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

by Lisa Manifold

  What was that bit at the end, though? Drake sounded like someone had ripped out his heart and stomped on it. I wondered if Brennan even knew. Or the evil, traitorous bitch that had tried to hurt Brennan.

  “Are you all right?” He asked, coming to kneel next to me.

  “I’m fine. She’s scary, your girl.”

  “My girl, as you say, no longer.”

  I dropped my voice. “I think someone is worse off than you are, though.” I jerked my head towards the other room.

  Brennan looked over his shoulder, and then comprehension showed. “You noted that?”

  “How could you miss it?”

  “I’d never seen such from him before.”

  “What?” How could he be so oblivious? “Is Drake that good at hiding his feelings? I don’t get that impression, but I could be wrong. Short acquaintance and all.”

  At that moment, Drake strode in. One look at his face told me all I needed to know. I shook my head a little at Brennan, frowning as I did so. He got that, at least.

  “Is she all right?”

  I couldn’t tell what he thought as he looked down at me and Brennan kneeling next to me. Maybe that I wasn’t worth the loss of Ailla?

  Who’d want such a scheming witch?

  Drake, apparently.

  I had to give him credit. He held it together.

  Brennan took my hand in both of his, contemplating it. Then he met my eyes.

  “You need to go back, Iris.”

  I jumped up, dropping his hand. “What? No! You said I could stay! That it was my choice! I choose to stay! I’m not going back!” How did we get here from practically kissing each other’s face of only a short time ago?

  Brennan stood slowly, and I could see that he no longer was the man I’d been with before crazy Ailla burst in, raining on a lot of damn parades.

  “You must. For whatever reason, Ailla has fixated on you as the reason for my behavior. Given her actions, I’d say that she has no room to cast aspersions anywhere, but I don’t think we’re dealing with her at her most rational.”

  Drake crossed his arms with a snort.

  I could still see the pain on him, and in spite of all the crap he’d said and done, I felt for him. His brother engaged to the woman he loved, and then the woman turns out to be batshit crazy. Not exactly a great place to be.

  “Brennan’s right. And not just due to the fact I want to get rid of you.”

  Oh dear. The bitter fairy had taken up residence in Drake.

  “She’s out for vengeance.” Drake’s voice was flat.

  Oh god. I hurt for him. I hoped Brennan could see what had happened here.

  “I agree,” Brennan took my hand. “I wanted you to stay so that we could…” he stopped. “It doesn’t matter. You must be safe, Iris.”

  I yanked my hand away. “It damn well does matter! I’m not going.”

  Brennan glanced at Drake, who turned on his heel and left.

  “Where is he going? What are you up to?” I shouted at Brennan.

  “Iris, I don’t want you to leave, but if you stay here and Ailla hurts you, I won’t be able to withstand the guilt. Go back to your parents. Enjoy your mother.” He gave me a half-assed smile.

  “How can I when I have this whatever,” I threw out my arms, “Hanging around? Unfinished business sucks!”

  “Once I have addressed the threat, maybe…” He stopped, shook his head. Walked towards the window. “You need to go back, Iris. Anything else would be extreme folly on both our parts.”

  Drake appeared at the door. “I have Taranath.”

  “Summon Mother,” Brennan didn’t turn from the window, only clasped his hands behind his back. Drake disappeared.

  What the hell? I strode over to Brennan. “What is this? This stoic, sacrificing crap? I don’t want to go, Brennan!”

  He gave me the sweetest smile I’d ever seen and walked towards Taranath. “I want to send her back with Mother to ensure that she makes it home safely.”

  Drake came back in carrying a mirror, of all things.

  He handed it to Brennan.

  “Mother,” Brennan spoke to the mirror.

  No one spoke, and then, “What is it, Brennan?”

  “I need you.”

  I knew I stood on the edge of anger and hysteria that once again, I was being ordered about to where I didn’t want to be, but I felt the urge to giggle, and put my hand over my mouth. First fairy Xanax, now fae mail. That’s what the mirror thing was. Fae mail.

