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

by Lisa Manifold

When I opened the door again, I didn’t even get one foot out of the stall before the bathroom exploded in a bright blue burst of light.

  Brennan

  He looked around, desperate to find Drake. The little clearing where they often stopped to let the horses rest and eat when out on business from the castle had exploded in goblins—all armed and coming straight for him. He’d lost sight of Drake in the angry, snarling mass of the enemy. Except the goblins weren’t supposed to be his enemy. These were, however. They were doing their best to kill him.

  He spotted a head above the rest, dark hair flying free of the helmet. Was that Drake? Just as he began to move towards the head, his vision was blocked by a bloody set of teeth. He slashed at the teeth and they disappeared. He didn’t slow down to see what happened. Probably a good thing, as more teeth and swords rose to take the place of their fallen brethren.

  He finally reached the place where he thought he’d seen Drake. If there were any more of the enemy about, they were hiding or pretending to be dead. Drake wasn’t where Brennan thought he’d be—although he’d been there. The pile of goblins and trolls dead or dying attested to Drake’s presence at one point. Looking down, he noticed his sword arm, covered in gore—the blood of goblins. His people.

  How had it come to this? When he had time to think on this, Brennan knew his sense of loss would be overwhelming.

  No time for such thoughts now. He needed to find Drake. Movement to his side made him turn his head. Drake strode towards him. Brennan guessed he probably looked as bad as Drake did.

  “What happened?”

  Drake shook his head. “I don’t know. They pulled me away from you, and even though I kept fighting, the focus was to separate us. When there was only one particularly foul troll left, he turned and ran, dragging me along behind him.”

  “Did you kill him?”

  Drake smiled, although there was no joy in it. “Yes. Just as suddenly as they came upon us, they were all gone.” He shook his head again. “I don’t understand, Brennan. What was the point of this?”

  Brennan looked around where they’d been ambushed. “I have no answer for that. I wish I did. The only thing accomplished is more of my people dead.”

  Many fae wouldn’t be sad. To most, the death of goblins and trolls meant nothing. But Brennan, as the Goblin King, had accepted his father’s appointment to this realm hundreds of years before. He enjoyed the goblins, as funny and sometimes disgusting as they could be. They were nowhere near as serious or as pompous as his own kind, the fae.

  To see goblins rise up against him—there was something dark and dangerous at work. There had not been such unrest in the kingdom since before Brennan came to the throne.

  He studied all the dead, reigning in his temper and the nearly overwhelming anger and grief. There would be a reckoning for this. But he could not indulge in his emotions. Not now.

  He turned to Drake. Whatever he’d been about to say died on his lips as a man appeared, walking through the bodies littered on the ground as though he walked through the palace gardens. Robed and hooded, he carried no weapon, but made straight for where Brennan and Drake stood. Once he got within ten feet of them, he stopped.

  “Your Majesty,” the voice was deep and dripped with scorn.

  “You are?” Brennan drew himself up, keeping his sword at the ready. Beside him, he could feel the tension emanating from Drake. Every fiber of his being screamed that this man was an enemy and should be cut down immediately.

  “It matters not who I am. What matters is that you now see what those you pretend to rule think of you. They hate you.” Brennan could hear the satisfaction in the words. “They’d rather die than suffer your reign any longer. I’m here,” the man threw back his hood, revealing himself to be a handsome fae with a long scar down the side of his face, “To offer you the terms of your surrender.”

  The man smiled, and Brennan was struck by how goblin-like his teeth seemed. Sharp, elongated by some form of magic. It almost looked like the scarred fae had deliberately sharpened the ends to the razor-like points. Nothing about the man before him made any sense. Brennan knew he didn’t know the man, yet he had an air of the familiar.

  “We shall not.” His voice didn’t waver. “I am the rightful ruler of this land, and while you might have stirred up and taken advantage of my people—”

  “Your people? They are no more your people than I am.”

  “Are you not fae? What interest do you claim in this kingdom?” Drake interrupted.

  Good question, Brennan thought. Most fae wanted nothing to do with his citizens.

