go?”

  “As eager as you are to be rid of me.” He hadn’t said anything, but I knew he wanted me gone. That’s fine. I wanted to be gone, too. This whole place defied reality, and I knew when I got home, I would sit in the bathtub and have a complete nervous breakdown, but I couldn’t do that now. I needed to stay focused.

  The oddest thing happened then. It was almost like watching someone draw curtains over a window the way his face closed down.

  “There are risks involved.”

  I shrugged. “No more than the risks of staying here.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, the longer I’m gone, the harder things will be to explain. You’re screwing up my life. I want to go back, as soon as possible, mage or no mage. Go ahead and wipe my memory, and then send me back when you’re rested and ready.” I couldn’t stop the sarcasm on that last bit, and I had the satisfaction of watching his face harden. Other than kidnapping, and me biting him, he’d been perfectly polite. I no longer felt the need to be the same.

  “Very well. I try to be a pleasant host, even if the visit is to no one’s liking. Let me fetch Drake, and we’ll start with putting you to sleep.” He turned and strode from the room, the heels on his boots hitting the flagstones hard. He paused for a moment to look at me over his shoulder as he opened the door.

  I didn’t change my expression or ease my glare.

  He slammed the door behind him as he left.

  Only then did I allow myself a small smile.

  Chapter Five

  Brennan

  He all but stomped from the room like a snotty adolescent. What was it about this girl that got under his skin? Maybe locking her in a room and ignoring her as she screamed and cried?

  The goblin. What had his goblin servant said to her? They’d been sitting together having a chat when he came in. Glanthemaranynas knew better. He needed to see what they’d discussed, what had caused Iris’s demeanor to change so.

  That would need to wait because he needed to find Drake. In reality, it didn’t matter what had been said or what Iris thought. She’d leave soon. While Drake was not as powerful as Brennan with the use of magic, he knew and understood it. Neither of the things he needed to do were all that difficult, but having to do them closely would sap his strength, and having Drake nearby would be helpful.

  He strode quickly through the corridor, arriving at Drake’s rooms. Knocking once, he opened the door and went in.

  “What is it?” Drake, who had been lying in bed, leapt to his feet.

  “The girl. She wants to go back.”

  Drake shrugged. “We all want her to go back.”

  “She suggested that I alter her memories, and then put her to sleep, and when I’m ready, send her back.”

  Now Drake looked concerned. “That’s a lot of energy to expend in a short time. Particularly as we’ve had to travel via portals twice in one day.”

  Brennan nodded. “I know. She has no idea what she asks, but she’s rude, and I don’t want her here any longer than she must be. As well, she’s already been chatting with the kitchen staff.”

  “Hard to keep a secret.”

  “Precisely. I want no one to discover this, so even though it’s a risk,
I agreed to the girl’s request.”

  “You can use me, you know.”

  Brennan smiled. “I know. I hope I don’t need to, but that’s why I want you there.”

  “You don’t have to ask.”

  “I always will.” Using the energy of others drained not only the giver, but the person taking. It created a bond between the two as well, which was why Brennan generally refused to employ it. However, he and Drake had an unshakeable bond, and he didn’t mind it becoming stronger.

  “Well, let’s go and get this started. The sooner she’s home, the better.”

  “You think the kitchen staff is going to talk.”

  Drake nodded as they headed back to Brennan’s rooms. “I do. You’ve finally settled things with Ailla. There’s already talk about why it’s taken this long. You don’t need questions about a human adding to that.”

  “I don’t know why it’s such a topic of discussion,” Brennan began.

  “Because you’ve been decidedly single for so long. Father has been in despair, even though he’d never admit it.”

  They reached the door to Brennan’s rooms. He was glad to change the subject from his recent betrothal. “Go easy on her, Drake. She’s annoying, but I don’t want her any more upset than she is. It only makes things harder.”

  “Yes, your lordship,” Drake mocked.

  The door swung open to reveal Iris pacing.

  “Where have you been? I want to go home!”

  “You forgot to mention shrew,” Drake muttered.

  Brennan shot him a look, and Drake closed his mouth.

  “As you wish, my lady. I’ll need you to sit down and attempt to calm your mind.” Brennan strove for calm and patient. What he wanted was to throttle her. She was so impertinent! And bossy. He did not get bossed about by others, and certainly not some chit!

  “Easy for you to say. You’re not the one who was kidnapped.”