  I would have expected Nerida to protest or say something, but all I heard from the mirror—fae mail—was, “I will be there momentarily.”

  Brennan thrust the mirror at Drake, who disappeared again.

  Brennan took my hand and stepped to the window again. He lifted my hand up to his chest and held it close. I could feel the tears starting.

  This was it. There wasn’t anything I could say. I could feel him saying goodbye.

  No! No no no no!

  Drake appeared once more, Nerida behind him.

  “What is Iris doing here?” She sounded surprised, and not in the good kind of way. How could she not have known I’d been here for almost a week?

  “Going home.” Brennan’s tone allowed for no questions.

  Nerida looked at him, and I saw her come to some sort of decision.

  “Very well. Why do you need me?”

  “I want you to make sure that Iris gets home to her family.”

  Nerida studied her son. Nodded twice. “Very well. Come, Iris.” She walked into the study, expecting me to follow her.

  I brought his hand close to me. Forced him to look at me, and put everything I had into my face. If my words wouldn’t sway him, maybe seeing what this would do to me could.

  He held my gaze, and a thousand words came to my lips, things I wanted to say, share.

  I said nothing.

  Neither did he.

  “Goodbye, Iris. Be well. Live.”

  He dropped my hand. Stepped away from me. That was it? An hour ago, I could have sworn he stood at the edge of a declaration and now, he was all, Be well?

  Drake, of all the people, put his hand on my back and gently led me to the door. I looked over my shoulder. Brennan stood highlighted by the window. His hands behind his back as he watched us. His face unreadable.

  I walked through the door. My heart breaking.

  Drake led me through the study into a wide open room. Did these rooms never end? I couldn’t tell what sort of room this was. I didn’t care. I’d never see it again. What did it matter?

  “Come, Iris,” Nerida reached out a hand for me.

  Slowly, reluctantly, I made to take her hand.

  A flash of light before me made me stumble. Had Nerida opened the portal early? I wasn’t ready!

  I saw them, struggling, then he fell.

  He fell!

  “Brennan!” I screamed.

  Wrenching myself around, I shoved my way past Drake, through the lounge, and past a surprised Taranath. I heard shouting behind me, but I couldn’t stop. I would be too late if I didn’t keep going, going as fast as possible.

  As I’d seen moments before, a figure rose up behind him, where he’d turned and leaned his hands on the window. Arm raised, the figure crept closer.

  I could make it. The figure, so intent on Brennan, didn’t hear me.

  Oh shit! I saw the arm come down. I wasn’t going to make it!

  I sprang off my toes, aiming for somewhere at Brennan’s back.

  As I launched myself, I saw the arm coming down, down.

  Oh, god! Please let me get to him.

  Down it came, larger and larger, until the arm loomed over me.

  Then nothing.

  Brennan…

  My thought faded to darkness.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Brennan

  He hunched over the window as he heard Iris’s scream. He knew she had to be hurting if she felt even half as much as he did. He wished the sound of her voi
ce away. He couldn’t go to her. If he did, his resolve would be lost.

  If he did—

  He fell into the window as something launched onto his back.

  A wild cry that sounded like his name cut off abruptly.

  Drake next to him, shouting something. He couldn’t understand.

  He turned his head, rubbing it where he’d hit the window.

  Drake cut the head off a troll not two feet from him

  “What—”

  “Get Iris!” Shouted Nerida, skidding into the room. “Taranath! Brennan! Get her! Quickly!”

  Brennan turned and saw that the thing that launched into him wasn’t a thing. It had been Iris, and she lay in a heap.

  He looked her over, and saw it at the same time Nerida did.

  She gasped.

  Taranath bent to Iris.

  “It is a shim blade.”

  Drake muttered a curse that Nerida normally would have reprimanded him for.

  But she didn’t say a word. Her hands were still clasped over her mouth, looking in horror at Iris, on the floor, the blade through her right shoulder.

  “Take her to my rooms,” Taranath stood.

  No one moved.

