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

by Lisa Manifold

  “Leave you alone for moments, and you end up here,” Drake’s voice said next to him.

  Brennan was surprised to feel the beginning of tears in his eyes. He hadn’t cried since he was a child. He opened his mouth, but couldn’t speak because Drake was shoved unceremoniously out of the way, and Iris cupped his face with her hands.

  Tears streamed down her face. Better that way that she cry for both of them he thought.

  She kissed him, and said something, but he couldn’t understand her.

  “Your Majesties, we must go,” the voice of Taranath said behind Iris.

  Brennan felt the bindings that held him to the table releasing. He had known they must have been held in place with magic—but it was good to know that his mage was capable of dismantling them.

  “I am not sure I will be able to walk,” he said, between Iris kissing him. “I have not been allowed to move from here since they took me.”

  “Well, at least they didn’t kill you,” Drake said, still obscenely cheerful.

  It was not for a lack of trying,” said Brennan. “Actually, now that I think of it, brother wasn’t ready to kill me. Crazy lady would have ended my life some time ago. If she’d been given the chance.”

  “Those assholes,” Iris stood back, and marched around the table to where Ailla lay on the bench. “You crazy bitch. What are we going to do with her?” The disgust in her voice was apparent.

  “We are going to leave her, and get out of here before anyone else comes around,” Drake said. “Lordship, you’re going to need to let me carry you. I can’t have you slowing us down, old man.” He grinned.

  “I’ll never hear the end of this, will I?” Brennan asked. His voice sounded hoarse to his ears, and he felt more tired than he’d been in ages. The room was crowded with the extra people, and as Drake carefully lifted him from the table into a sitting position, he could feel the unused muscles protesting.

  “Probably not,” Drake said cheerfully, “But I’ll let some time pass before I bring it up.”

  “Let’s not waste any time,” Taranath said. “Majesty, if you would help me, we’ll get a portal opened.”

  With a final withering glance at the prone Ailla, Iris walked around the table and joined Taranath. He handed her a stone, and took her hand in his.

  What had Cian and Ailla said? That there were people in—”Wait!” He held up a hand, amazed at the effort the simple gesture took.

  Iris and Taranath looked up.

  “We cannot go to the Goblin Castle. They told me they had allies there. We need to go to the Fae Castle and warn Father and Mother.”

  “Jharak is at the Goblin Castle,” Iris said. “I think he’s hiding out from Nerida at the moment.”

  Drake chuckled, but Brennan’s stomach churned in worry. His parents not together, and not of one mind—it was one more way to divide the Realms.

  “We have to get to Fae Castle,” he said again. “Send Father a message, and tell him to meet us there.”

  “That leaves our home undefended!” Iris exclaimed.

  “Our home is merely a stopping point on the path of a worse plan,” Brennan said. “It’s not just me that they are after. Brothers goals include taking over the entire Realm. And why is father in my Castle?”

  “Because mother is on a tear, does any of us hurting her precious baby boy,” Drake said, the sarcasm dripping from his tone. “She made it very clear that she was not happy going on a rescue mission to save brother.”

  “I still can’t understand that,” Iris interjected. “Yes he’s her son too, but he’s trying to hurt you.”

  “It’s not that simple,” mage said gently.

  “I don’t care how tough it is! I can certainly understand wanting to deal with brother, but only after you get the kidnapped son back!” Iris had her hands on her hips.

  Brennan couldn’t believe the surge of love that he felt watching her. To have someone other than Drake so loyal, so fierce in his defense was something new. For years he’d carried the burden of his brother’s death. And now he knew it was all false. A lie. A burden that he did not have carried. Watching Iris defend him warmed his art in ways he didn’t think was possible.

  A movement at his shoulder made him turn his head. Drake was watching him watch Iris.

  “She’s done very well,” said Drake quietly. “She never gave up on you.”

  “Would you have let her?” Brennan asked.

  “Never,” Drake said firmly. “But that wouldn’t even be a question with her.”