  “Again, I do not matter. The only question is whether you accept the terms of surrender?”

  “Certainly not,” Brennan answered. “I am committed to my kingdom and my people. I do not need to hear anything more from you.”

  “Very well,” the man sighed. “You leave me no choice.”

  Before he or Drake could take a step, the man raised his hands and a blue light shot out of them. Brennan ran forward then, sword raised, but felt himself fall backwards as the light hit him as though a tangible weapon.

  He landed flat on his back on a hard surface. He could hear screams around him. How was that possible, when everyone else had been dead?

  He sat up, looking around. Wherever he was, it wasn’t the clearing where he and Drake had been ambushed. A few feet from him, Drake also slowly sat up, looking as dazed as Brennan felt.

  “Where are we?” Drake asked.

  Brennan tried to take in the room. It had small boxes on one side, and mirrors and pedestals to the other.

  “This doesn’t seem to be one of the Fae Realms—I recognize nothing. If I had to guess, I’d say we’re in the Human Realm,” he said, standing.

  “How did we end up here? Who was that fae? I didn’t recognize him.” Drake had gotten up and come to stand next to him.

  “I don’t know the answers to any of those questions, other than our scarred fae friend is obviously a sorcerer, and sent us here to—”

  “Be a hindrance,” Drake finished.

  “Yes. We need to get back.”

  “How do you want…?” Drake stopped, his eyes on something over Brennan’s shoulder.

  Brennan turned his head and saw a girl standing in the doorway of one of the box stalls. Her mouth was open, one hand on either side of the door and looking as though she’d been frozen in place.

  “Good day, madam,” Brennan said, bowing. “I apologize for the inconvenience we have caused.”

  “Who…who…are you?” The girl finally got out. She looked terrified.

  “He is called Brennan, and I’m Drake,” Drake came forward. “How do we get out of here?”

  She looked them up and down, her incredulity apparent. “Um…I’m sorry, I don’t understand.” Her gaze stopped at their swords, and her eyes widened even further. She had large, blue eyes, honey blond hair, and pink, full lips that currently were in the shape of an O. Brennan had the feeling that she wanted to scream but couldn’t get the sound out.

  “I think you need to speak something other than fae,” He said quietly to Drake.

  “That is Brennan, and I am Drake,” Drake switched easily to the human tongue. “How do we get out of here?”

  Her mouth moved, but words didn’t come out right away. She seemed to be trying to herself against the edge of the door. When she managed to speak, her voice shook. “Where are you going?” Her eyes went back to the swords. Brennan could feel the fear coming off her.

  “To the Goblin Realm,” Brennan answered. “Where is the portal?” He directed this to Drake. While there were not many, he knew that there were portals to all the realms. Obviously, the girl was not a portal guardian. She was too frightened by their appearance.

  What troubled him more was how the scarred fae knew of a portal between the realms. They were a closely guarded secret among the royal families. How—

  “To the where?” Her voice rose to a squeak. “Look, I’ve obviously interrupt
ed whatever this is—” her hand waved, taking in the cracked floor, and he and Drake, “So I’ll just be leaving now.” She took a step, sidling away from the stall door, clearly wanting to be far from them.

  “Oh, no,” said Drake, blocking her. “We must find the portal. Where is it?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” She looked like she was about to cry. Brennan resisted the urge to sigh. Crying females. He found them completely disarming usually, and were to be avoided at all costs. Besides, when did crying ever help any situation?

  “Drake, I don’t think she is—” He began.

  The girl wasn’t finished. “I need to get out of here!” She made a dash to get around Drake.

  Brennan reached out a hand, sending out the thought to sleep, and she dropped almost right in front of him. He leapt to catch her as she fell.

  “Fabulous,” Drake said, looking down at her with disgust. “Now we’re scaring little girls. We must return, Brennan. The Human Realm is nowhere we want to be.”

  “I’m well aware of that,” Brennan said dryly, looking at the girl in his arms. This close to her, he saw that her skin was pale, almost luminescent. The dark lashes against her cheeks were long. Without the barely restrained panic she’d given off before he put her to sleep, she was lovely.

