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

by Lisa Manifold

  “What is it you feel you need from there?”

  “Jeans, sweaters, a hat. Normal shoes. Clothes that don’t flow,” I snapped. “How do you fae get anything done?”

  “I manage just fine,” he snapped right back.

  “That’s because you’re a guy, not hampered by a skirt.”

  “You’re not some random human girl any longer, Iris. You’re the Goblin Queen, and you need to—”

  “I’ll be the widowed Queen if we don’t find the King. This will make things easier for me. Can you just work with me, rather than argue?” I lost patience, tossing my hands in the air.

  He didn’t reply, just stared at me for a moment. Then he smiled. “Change isn’t always a bad thing. I suppose the Realms will survive the Goblin Queen being odd.”

  “Thanks so much for the vote of confidence. So will you help me or what? Please?”

  He muttered in fae, so I couldn’t understand him, but I got the gist of it. He stood next to me, and then looked down.

  “What are you going to tell your parents? They won’t be happy about this,” he warned.

  “I don’t know! I haven’t thought that far ahead yet, but I’ll manage.”

  I closed my eyes as he pulled one of the magic-enhancing stones from a pouch—did these guys always carry them? It was something I’d been wanting to ask and kept forgetting. I might need to start carrying my own magic rock purse.

  Then the walking through water, rippling effect, and we were in my parents’ living room.

  They were in the kitchen, and both looked up and froze when they saw us.

  “Iris!” Mom recovered first. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you on your honeymoon?”

  “What is Drake doing with you?” Dad got to the more salient point.

  “I need to grab some of my clothes,” I said, making a break for my room. It had only been a day. They wouldn’t have boxed up all my stuff yet.

  “Wait!” Dad called, and I could hear him coming after me. “What’s going on, Iris?”

  I ignored him, going to my closet to grab a bag. What would be best? Three pairs of jeans? That should keep me. And underwear. I needed a fair amount of under—

  “What is going on?” My dad repeated from the doorway. “Where’s Brennan?”

  “Brennan is not here at the moment. He didn’t want me to come back to grab clothes. But I’m finding it easier to train in my own clothes,” I lied, focusing on my dresser.

  Silence. I looked up. He had the yeah right look on his face, one eyebrow up, and his arms crossed. “Trouble in paradise?” He asked.

  I burst into laughter, surprised that it came so easily. Trouble in paradise summed things up nicely. “No, Dad, there’s no trouble! Merely a…” I hesitated, looking for the right way to phrase it. “A disagreement. That’s all. I promised to train in private, but I get to train dressed how I want.” I finished stuffing clothing into my bag and headed for the hall.

  “Why the rush to train at all?” He let me pass but followed me, right on my heels.

  “Because it’s one of those things you have to work out, you know, as a couple?” I put irritation into my voice, hoping that this would calm them, and throw them off.

  We’d come back into the living room, and Mom heard my last comment. She and Dad looked at one another not even trying to hide their smiles.

  “Looks like you and Brennan are well matched,” Mom said.

  “They are,” Drake cut in. “And I will be on the unfavorable list for helping Iris, but I believe one is the best judge of how they best learn. We had better return, however, Iris, before we are missed.” He looked down at me, and I couldn’t believe what a good liar he was. Not a hint of the strain of the morning showed on his face.

  “Probably a good idea,” I smiled, struggling for the same calm. “I’ll be back in a while to see you all,” I told my parents.

  Mom came over to me, and gave me a hug. “I love you, sweetheart. Good luck.”

  “Good luck to you, too,” Dad said to Drake, and he actually smiled.

  Maybe we’d get away with this farce.

  “I thank you, but I’ve been on the receiving end of disagreement with Brennan before. This is not the first time, nor will it be the last. But thank you for the good wishes,” Drake said. “Iris, are you ready?”

  I nodded, unable to speak. The reality of this—lying to my parents, the fact that I was about to go racing off through the Realms, having no idea where Brennan was, if he was even still alive—hit me right then. I hoped Drake would get us out of here fast. I didn’t know how much longer I could keep this up.

