Realms of the Goblin King (The Realm Trilogy Book 3)

by Lisa Manifold

  Realms of the Goblin King

  Chapter One

  Brennan

  It was dark. He blinked, and the darkness didn’t change. Iris! Where was Iris? They’d been lying in bed together when he noticed a red light beyond the window.

  Cian. It had to be Cian. Who else would be interested in harming him?

  He moved his arms and legs, to see if he was hurt. Everything moved, although it was apparent he was bound in some manner. He closed his eyes again, and listened.

  There were others around him. He could hear the movement of one—two people. No one spoke.

  Where could they have taken him so quickly? And was Iris harmed? He focused on her, wanting to see if he could sense her, or was close enough to her that she could sense him. He concentrated hard. She wasn’t near him, but she wasn’t able to hear his call, either. He rubbed his hands against his legs. He was clothed, and it felt like his own clothes, at least. His hand caught a shape in one of the side pockets of the pants. Was it possible?

  He sighed. Even if it was, he wouldn’t be able to manage it in this situation. So silent calling. And not to Iris. He would not allow anyone to know of here, wherever he was.

  All right. Drake, then. He sent out a plea, a shout of his brother’s name.

  Faintly, he heard, Bren?

  I’m alive!

  A blow hit him in the head.

  Iris

  Drake stopped in the middle of what he was saying, an odd look on his face. “Bren?” He asked softly.

  Then he started, and ran to towards the window, clutching at the sill as he leaned out to the glass.

  “What is it?” I asked, following him.

  “I heard him! He can’t be too far, or I couldn’t hear him!” He pushed off from the window and turned, heading for the door. “He might still be within a close enough distance to find him!” He stopped at the door of the study, hand stilled. I could see the concentration in his face and his brows pulled together.

  “What?” I asked.

  “I can’t hear him anymore!” The anger and frustration made him sound fierce.

  “Try again!” I urged.

  He glared, and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

  The atmosphere of the study was heavy as I waited to hear something, see something, get a clue as to where my husband was.

  His shoulders sagged and he let out an explosive breath. “Wherever he is, he’s not there now.”

  “What does that mean?” I asked, trying not to explode. This was so frustrating!

  “If we’re close enough to one another, we can communicate—”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know, all telepathically. I know! I don’t need a lesson. I want to understand why you lost him!” I had my hands on my hips.

  “Because if I had to guess, he’s not conscious,” Drake ground out. “Your Majesty.”

  I backed away from his anger a few steps, bumping into one of the chairs. Grabbing onto it like a life raft, I sank into it. “What do you mean? Is he…” I faltered, not able to say the words.

  “I don’t know,” Drake said, and the anger had gone. He sat across from me.

  I could feel the misery from the pair of us permeate the room like a bad smell. I knew he wasn’t angry at me, but we had no one other than each other to snipe at.

  Jharak was a mess, although he was trying to keep it together. I wanted to feel more for him, but it was hard when I wanted to smack the shit out of him for not raising Cian to be a decent human being. Which wasn’t fair, but it was how I felt. I wasn’t very fair.

  So no snark Jharak’s way. Since he was hiding from Nerida here, I figured he had enough problems. After we discovered the note and the shim blade, he’d headed off to his room to write her a letter, and request her help or support or whatever. I didn’t envy him.

  Which left Drake and I.

  “I might as well go get dressed. You think Nerida will actually show up here?” The thought of seeing her as angry as she’d been described to me made me a bit nervous.

  Drake gave me a rueful look. “I don’t think it will matter what you’re wearing, but it’s probably a good idea. As for Mother, I don’t know. She’s angry with the three of us, and since you married Brennan, and aren’t on Team Cian, you’ll be lumped in with that.”

  I felt my own anger rise again. “Oh, she’s cool with one brother continuously trying to off the other one? Not even counting me, because you know, human and blah, blah, blah.”

  “We could set Mara on her.” He raised an eyebrow.