  Brennan knew it for the accolade it was. A part of him couldn’t wait to hear how they managed to find their way here.

  “As fascinating as this is, we do really need to leave.” Drake was all business. “Your ladyship? As much as I enjoy watching your temper tantrum, we don’t have the time or the luxury for this.”

  Drake’s snide words were designed to goad Iris into action. It worked.

  “Well then, I don’t know why you’re still standing here! Let’s go!”

  Mage moved to the door, opening it carefully, and sticking his head out.

  “Wait!” Brennan held up a hand again.

  Quote what now?” Drake asked.

  Brennan didn’t imagine the annoyance in Drake’s tone. “One of the reasons that I didn’t die was because of mystery woman. I promised her I take her with me when I escaped. She knew you would come for me. I can’t go back on my word.”

  Iris stepped towards him, her hand still on her hips. “Who is mystery woman?”

  A dead man could’ve heard the menace in her words. He remembered her anger over the spy in the Dragon Court. While he felt certain that had been a part of crazy lady spell, he didn’t want to give her any cause for jealousy.

  “She saved my life. I’m not exactly sure she is, or why she wishes to leave so desperately, but as she does, and I owe her she will come with us. We must find her.”

  “We really are pressed for time,” mage said.

  “I’m not abandoning someone who risks their life to help me,” Brennan said, glaring around at the other three. “The Goblin King does not go back on his word.”

  Iris

  I couldn’t believe him. After everything we done to get here, after all that we had risk, and now he was going to hold up the show waiting on some woman? Why was it always some woman when it came to Brennan? Why was I still worry about this? After all, I was married to him.

  I was married to him. He had all this time to find someone else, and yet he married me. I had to remember that, but my jealousy and insecurity got the better of me. I had been — and was — Brennan’s choice. If he said he’d given this word because this woman had helped him, then that is what it was. He given his word. He would not be a man I loved if he failed to keep his word.

  “No, he does not.” I said smiling Brennan. “So let’s find this chick, and get out here before sleeping ugly wakes up.” I jerked my chin in the direction of crazy lady. Her breathing had become heavy. I had to be honest — it would make my day if she started to snore.

  Drake and mage both smiled at my description of crazy lady. While physically she was beautiful, I couldn’t look at her without seeing ugly that lay within. If that made me sound like the jealous wife, so be it.

  “Where would she be, Brennan?” I asked.

  “I’m not sure,” he said shaking his head. “She has always just sort of shown up.”

  Drake made a noise of disgust. “Very helpful, Lordship.”

  “I am deeply sorry to disappoint you. One takes friends where one can find them.”

  “Especially in this dump,” I muttered.

  Taranath patted me on the shoulder. I thought he might be able to feel my anger rising. I had a hard enough time with control when I wasn’t mad or scared; I didn’t need to make things worse.

  I saw Brennan notice the gesture, but his face remained blank. That meant he would ask me about it later. It made me smile, and some of my anger ease, to think that I’d be able to tell him
not only how I’d grown magically, but how his two chief advisors and I had become closer, more a team.

  I hoped he’d be pleased. He’d ruled alone for a long time.

  He chose me. I had to remember that. He chose me. I shook my head, wanting to dispel that nasty voice of doubt within. I hated it, but if I ignored it, rather than banishing it, it would sit and fester, getting louder and more insistent every time I allowed it to surface. Ailla’s spell had shown me that.

  Speaking of which…I looked over to where she lay, still unconscious on the table, tossed into all the crap on it like a used piece of tissue.

  Then I looked at Brennan, and saw how gaunt, how pale he looked. For the first time since I’d met him, he looked every one of his six hundred and seventy four years.

  Ailla had done this. Cian had done this. I remembered my vow back at the Castle, in my home. I would kill them both.

  I moved swiftly, taking a stone from my pocket. Taranath and Brennan saw me, but Taranath got there first. Brennan was still supported by Drake. Damn that bitch straight to hell.

  And this room—this was where they’d kept him? Poky, airless little place, more like a walk-in closet. There was a window, but it didn’t look like it had been opened in centuries.