  He did something, I didn’t see what, and the ripples started up again. Brennan had been right. This would get easier. I looked at my parents as we began to fade, and I saw them exchange a look. Oh, hell. Maybe we didn’t pull it off.

  I couldn’t think about that now—the thought of Brennan made me want to cry and kill all at the same time. I straightened my shoulders, and did my best to stand tall as Drake brought us through the portal. We were safely back in the study, and no one waited for us. Which meant that he’d done this well.

  “You have to show me how you do that,” I said. “It’s nice not to feel like I’m going to throw up every time.”

  Drake frowned. “Has portal travel always been that way for you?”

  I shook my head, letting the bag slide off my shoulder. “No, only since…” I stopped, thinking.

  “Since what?” Drake asked.

  When had I began to notice it? When I went back with Brennan, meaning to tell my parents I was staying…that was the first time. It had been bad, like almost-puking bad.

  “When Brennan and I went back together, and I ended up staying there.” I sat down in one of the chairs. “Why did it start then?”

  Drake sat across from me. “That may have been when Ailla cast her spell. That was directly after we discovered his note in the castle. Maybe she got in here as well? I don’t know, Iris! It makes me irritable not to know.”

  I nodded, thinking about it more. “That makes sense, even if I don’t have any proof. I haven’t felt that bad before when we traveled, and I haven’t since.”

  He looked angry. I felt the pang of guilt I always felt with Drake on the subject of Ailla. I felt bad for him, even though I knew he’d be pissed at my pity.

  “She is so much craftier than we ever gave her credit for,” he said. “I am annoyed I was taken in by it.” He gazed away from me, lost in his own thoughts for the moment.

  The pang of guilt grew. I couldn’t keep this up. I knew he’d talk to Brennan, but he and I needed to have it out—I realized, with a flash of insight, this was more for me than him, and that made me feel like a jerk.

  I still needed to talk to him about this. And—a thought came to me. I’d be honest with him. Completely honest, and tell him why I needed to say whatever I said.

  “I can’t imagine finding out someone you cared for was not who you thought she was,” I began carefully.

  He made a noise that sounded like he was disgusted. “I am irritated with myself on many levels. I am normally more astute than I have behaved, and I am worried that I have put the Realm at risk.”

  “How are you feeling about it?”

  Drake gave me a look that could have frozen water. “How do I feel? It doesn’t matter how I feel, Iris. It—”

  I held up a hand. “It does matter. It matters to me. I know you’re all I can get past this and whatever, but people, even you, have feelings. I feel bad every time I mention her because I keep imagining how I would feel in your shoes. To me, whatever I’d feel is pretty shitty. And I feel for you. So I’m asking, as hopefully your friend, how you feel?”

  He opened his mouth, closed it, and then leaned back in his chair. He looked tired and more worn than I’d seen him since Brennan was first attacked.

  “I feel like a traitor. I had no business feeling for her at all,” he said stiffly.

  Okay, so he wasn’t comfortable w
ith this conversation. Neither was I. It needed to be said, however, and we’d both have to awkward our way through it.

  “Well, things happen. It’s not the end of the world. You didn’t act on it, or do anything that would hurt Brennan, or the Realm. So I think you should ease up on yourself. I’m actually inquiring for more selfish reasons.”

  He immediately looked happier at the thought of talking about me. “How so?” He asked.

  “I want to know that you’re okay when I talk with you about how to…” I stopped. Saying the words was different than thinking them.

  “Kill her?” He spoke softly.

  I nodded. It sounded like a good idea in my head, but actually speaking the words aloud…

  “It hurts. I won’t lie. I don’t like the idea. And then I tell myself that the Ailla I knew is not real at all, and merely someone manufactured to gain a result.” The lines in his face hardened.