  I stared for a moment, and then burst into laughter. I’d seen my grandmother and Nerida butt heads. Mara had decided to support me with Brennan, but let Nerida put her kid above me, and I think there would be a battle of the old ladies. Not that I’d call either of them old to their faces. I wouldn’t live long enough to get the words out. The thought made me snicker.

  “I don’t know who would win that one,” I gasped weakly, leaning forward with laughter.

  “I agree,” Drake said, rising. “They both are good at feeling fairly righteous about their cause, even though I don’t know Mara all that well.”

  I waved a hand. “No, you’re on track with her. Where are you going?”

  “I am going to see my father, to see if we need to prepare for my mother coming here. That will give you the time to get dressed, and present yourself as you should be.” He bowed his head a little, and then with a smile, left the room.

  Drake didn’t hint well. I lifted a hand to run it through my hair and I could feel snarls in the back. No, that wouldn’t work at all with my brand new mother-in-law. Who hadn’t been to the wedding by her own choice, but I had a sneaking suspicion that wouldn’t matter. Not if she rode in on her high horse. Since Drake and I would be leaving shortly—I wondered if I’d mentioned that to him—to seek out her son, kill his ass, and rescue my husband, I felt pretty sure that more drama and mess were headed my way.

  I sighed, and stood up, heading back into my chambers. I’d always heard that clothing gave you confidence. So it was probably a good idea to get myself together and look like a Goblin Queen should.

  ****

  An hour later, Drake came back into Brennan’s study. We both went there as a matter of course. It was Brennan’s favorite room, and I think it made us both feel better to be in it. He had both Taranath and Jharak with him. No Nerida. I was glad I’d dressed appropriately, and equally glad that Nerida hadn’t arrived.

  Nevertheless, “How did talking with Nerida go?” I asked Jharak.

  He sat down, looking guilty. “I didn’t contact her directly, but wrote her instead. I don’t have the patience to deal with anything other than getting Brennan back. It’s one of the things you learn the longer you are together. There are some things that are better communicated via letter.”

  I shot a quick look at Drake, and he shrugged. Apparently this wasn’t a well-known fact in the family.

  “Well, she can’t ignore this, even if she’s all about Cian right now,” I said.

  Jharak lifted his shoulders in a shrug. He looked tired. “I don’t know what she will do, Iris.”

  I waved a hand. I didn’t want to dwell on it, because it made me feel sort of sad to see him like this. “We’ll handle it when she arrives. What I want to talk about is what we’re going to do next. We need to go look for him.”

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea—” Jharak began.

  “What would be a better idea?” Drake interrupted. “Wait for whatever it is Cian is planning next? Sit here, like helpless children? No, Father that is not the best idea. We must seek him out.”

  I nodd
ed. “I want to go.”

  “No,” two voices began.

  Drake crossed his arms, saying nothing.

  I stood. “My husband has been kidnapped. If you think I’ll sit and wait for others to go get him, you’re insane. I’m going.” I glared at all three of them.

  “I don’t know how much help you’ll be,” Drake said.

  “I think you may not be strong enough for what we face,” Taranath added.

  I turned away, taking a few deep breaths. This was the right thing to do. I knew it. I could feel it. I loved him more than anyone—well, in a different way. I couldn’t negate how Drake felt about him. Or Jharak. I had to handle this. I was the Queen. That meant I got to say what happened. They’d fight me on it, but I needed to be strong. Be more than the Iris they thought I was.

  When I faced them again, I made my face calm, and told myself don’t yell. Whatever you do, don’t yell. “Jharak, I will need to ask you if you are willing to stay here and manage the realm. I know that you are away from your own realm, but I think Nerida can handle the Fae Realm, even if she’s unhappy with you. Will you do that for Brennan?” I’d almost said for me, but Brennan was his son.

  Jharak looked caught between the proverbial rock and hard place. He glanced at Drake, and then back at me with a half-grin. “Well done, Iris. Or should I say, your Majesty? That was nicely phrased. I really can’t say no, can I?”