  The smell was one of despair, and taking all this in, my anger went white hot.

  “No, Iris, you cannot.” Taranath’s voice was calm in my ear.

  I shrugged off his arm. “She’s our enemy. She tried to kill our king—my husband! She needs to go. Like, right now!”

  “Iris, love,” Brennan said quietly. “We cannot kill her. We have enough challenges as it is. If she is going to die, it has to be after the entire Realm—all the Realms—hear what she has done. What she and Cian and Eilor have done. They will be executed humanely.”

  “But—” I protested.

  He put a hand on my face, and drew me close. “We are not them,” he said.

  That did it for me. He was right. We were not them. We didn’t give into anger, or hate, or any of that crap when we acted. We weren’t animals. She and Cian—they were. I put my arms around his neck, and held him to me, ignoring the smell. Obviously, they hadn’t even bothered to toss water on him while he was here.

  I couldn’t think about that, or I’d get mad all over again.

  “Will you come to the other side and help me?” Brennan whispered into my hair. “I don’t want to ask anyone else for help.”

  The thought that he would lean on me before the guys—warmed me to my core. He wasn’t afraid that I would see him as a person. Well, a Fae person. Because he loved me, and I loved him.

  Any more of this crazed emotion see saw, and I’d be crying like a baby. Not pretty crying either. Ugly, snot-nosed, red-faced sobbing.

  “Yeah. Thank god we found you,” I whispered back. Another quick hug, and then I let go of him and walked to the other side of the table, close to sleeping ugly.

  Could she just snore, or fart, or something so that she didn’t lay there looking all beautiful? For Pete’s sake. I just wanted to see one thing that brought her down to size.

  Apparently, I hadn’t gotten past all the snubs she’d tossed at me before. I mentally shrugged. Some people, you didn’t get past it. Ailla would be one of those people for me. I edged around her, and got my arm around Brennan’s waist.

  With Drake’s help, and me supporting him, we helped him to slide off the table. He stumbled forward as Drake caught him.

  Yeah, they were totally going to die for this. I didn’t care what it took.

  “I’m going to need to put you over my shoulder,” Drake said to Brennan leaning back as he supported him.

  Brennan side. “If you must,” he said wearily.

  Drake left, just a little bit. “You’ll thank me, when we use the escape route out here.”

  I rolled my eyes “oh my God. We have to go back out the same way we came in?” I couldn’t believe it. We have to go through that stinky, smelly, tunnel again? Gross.

  “Unless you have a better idea, ladyship,” Drake said. “Disgusting, yes. Easy, and undetectable? Yes,.”

  I groaned, but didn’t say anything else. His words made sense. I just didn’t want to hear it. Or admit it.

  Taryn if, who had been holding out the door, peered out and then turned back to the three of us. “We should probably go there’s no one about, but we don’t know how many more there are. Were you given any sense of how many staff might be here, your Majesty?” This was directed at Brennan.

  Brennan shook his head. “This was the only part of the Castle I’ve seen. They didn’t let me out of here.”

  I narrowed my eyes and breathe deeply through my nose. I was right. They had let them out, had let them use the bathroom, hadn’t even bothered to throw a damn bucket of water on them. Yeah, I was going to push hard for a swift and public execution.

  Drake picked up Brennan and hoisted him onto his shoulders. He grunted a little with the weight, but then stood up straight and got a better hold on Brennan.

  “I’m just not sure this could get any less dignified,” Brennan grumbled.

  It thrilled me that he sounded like his old self. Just for that one moment. But I take it.

  Taryn stood back, so that Drake could get out the door with Brennan. I put my hand on the door next to him, and said “go on. I’ll close the door. Better that they think he still in here.” Taryn if not I’d, and walked through the doorway.

  At that moment, I heard the tinkling of glass I looked over my shoulder, and there was crazy lady. She had quietly pushed herself up, and there was murder written all over her.

  “You,” she hissed. Sounding just like the snake she was.