  “Brennan, she needs my help.” The words were gentle and stirred Brennan to move.

  “She saved your life,” Nerida whispered.

  “How did a troll with a shim blade gain entrance?” Drake looked around. “How could this happen?”

  Brennan picked up Iris, trying to be careful of the blade. He jostled her, and she moaned, but her eyes didn’t open. The ugly, distinctive, black-wrapped blade that let everyone know it was a deadly shim moved in her shoulder as he lifted her.

  “Drake,” he barely recognized his own voice. “Find out where the troll came from. Mother, you come with me.”

  Nerida followed quietly. Drake strode from the room, his anger swirling around him like a cloak. Brennan would normally pity anyone who Drake found to be involved, but not today. Not now. Not after this.

  The trio hurried through the corridors, brushing past the goblins they saw, speaking to not one, not even one another.

  Brennan couldn’t believe she’d leapt in front of the knife. How had she known? Had she been one second later, he would have died. Instantly.

  Shim blades were lethal to the fae. He glanced down. He could see that Iris still breathed, so the fact that she was not entirely fae must have kept her from instant death.

  Taranath threw open the door and gestured to the table where Brennan himself had lain only a short time ago.

  “Lay her on her stomach. I will try to remove the blade.”

  “How is it she lives?” Whispered Nerida.

  “She is not full fae.”

  “This will kill her fae side,” Brennan stated flatly.

  “Not necessarily,” Taranath’s hands flew in his cupboard, pulling bottles down as he searched for something. “Her fae side did not allow her human side to die. We must hold out hope that the same will be true of her human side.”

  “Is that not cruel?” Nerida asked.

  “Life always wishes to continue,” Taranath said.

  Brennan ignored them and sank down next to Iris.

  He held her hand and willed her to keep breathing.

  Iris

  “For the last time, I am fine!” I threw a pillow at Brennan. “Let me get up, please! I’ve been in this bed for ages!”

  “Not until Taranath says you may,” He sat next to me on the bed. “I don’t want to take any further risk with you, Iris. I can’t face your parents.”

  “That was very well played. Very sneaky, and completely unfair.” I crossed my arms, and glared at him.

  “I know. It’s all true, too. Makes my victory all that much sweeter.”

  I couldn’t argue the Mom card.

  Taranath had something that allowed me to live. He had thrown together something in the moment, given me a whopping dose, and hoped for the best.

  His gamble paid off. He told me later that he felt certain my two sides would work together to save me, but that he’d never been so nervous in his long life.

  Brennan and Nerida had gone to visit my parents while I lay in a sort of coma, recovering. Apparently, they’d even pulled out the big guns and called my grandmother.

  Both Brennan and Nerida looked the worse for wear in telling me all this. I gathered that between my parents and Mara, they’d both had their asses chewed.

  I would have given a lot to have seen that.

  The upshot of it? I was watched like a hawk, barely able to go to the bathroom by myself. That’s a lot of joy right there.

  Finally, Taranath declared I had turned a corner and could officially be declared as on the mend.

  Today my impatience bubbled over. I wanted to go and see my parents. They didn’t come to me for fear of what would happen to them. As best as I could tell, it had been three weeks since I’d come here. Mara had remained steadfast in her determination to stay in her adopted world. Nerida confided in me that my dad did a little of his own ass chewing in Mara’s direction over that.

  I got the impression that Nerida thoroughly enjoyed seeing someone else on the receiving end.

  Wisely, I kept silent in such observations.

  But today, I’d had enough.

  “Call him in. I’m tired of being carried everywhere.” Even though Brennan did all the carrying himself and my entire body eagerly awaited those moments.

  Brennan seemed somewhat removed. As though my being hurt had built a wall between us. I didn’t like it. I feared it would lead us to the same place we’d been before I’d been hurt. Before he finally let his guard down. Before he kissed me and my world shifted forever.

  Hell, no. I didn’t get stabbed for nothing.

  As it turned out, we didn’t need to call for Taranath. He came in, his face closed. Behind him came Drake, then Nerida. With her stood a man I hadn’t seen before.