  I shook my head, allowing a smile to break on my face. Not a big one, because I didn’t want to gloat. “No. You can’t. But there’s no one else outside of Drake I trust to take care of Brennan’s—our—realm. Since Drake is coming with me, it has to be you.”

  “You’re not coming with us,” Drake said.

  “Oh, but I am. You’re not leaving without me.”

  We both gave each other the stink eye. I know he was all bad ass, and in a bad mood, but so was I.

  “Brennan will have my head,” he said.

  “Brennan can’t do anything right now,” I shot back. “We have to get him away. Did you tell them what you heard?”

  “What?” Taranath and Jharak asked together.

  Drake told them how he’d heard Brennan speak to him, and that he’d lost him when he tried to respond.

  Taranath began to walk, fingers steepled and tapping one another. We all watched him until after a moment he stopped. “I don’t think he’s dead,” he said finally.

  Okay, really? No one wanted to hear that.

  “Why not?” Drake asked.

  “Let us look at this logically. Cian wants to hurt Brennan. That is something that has been obvious in every interaction Cian has initiated. He’s angry, and he wants to inflict harm. Killing Brennan quickly would not inflict enough harm on Brennan. It would on us, those who care for him, but it would end any suffering he has in store for Brennan. So I think it fair, unless we hear from Cian directly, to assume that Brennan is alive. He is probably hurt, but I would say he is alive.”

  “Okay, then what?” I asked. Impatient as I felt, it made me feel better to hear someone other than me say Brennan was alive. The fear that he would die, that he would be killed before we could find him—that fear sat at the back of my mind, always there, always waiting to remind me. I had shoved it as far back as I could, but it was there. Taranath’s words calmed me, but only a little.

  “We need to decide where Cian would hide Brennan.”

  “The Dragon Realm,” I said immediately.

  Jharak held up a finger. “Ah, no. That would be the last place he would go.”

  “Why?” I demanded.

  “Because he knows we are at…” he stopped.

  “War with the Dragon Realm,” Drake finished.

  Jharak glared at his son. “I don’t wish to use those words. Words have power, Drake. Words give life to things that might otherwise die a quiet death.”

  “Stealing our king isn’t an act of war?”

  “It would be, had the representatives of the Dragon Realm done it,” Jharak said. “As it is, they can deny Cian, and state they know nothing of him, and they are involved in a dispute with our realms based on our calling off the engagement.”

  “Plausible deniability,” I said. “Sneaky.”

  “We are not dealing with half-wits,” Jharak said. “You must remember that always. The spell on you was only the beginning. And even that—it’s not evidence of war. It can be explained as Ailla attempting to remove a rival. They have planned this well. So we need to be careful. If asked, I shall say that we are at odds with the Dragon Realm, and the Goblin King is working to resolve it. I will not mention his being missing.”

  “You’re going to go along with her crazy ideas, Father?” Drake exclaimed. “You know she’s not up for this!”

  “Love is a powerful motivation, and we don’t really know what Iris is up for, do we?” Jharak asked.

  Wow, he was good. “You think I will be okay?” I asked.

  “I don’t know,” he said, turning that intense gaze of his onto me. The two different colored eyes always caught me, made me look twice at him. “But you will be with the fiercest warrior I’ve ever known, and one of the best mages in any of the realms. You are as strong in your motivation as they are, and Taranath tells me you are coming along well in your lessons. I predict he’ll keep them up as you travel. And you never know, Iris. Sometimes, skill comes when least expected.” He looked away for a moment.

  It made me wonder what he was thinking. But then he looked at me again.

  “I will expect, as the Goblin Queen, and the only ruler of this realm that is in safe hands, you will not endanger yourself needlessly, and that you will take the council of those with you. While it may seem overly cautious, they are both very skilled, and in order for me to agree to your proposal, you must agree to my terms. I do not want to see you harmed.”

