To Wed The Goblin King (The Realm Trilogy Book 2)

by Lisa Manifold

  “Okay. Then wake me up later,” I said, flopping back into the pillows and pulling the blankets up to my chin.

  I thought I’d stare at the ceiling and go over my crimes one by one, but instead, I thought about our wedding day tomorrow. Much better use of my time.

  ***

  I couldn’t believe it. It was finally here. The wedding. My wedding. Our wedding. Me and Brennan. Married. Finally. I’d had dinner with him the night before, after sleeping all day, and he’d kissed me at my chamber door. “I won’t spend the evening with you tonight, love. It’s tradition we don’t see one another until we are wed.”

  “Then I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said, throwing my arms around him. “Don’t start without me, okay?”

  When I shut the door behind me, not a voice was to be heard other than my own dreamy sigh. The nasty voice of late was gone. For good.

  I thought about how much had changed since the night we slept together. We’d been together since, but not as much as I wanted to. He was obsessed with making sure we could be married in peace, with our families and loved ones around us. Jharak had practically moved in, not only to help plan the ridiculous house party lasting a week after we got married, but because Nerida had booted his ass out. For, you know, being a father to his son. She didn’t see it that way. She saw it as plotting to kill their other son.

  Because that was happening too. I got her point—sort of. But I stopped short when it came to the fact that she couldn’t give her support to the son that had done nothing but love her, and who was now fighting to keep the kingdom together.

  So we had Jharak as a semi-permanent guest. I say we because Brennan involved me in everything. He said this was my home, and I would shortly be the queen. Everything was we, and us, and ours. Finally.

  It thrilled me in a way I hadn’t thought possible.

  Today, Drake and Taranath were traveling to the Human Realm to get my parents and Mara. It couldn’t be long because Dad, as the one full human, might suffer. But I wouldn’t get married without him. Taranath was bringing along his bag of nasties to give my dad some potions and other gross stuff that he said would help him tolerate it. Mom, too, although Taranath felt that she would fare better.

  He’d visited them twice so he could get a sense of what to brew up in the shop of horrors. I didn’t envy my parents, having been on the receiving end of his potions. They worked, but wow, did they suck.

  After being away, and all the emotional ups and downs, I was so excited to see them. I was excited that they would be able to see the life I—we—were building here, and know that I would be all right. We’d decided that we weren’t going to let them in on the fact that Brennan knew something was coming, and soon. No need to worry them.

  One of the many goblins that helped out in our chambers scurried in. “Majesty, we has your gown. You need to be getting into the bath. Can’t put it on dirty!” She sounded like a squeakier version of my mom.

  “Of course,” I smiled at her. “Lead the way.”

  ***

  An hour later, I stood in front of a full-length mirror in the most beautiful creation I’d ever seen. Shimmering pearl gauze in layers and layers, floating around me until I felt I walked in a silky, glittering cloud.

  My hair was pulled back and up. I had a long ponytail in the back. Brennan had given me a tiara yesterday to top the whole thing off, along with a veil so fine that it seemed like it was made of spider silk, and dew crystals sparkling all over.

  It didn’t look like me, and yet it did. I stared at myself in the mirror, so excited and amazed and excited and…

  The door flew open, and Mom, Dad and Mara burst in.

  “Iris! Oh, honey, you look breathtaking!” Mom came to me, arms out. “Wait, wait,” she said. “Long distance hugs.”

  I leaned in and carefully hugged and kissed her. “Do you like it?” I did a slow twirl.

  “Do I like it? I don’t even have words,” Mom said. “You’re beautiful.”

  Mara had been appraising me. “He’s doing right by you, my girl. You look a queen and more.”

  “I’m going to wear this to open our celebration. Brennan insisted,” I told them.

  Mara nodded. “He’s right. This will tell everyone how highly he thinks of you. It’s stunning, Iris.”

  I turned to my dad, who hadn’t spoken. “Dad?” I asked.

  “It’s…it’s amazing,” he said, and I could hear the tremble in his voice.

  “Oh, Dad,” I walked into his arms.