  “There was probably some of her, but…I hate to admit it, Drake. I think she’s an awful person, and no one here knew her at all. The fact that she cares for Cian, even after knowing what he has planned, and this other stuff with the dragons…that’s not what good people do. I wish I could help you in feeling badly.” I felt like a little kid, wanting the teacher’s approval, but I did feel bad for him, and I didn’t want this to hang over our working together like a bad smell. I might be young, but having fought with my parents and lived in small spaces while I did so taught me that things had to be brought out in the open.

  He looked at me, and I couldn’t read the expression on his face.

  “Do you think that? Honestly feel that way? That while she might have shown some of her true self, and still be the wretched traitor to all fae as she has shown herself to be?”

  I nodded again. “You’re a very black and white person, but most people aren’t.”

  “What do you mean, black and white?”

  “It’s either one way or the other for you. There is no middle ground. I am starting to see that you and Brennan have lived that way for a long time, but it’s not just the two of you against the world anymore, and the world is a hell of a lot of shades of middle ground.”

  To my surprise, he laughed. “I talked with Brennan about Ailla, and he told me you called him a candy ass. Is that true?”

  “Yes, it’s true! He was totally being a coward about talking to you. I understand, because I didn’t want to have this conversation. You and I, we’re not that close, and we’re going to have to be in close quarters really soon. I didn’t want to feel like crap every time we talked about how to deal with Ailla.”

  “You mean you’re not testing my loyalties?” A skeptical brow raised in my direction.

  “No! Why would I do that?” I meant it. “Your loyalty has never been in doubt, even though I have some hate at how many times you’ve hurt me.” I grinned to ease any sting of my words. “I know you’re loyal. So does Brennan. But it’s human—” I stopped. He wasn’t human.

  “We’re not human anymore,” he said softly.

  “Does that mean you don’t have feelings? From everything I’ve seen, the fae are just as big of drama queens as humans are! They hide it in some sense of superiority, but they are no better! Brennan is still mad at your parents. Your mom is falling off the deep end. Cian is holding a five hundred year old grudge, and Ailla is one big ball of hate and anger!” I felt my fists clench.

  Drake laughed again. “You’re right. We’re just as emotional as you humans. But it seems we manage it so much better, and may look down from our lofty height in safety.”

  “Hey, whatever you have to tell yourself to make it through the day,” I rolled my eyes. “Not how it looks from here, but whatever. I just want to make sure you’re okay with us talking about possible outcomes for Ailla.” I still couldn’t say it.

  Drake leaned in, his hands clasped in front of him, all laughter gone. “You have to say it, Iris. You could end up being the one to do it. There’s no guarantee who kills who here. If you cannot say it, you won’t be able to do it.”

  “Can you?” I challenged.

  “Absolutely. If it comes to it, I will kill Cian, and Ailla, and even Eilor. They are a threat not only to my king and queen, but to the lives of all in the realms. Not just here, or the Dragon Realm.” He gave me the eye.

  I sighed. “If it comes to it, I will kill Cian, or Ailla, or Eilor. Because you’re right, they are a threat to all the realms. I don’t like it, though.”

  He leaned back, shrugging. “No one does. Please don’t believe that my acceptance of what must be done is any indication of me liking or condoning it. But it is what must be done. We are tasked, you and Brennan and I, with defending the Goblin Realm. Brennan, and you as his Queen, have greater responsibilities. The Dragon Realm and Cian have threatened all of those.” He sighed. “I’ll do my best not to put you into that situation, Iris. Killing is different than we think it is before we must do it. I’d spare you that for as long as possible.”

  “Do you have to kill others often?” I asked, not sure if I wanted the answer.

  “Brennan and I had to do so on the day we met you. But often? No. Brennan prefers to rule with diplomacy, and negotiation.” His mouth twisted. “I don’t always agree, but this is why Brennan is a king and I am not.”

  “Do you want to be? Why haven’t you been in line for the Fae Realm? You’re a son of Jharak.”