  For a human.

  “Here, take her,” he said, offering her to Drake. “I need to access a stone.” Nor did he like the way holding her felt. It felt…dangerous.

  “You know we’re going to need to take her back. Even as good as you are, you can’t manage her and a portal.”

  “You’re mad,” Brennan said, pulling a gleaming stone from the pouch on his belt. He wanted no part of this lovely, human girl, even if she’d seen them. “I will adjust her memories. She won’t remember a thing.”

  “Oh, of course, your lordship. I’d forgotten you were the all-powerful Goblin King, capable of many feats all at once!” Sarcasm dripped from Drake’s words.

  “We cannot bring her back, Drake.” He didn’t take his gaze from the stone cupped in his hands. It began to glow.

  “What if she’s in league with the fae who sent us here? Don’t you think it’s suspicious that he sends us here, and the only person we see is a portal guardian who claims complete ignorance? Did you hit your head harder than I realized when we came through, Brennan? Think! We must bring her back, have the Court Mage look within her, and if he sees that she is harmless, then we can remove her memories and return her.”

  Drake’s words made sense. His reaction to the girl did not. Normally, he’d toss her over his shoulder and be on his way. The thought of bringing her to his kingdom, to the Goblin Realm, filled him with dread. Which in and of itself was extremely irritating. He had nothing to fear from a human girl.

  “I don’t think she’s a portal guardian. Now will you please give me a moment of peace? I need to concentrate. I have no idea where we are, and I have to get us back as close to the castle as possible.”

  Drake said something, but not loud enough to require any comment. Thankfully.

  With moments, a glowing circle appeared in front of where Brennan stood with the stone. It grew wider and wider until it became the size of a tall fae. Once it held the shape, Brennan turned to Drake. “Put her down, and I’ll address her memory. Get through the portal. We have no time to waste. Should it close, get to the castle. I will meet you there as soon as I may.”

  Drake tightened his grip on the sleeping girl. It made Brennan clench the stone tightly.

  “No. We must be sure she’s not in league with that scarred sorcerer. Stranger things have occurred,” he protested, clearly seeing the look on Brennan’s face. “Since when have we ever known a fae to keep a scar? On the face? It’s better that we be sure, Brennan.” He turned and still holding the girl, stepped through the portal before Brennan could get another word out.

  He didn’t want her there. She was too…lovely. Too…human. Too..something. He didn’t know what. Whatever it was, she stirred something in him that made him want to put her away from him as quickly as possible. And now Drake had brought her back to Fae.

  The threat from the sorcerer notwithstanding, regardless of whether she might yet be unmasked as a spy, he didn’t want her there. Too late now, he thought. He sighed, and squaring his shoulders, taking a last look around the small room, he stepped into the portal. Just in time, as it snapped behind him and disappeared.

  Drake stood, still holding the girl, looking around. He gave Brennan a look best described as annoyed.

  “Where have you sent us, Brennan? This isn’t anywhere near the castle.”

  As much as he hated to admit it, Drake was right. “I think we’re on the edge of the kingdom. I’ll just have to open another portal.”

  “No, let me. Something is off. You have not missed a portal in as long as I can remember. Here, take her.”

  Brennan reluctantly took the girl, not wanting to admit that he had the same fear. Had the sorcerer affected his magic? Was the presence of the girl affecting it? If she were in league with the scarred fae, it could be. He didn’t want to give credence to Drake’s worries.

  Even with his suspicions, he couldn’t help but note how right she felt in his arms. As though she had a right to be there. With him. The thought and the accompanying rush of emotion made him…unsettled.

  Brennan didn’t like unsettled. It led to mistakes. Mistakes on his part ended up with people being hurt.

  “Hey, Bren, hello?” Drake peered at him.

  “I’m sorry, I was—”

  “Yeah, doesn’t matter. I’ll need—”

  They both stopped as the girl in his arms stirred and woke.

  Chapter Three

  Iris

  “Where the hell am I?”