  “Watch the dress!” Two voices cried in unison.

  ***

  This was it. Mom and Mara had gone into the hall where the goblins were waiting, where Drake, and Taranath, and Jharak and Brennan were waiting. They didn’t have a chapel, but Brennan had organized the great hall in a similar fashion.

  Dad and I stood together at the doors. Two of the taller goblins stood at the door, grinning happily at me.

  “You ready, Majesty?” One asked.

  I nodded. “Let’s do it,” I said.

  I took Dad’s arm as the doors swung wide, and as I did, the sun shone into the hall, illuminating the other end.

  That’s when I saw Brennan.

  All the breath left my body, and I had to gasp to get my breathing back in order again. He was resplendent. He turned to see the doors open, and when his eyes caught mine, a smile lit his face that changed him.

  Dad nudged me. “You wanna do this or what? We can still get the hell out.”

  I knew he was kidding.

  I hoped.

  “Nope, I’m a goner, Dad.”

  He sighed heavily. “I can see that, sweetie. But at least he is, too.”

  I didn’t think I could smile any more, but my face widened as I did. “He is, isn’t he?”

  “As he should be.”

  I stood on tiptoe to kiss him. “Love you, Dad.”

  “Love you too, Issy. We’d better go. Your goblins are looking pretty restless.”

  We started the walk down the center of the hall. Brennan had laid down a white carpet which had already begun to show the wear of being in a goblin hall. I giggled as I saw the dirty footprints crisscrossing it.

  Oh well.

  My dad choked a little, and I looked up at him.

  “Listen,” he whispered.

  We walked in silence as I listened. There was no music, but…the goblins were humming. Someone had taught them The Bridal March.

  I stifled a laugh. Well, someone had tried and done a pretty good job. They almost had it. The sweetness of the gesture made me want to cry.

  But then—we reached the end of the hall and I saw Brennan waiting. For me.

  My dad stepped forward, holding my hand. He held it out to Brennan.

  “I give her safety, her care, and her love into your keeping,” he said formally.

  I could feel the tears well up. When had he thought of that?

  Brennan actually bowed, and behind him, I could see Drake and Jharak smiling.

  “I accept the honor you bestow upon me,” he said.

  My dad kissed me on the head, and gave my hand to Brennan.

  Taranath stood in front of us. Speaking in fae and English, he married us according to the laws of both our realms. What he said, I don’t know. All I could feel was Brennan, next to me, holding my hand, and the door to the rest of our lives together almost open.

  Then Taranath said, “You may kiss the bride!”

  Brennan leaned in and kissed me gently, but my entire being went up in flames. I was now Mrs. Brennan. Mrs. King? I giggled a little.

  “Laughing already?” His voice was soft.

  “With joy, Brennan.”

  “I have something to tell you,” he continued. “I debated telling you, because I don’t want to allow for hope, but I can’t not share this.”

  “What is it?” I felt my heart speed up at the many negative things he could tell me. We had such a large number of concerns—what would this be?

  He took a deep
breath, and exhaled. “I saw the Eidolan last night. She freed you.”

  “What?” I was stunned. “We’re not on death watch anymore?”

  “No. We are not. This is truly only the beginning.” The joy radiated from him in a way I’d never seen before.

  “You have to tell me all about it!” I hissed.

  “Later, wife,” he said. “We have hungry guests.

  We celebrated with our goblins, with our family, until late in the evening.

  Brennan finally stood and took me away, and when we slowly, carefully undressed one another, and fell into our bed together, I thought the stars might come down and hang out in the bedroom. That's how spectacular the fireworks were. Would I ever get used to this? I didn’t want to. I wanted the stars every single time.

  Later, we lay twined together in bed, holding hands, watching the moonlight play against the ceiling.

  “So tell me about the Eidolan,” I said.

  I could feel him smile above me. “I rested before the ceremony tonight. I need my rest!”

  I laughed at his silly expression, and the inference that he was old.

  He continued, “Not only for the wedding, but the goblins will be of no use to us or anyone else in the castle tomorrow after the celebrations tonight. I’ll have to actually work if we want to eat as we will be quite on our own.”