  His eyes turned frosty.

  I inhaled, looking for a way out. He’d boxed me into a corner pretty neatly. Drake was smirking. Yeah. Right. I wanted to listen to Drake.

  “All right,” I sighed. “I agree. But you two must promise to be honest with me. Don’t hold back information because you think I might not like it, or cry, or whatever. You owe me that.”

  “As their Queen, indeed they do.” Jharak’s voice was firm.

  Now it was my turn to smirk. Drake opened his mouth to protest, probably, but the look on his father’s face made him close it again. I could see why Jharak was so good at being the king. He made it difficult to say no.

  “Are we all in agreement?” Jharak asked.

  “Yes,” Drake muttered, rolling his eyes.

  “Yes,” I said. The fact that Drake was annoyed softened my own annoyance.

  “Of course, Your Majesty,” Taranath bowed his head. “I will serve my realm as needed.”

  “Good,” Jharak stood. “Then I shall go and see about readying horses and provisions for you. I suggest you pack. Maybe your mother has responded,” He said to Drake as he made for the door.

  I hadn’t seen this side of Jharak in some time. He’d been so unhappy with what had happened with Cian, part of him seemingly disappeared for a while. It appeared, however, that the Fae King was back.

  While it meant that I had to put up with Captain Annoying, seeing Jharak more himself made me feel more hopeful. I watched him leave with my heart feeling lighter than it had since I’d woken up and discovered Brennan gone.

  “Okay,” I said to my two reluctant traveling companions. “What do I bring for this trip?”

  Chapter Two

  Iris

  I stood, maybe an hour later, in the middle of my rooms. I’d gone through my closet, but there didn’t seem to be much in the way of practical clothing. I could see my beautiful wedding gown peeking out of the wardrobe door, and my heart fell.

  When would we get him back? Would we get him back? I could feel my resolve fall straight to the floor, and I sank down with it. Tears streaked down my face, unbidden, at the thought that something might happen that kept me fro
m him.

  No. No. I couldn’t think like this. I had to think positive. We would get him back, and between the three of us, we would kick Cian’s ass. Ailla’s too, if I could manage it. I’d probably need help but…I didn’t care. I was so angry she’d put a spell on me that nearly imploded my life. Well, all the relationships that made my life worthwhile. She needed to go.

  The door burst open, making me jump.

  “Are you packed?” Drake asked.

  I got up, wiping the tears. I didn’t want him to see me crying or to give him any reason to try and boot me from the rescue mission, but I couldn’t hide them, either.

  “I don’t know what to bring. Everything seems so fragile!”

  Drake stopped. Clearly, this was out of his realm of expertise. “Show me your clothing.”

  I pointed, and he strode to the wardrobe. He looked through, and pulled out two dresses.

  “Only two outfits? I’m going to be gross!”

  “You think I am bringing fresh clothes for every meal? Really? These will be good because they are made of sturdier cloth than everything else you have.” He held them out to me, bunched in his hands.

  I stood, hands on hips. “Two? There’s got to be something more.”

  We frowned at one another, in a standoff. Then he tossed the bundle of clothing at me, and said, “What do you suggest, my lady?”

  Hearing Drake speak to me in the same manner he did to Brennan made me feel better. Weird, but better.

  “I have an idea, but I need your help. And thank you,” I said.

  “For what?”

  “For coming to find me and making me stop sitting here feeling sorry for myself.”

  “Sorry is not going to get you any closer to Brennan,” he said, but the irritation had faded from his tone.

  “Yeah, yeah, I know, but it makes me feel a little better to just cry,”

  He rolled his eyes, and walked closer to me. “What’s your idea?”

  “I need to go back to my parents’ house.”

  “No. Absolutely not. Traveling to other Realms is not like skipping across the room!”

  “Which is why I need your help. I want to make sure I do this as efficiently as possible. I haven’t portal traveled on my own yet, and I don’t want to screw it up.”