  “An excellent question,” a deep voice said.

  I moved my head, but my eyes wouldn’t—couldn’t? see. “I can’t see,” I said, trying hard to keep the panic under control. I felt the arms holding me tighten briefly. The arms? Who held me?

  “Who are you? Where am I?” I attempted to throw myself out of the arms of whoever it was holding me.

  A puff of breath to my left, behind my head, told me there was at least one other person. An annoyed person. My fear increased, and I thrashed against the arms harder. They squeezed me, but I couldn’t give up.

  “Send her to sleep, Brennan. We are far from home, far even from the clearing we’re—”

  “I know,” the man holding me sounded annoyed now as well. “I also have eyes, Drake. Young woman, will you hold still?” That last bit came out as a shout.

  “No! Put me down, asshat! Help! Help! Kidnapping!”

  “Wonderful. Announce our presence, stupid girl,” exclaimed the voice next to me in disgust. “Shut her up, Brennan!”

  “I’m…trying,” the man holding me said, losing his grip on me somewhat as I struggled to get free.

  Immediately, I took advantage of the slip to kick out. The arm holding my leg tightened again. It felt like a vise.

  “Stop it!” He hissed near my head.

  I screamed in what I hoped was the ear of the kidnapper holding me.

  “Enough!” The other man snapped, and then I felt a hand on my forehead.

  Suddenly, I wondered why I was fighting so hard. Everything would be all right. I relaxed, glad that someone held me and didn’t let me fall. This man sounded nice…surely he’d be as nice as he sounded.

  “Young woman, what is your name?”

  “I’m…I’m Iris.”

  “What a lovely name,” his voice warmed for a moment. Such a nice voice. I couldn’t remember why he carried me but I felt sure everything would be okay. Then he spoke again.

  “I am Brennan.”

  The name sent a delightful shiver through me.

  “Yes, and I’m Drake, and we’re lost and outside our borders, Brennan. Can we move this along? I dislike being dropped and stuck who knows where.”

  Drake must be the grumpy one
.

  “Drake, you need to focus.” Now Brennan sounded stern. “Iris, please hold still.”

  “I’m okay,” I interjected, wanting to be helpful. “You can put me down.”

  “Can you see?” Brennan sounded like he was trying not to laugh.

  ”Well, no.”

  “Then for the time being, I’ll keep hold of you. I’ll ask you to be silent. We need to concentrate. We’re not in an ideal situation. If you can be patient, we will soon be in safe quarters, and then we can attend to your eyes and other needs.”

  The warmth of his—Brennan’s—body felt good next to mine, and as he spoke, his arms tightened slightly around me. How nice of him to bring me along. But…oh, dear, I thought. My mom and dad would not be happy. This nice man Brennan would no doubt be able to explain everything to them. Then I remembered Heath. Oh, no. We hadn’t bothered to tell him where we were going. Maybe Brennan could explain it to him too?

  Another annoyed puff of breath, behind my head again. Drake. That’s what he said his name was. Drake. Drake the grumpy, puffy dragon.

  Drake muttered something I couldn’t understand. It didn’t sound like English. This Drake guy needed to relax. “Bren,” he said. Even I could hear the warning in his tone. What was he so upset about?

  “Drake, use this stone. This should get us there.” Brennan’s voice stayed calm, almost neutral.

  “How can you be sure that it will get us home?”

  “This one goes to my chambers.”

  “You didn’t focus on that when we came through the first time?”

  “Quiet, Drake. You must focus.” Brennan didn’t sound as pleasant as when he’d spoke to me.

  Drake obviously didn’t know when to shut up.

  I could hear something. It sounded like skirts swishing. Were both these guys wearing skirts? They sounded older than me, which made the visual funnier. I held back a giggle.

  “Shh,” Brennan said, his breath warming my ear. His voice had lowered, giving me a funny feeling. It rolled over me, like a silk sheet being pulled up around me. “Mustn’t disturb Drake. He needs absolute silence.” He almost sounded like he wanted to laugh.