  “Oh? You think you’re getting out of bed?”

  His laugh was rich and satisfied. “Who said anything about getting out of bed? Anyway, you have been warned.”

  “Eidolan,” I said.

  “Of course. While I was resting, she appeared, as she always does. I looked to the side, waiting to see you, and—”

  A red light shone through the window.

  “What could that be?” Brennan said, instantly on alert.

  The window crashed in, and I was blind from the glare of the light and nearly deaf from the noise. I could feel many hands around me, and I kicked and hit, shouting some of the spells that Taranath and I had worked on in the time leading up to the wedding.

  Someone picked me up, wrapping me in the bedding, and I struggled against the sheets. As quickly as everything began, the person holding me dropped me on the floor, and the room went dark and quiet.

  I struggled to get out of the sheets. When I did, I looked around wildly. The room lay dark and quiet, albeit with glass from the window everywhere.

  Brennan was gone.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Iris

  The noise from the attack had roused the castle. Luckily for me, I’d managed to get a robe on before Drake burst in, followed by Jharak, both with swords drawn.

  “He’s gone,” I said, and I forced myself not to fall to the ground and weep. “We were lying in bed, talking, and then there was a red glare coming in the window, and then the window burst in and I couldn’t see much. They wrapped me in a sheet and threw me on the floor! And just like that, they were gone! And they took him! They took him!” I reached over and grabbed Drake and shook him. “We have to get him back! How are we going to get him back, Drake?” I could hear the hysteria in my voice.

  Jharak stepped around his son. “Your Majesty, we will find him. Please let go of Drake. Shaking him doesn’t work.”

  His use of my new title worked. I had to calm, and had to remain calm. This was my kingdom now, and it was my job to go and find the King. I thanked my lucky stars that my parents had been taken back before all this—once the party got a little crazy, they decided to go home. Which was good.

  “All right. You’re right, Jharak. Thank you,” I smiled at him, and meant it. At least he hadn’t slapped me. I didn’t think the slap was the fae way, but you never know.

  “Let’s get this cleaned up, and I’ll have Taranath go out and see how they got past the wards. That will tell us not only how, but possibly who.” I could tell that Jharak was upset, but he was trying to be calm.

  I could feel what felt like a rod of steel moving up my spine. While I wanted to collapse and weep and cry for my husband, I knew that I needed to do this so that I could get him back.

  Drake prowled around the room, looking closely at everything. He stopped with a shout. “I’ve found it! They’re not exactly trying to hide it, although I’m not sure why it took me so long to see it,” his voice went grim.

  Jharak and I joined him where he stood in front of the fireplace with the shield of the Goblin King over it.

  In the middle of the shield was a piece of parchment. It was anchored to the shield by a knife that looked a lot like the one that had stabbed me. I didn’t like to think about that, because it gave an opening to all the worries that Brennan had, that I had. I preferred to think about the fact that I had recovered, and that it was due to who and what I was. I shook my head. I needed to focus. I could feel panic and anger warring for prominence. Panic wouldn’t do me any good. Better to be angry, and get my husband back.

  “Is that,” I asked.

  “Yes. A shim blade,” Drake said.

  The shim blade. The same blade that nearly killed me when I put myself in front of an assassin aiming for Brennan. A blade with magic and poison and one designed for inflicting maximum damage before it killed you. Damn Cian.

  “What does that say?” I asked, looking at the note.

  “It says, Come and get him,” Jharak answered. He stood behind me, arms crossed. “It’s signed with a C.”

  “He’s a dead man,” Drake said.

  “Yes, he is.” I didn’t recognize my own voice. But Cian was, in fact, a dead man.

  He just didn’t know it yet.

  About The Author

  Lisa Manifold lives in the amazing state of Colorado, where she wrangles two children, two dogs, and one offended cat. When not writing, she is a huge fan of a large number of nerdy things, costuming, and skiing.

  You can find her on Facebook at: @authorlisamanifold

  Twitter: @LMManifold

  Website: www.lisamanifold.com

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