  He actually laughed. “I’m human-born. Jharak would name me in a moment if the other realms would accept it. I am an accepted member of the family, and always will be, Mother notwithstanding. But the ruler of the Fae Realm must be fae. It’s all right,” he said, seeing the look on my face. “I don’t want to be a king. I prefer direct action and no prancing around with words. I’m content where I am.”

  “So we’re all good?” I asked.

  “We were never not good,” he answered.

  “Well, I feel better.”

  “And since it is all about you, your ladyship, I am delighted to be of service.”

  Hearing him tease me as he did with Brennan made me warm. I felt like this would be my home, even if was not yet so.

  Drake stood. “Now that we’ve sorted your clothing, and your feelings, is it possible to find Taranath and decide on our next move? Or is there something else your ladyship needs?”

  I stood, laughing. “No, long-suffering courtier. You have been of perfect service, and all my girly concerns have been addressed. Lead on.”

  The door burst open, and Jharak burst in. “Nerida has heard from Cian.”

  Chapter Three

  Brennan (CHECK DOES CH 3 NEED MORE?)

  He opened his eyes slowly, feeling how scratchy it felt to do so. He’d lost track of how long he’d been here. His arms and legs were still bound. He closed his eyes quickly as he heard someone enter the room. Wherever he was, it would be better to seem asleep, or unconscious. He knew this instinctively.

  “Is he awake?” A voice asked.

  That was—

  “No,” he identified Cian’s voice. “I am not surprised. He’s been under my personal supervision, with the help of your mage. While we can’t kill him yet, his stay here doesn’t need to be pleasant.” Cian laughed.

  Brennan was struck again at the childlike petulance of Cian’s words. A grown man who couldn’t seem to behave as one. Iris was right. He’d never grown up. How was that possible? Clearly, he’d learned something of intrigue and what it took to foster a rebellion.

  “That is too bad,” the first voice said. “I should have liked to have spoken with him.”

  Ailla. Ailla was here.

  “Why? What could you possibly have to say to him?”

  Brennan could hear the naked jealousy in Cian’s question. Did the man have any pride whatsoever?

  “Oh, darling,” he heard her sigh, “One always enjoys a little triumph over one’s opponent. Don’t you agree?”

  “You’re not to come in here without me,” Cian said.

  Obviously h
is feelings were not soothed. He was jealous and didn’t manage it well. It was something to take note of. Interesting, too, as he was involved with Dhysara. Apparently fidelity only went one way with Cian.

  “What are you doing now?” Ailla asked.

  Brennan could hear a note in her voice that hadn’t been there previously. It didn’t bode well for him.

  “I’m draining him,” Cian sounded gleeful. “I shall keep him alive long enough to see us succeed, but I might as well get something for my effort in not just killing him. He has magic and I shall have it.”

  “You managed it!” Ailla’s voice was happier than he’d ever heard it. What did she see in this small, little man? Why were they after his magic?

  For the first time, Brennan felt fear.

  Iris

  “What has she heard?” I moved closer to Jharak, wanting to make sure I didn’t miss a thing.

  “Do you trust her to tell you the truth?” Drake asked at the same time.

  Jharak held up a hand. “A moment, if you please. I practically ran down here, and I am not as young as I used to be.”

  “Or thinking up a good way to tell us the bad news,” Drake muttered.

  “Have a seat,” I stepped back, allowing Jharak to come into the study.

  He chose a chair, and fell into it. I sat across from him. Drake moved behind me, and I could feel him pacing. Probably had his arms crossed too, trying to look all bad ass. I wanted to tell him that routine didn’t work with your dad, but people needed to figure things out for themselves.

  “What does Cian say? Why did he get in touch with Nerida?”

  “He wants his mommy,” Drake sneered.

  “Well, it’s reasonable. Most people are rather attached to their parents,” Jharak said in a mild tone. “I rather think it’s because he feels he can both hurt and scare her the most—a two for one sort of thing. If that’s the case, it’s working. She contacted me via mirror, and she was crying. I haven’t seen her cry since you said you wanted to stay with us,” he said to Drake.

  “Oh, that made her happy?” Drake wasn’t giving an inch.