  “Father!” Brennan stood up and went to embrace the man.

  I took the moment to study him. Brennan had gotten his dark hair from Nerida. His father had long, blond hair, sharp features, and piercing eyes. Unlike Brennan, his eyes were dark.

  He walked towards where I lay in bed. “This is the young woman who saved my son not once, but twice?”

  Brennan nodded. “Father, please meet Iris Mattingly. Iris, my father, Jharak, king of all the Fae Realm.”

  Jharak took my hand and leaned over, kissing it lightly. He looked up and smiled at me. I started as I realized his eyes weren’t dark. One was brown and one blue. They looked dark from a distance.

  Interesting.

  I didn’t have time to ponder his father’s appearance because Drake spoke.

  “Brennan, we found out who sent the troll.”

  Brennan came alert in a way that I thought of as battle-Brennan. “And?”

  Drake looked to his parents.

  The faces of all three people other than Brennan spelled bad, bad news.

  “We found a note, down in the kitchens, in one of the back storerooms. It was pinned to the wall with this.”

  Drake held up a small knife, the sort a child would have. Gold, with faceted jewels on the hilt.

  Brennan frowned. “That blade…” He looked at his mother, then his father.

  “Here is the note.” Drake handed it over.

  Brennan scanned it, and I watched as his face darkened. Anger, pain, anger again…what the hell did it say?

  “He’s alive?” The growl in the question made the king and queen cringe.

  Brennan

  This had to be a nightmare. If he waited, he’d wake up, and it would all go away.

  He shut his eyes. Opened them.

  He still held the note. It hadn’t disappeared, and his parents still stood before him, looking guilty.

  “How can this be?” He glared at both of them.

  “What is it?” Asked Iris

  Angrily, Brennan shoved the note towards her.

&n
bsp; She took it, then looked up at him. “You’ll need to translate.”

  “What?” Brennan turned to her, lost in his thoughts.

  “I can’t read Fae, remember?”

  “Oh, yes. Of course. It’s not much, but it tells it all. It says, I will be hidden no longer.” He forced his voice to stay steady.

  “Who is it from?” Her face, her lovely face, the picture of innocence. How he hated to shatter it.

  Although it could be argued that the shim knife had already done so, but in spite of that, Iris retained the clear, bright countenance that he…he shook his head again. He couldn’t go there. Look what had happened when he allowed his thoughts to go in that direction before. Iris nearly died.

  “It’s signed, Cian.

  “Who is that?” She asked.

  “My brother.” Now he did glare at his parents again.

  “But…” Iris looked at his parents, and then Drake, and finally back to Brennan. “The one who died? How is that possible?”

  “He’s not dead.” Nerida spoke.

  “Why did you allow me to believe him dead?” Brennan demanded.

  “Because he might as well have been!” Jharak had evidently had enough of being castigated by his son. I saw where Brennan got his impatience from. Or maybe it was a king thing.

  Brennan stood. “Might as well have been and dead are two different things! I have spent my entire life feeling that I killed my brother! That because I could not control my magic, I ended his life!”

  “Oh, no, Brennan! You didn’t! He fell into a state, a non-waking state!” Nerida reached for him, but Brennan sidestepped her.

  Only Iris and Drake could be trusted. And he had to send Iris home.

  “Because of me. I saw his funeral,” Brennan whispered.

  He sat down again. The weight of this felt too much.

  Iris took his hands in hers. Her touch soothed him.

  “No, you saw us removing him to a place where he might heal.”

  “Obviously he did heal,” Brennan, feeling calmer, was able to look at his parents. Iris had that effect on him.

  “He disappeared.” Nerida whispered. “We haven’t heard anything of him for many years. The keep where he stayed burned. We had no notion of what happened to those who cared for him. We mourned him.”

  “You didn’t investigate?” Drake couldn’t keep the surprise from his question.

  “Of course we did!” Jharak snapped. “I myself went and sifted through the ruins. Our son was not there. We could only assume he died in the fire.”