  I didn’t think I didn’t even think my thoughts through. In four short strides, I’d made it around the table and just as she was raising her arm, I drew back mine.

  Bam!

  My fist connected with her nose. Blood spurted as though from a geyser, spring me in the face.

  She opened her mouth, and I hit her in the nose again. Damn!

  She looked at me, and then her eyes glossed over. It was that look I called the glazed doughnut. When you can see that someone totally checks out on you. Usually, I saw when I went on to long talking about ceiling.

  Thankfully, however, crazy lady went glazed doughnut on me because I’d knocked her right in the kisser.

  “Iris! Are you all right?” Mage had come back in, his handout, ready to do whatever was needed. Even Drake had come back and peered in through the doorway. I could see Brennan’s worried face in the background.

  I turned around, a smile on my features as I wiped my bloodied hand on that dumb bitches dress.

  “I’m fine. Never felt better. Just taking care of little last-minute problem. Get the hell out of here.”

  As I walked towards the door, Drake started to laugh. “Did you really just punch her in the nose?”

  I nodded, the grin spreading wide across my face. “Damn right. It’s the very least I could do.”

  A moment of silence greeted my words, and then all three of them started to laugh. “Peak why it’s!” I hissed, looking around nervously. As good as it felt to hit crazy lady, we were out of the woods yet. “We need to get out of here! Let’s find Mistry lady, and get back in the stinky tunnel.”

  We hadn’t taken more than four steps down the hallway when mage pushed his way in front of Drake and I, hand out.

  I could almost feel the energy radiating from him, and wondered what it was that he saw that we hadn’t seen yet.

  Mages actions spurred on Drake. He crouched down, and set Brennan up against the wall. “Iris, watch him. Get out one your stones.” Without waiting to see if I did so, he turned and stood shoulder to shoulder with mage.

  The moment felt heavy, pregnant with waiting. No one moved. I was afraid to breathe. And then everything happened quickly.

  Drake lunged forward, sword in hand Taryn is right next to him energy crackling around his hand in the stony health.
>
  I had my arm around Brennan, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of the scene in front of me. I hope to be able to get spell out, and do it right. This wasn’t the time to screw things up.

  Brennan must have been watching the scene in front of us as well, because suddenly he half shouted, “wait!”

  His words stilled both Drake and mage, but neither put down their weapons. Brennan pushed himself off the wall, with an arm around my shoulders for support. He took a few steps forward, coming to stand in between the shoulders of Drake and mage.

  “Mistry lady? Is that you?”

  As if from thin air, the head, and then the body of a dark-haired girl, not much older than me, appeared.. Those were some skills I needed to learn. I hope this was Mistry lady, so I can answer ask her to teach me.

  “Were you beating me?” Her voice was low, and I could hear the potential for anger in it.

  “We were looking for you,” Brennan answered quickly. His voice sounded strong, with no doubt whatsoever. “Where did you go, when crazy lady came in?”

  Mistry lady shrugged. “I’d be dead if I didn’t have ways to get away from her,” she said, her voice still quiet.

  Her words fell like rocks falling from the sky. The weight of them was heavy, and it made me wish I’d punched her one more time.

  Drake was not one to be struck by the sentimentality of the situation. “Can you get us out of here?” He asked. As he spoke, he came back he turned around and shouldered Brennan once more.

  Mistry lady I’d, and then Brennan. “Interesting,” was all she said.

  I almost wanted to laugh. I was afraid, however, that either Brennan, or Drake would kill me. I really hope she was friendly, because I could tell already that I was going to like her great deal. She didn’t take shift from anyone. And anyone who could escape crazy lady was definitely worth knowing.

  I pushed past Drake and mage and held out my hand. “I’m Iris. Brennan’s told us of what you did for him I can’t thank you enough. Can you please show us how to get out of here? The sooner we do, the sooner we can get to the Fey Castle.”

  Her dark eyes looked me up and down. I felt as though I was being judged, weighed, measured. She looked young, but her eyes spoke of an old soul. Maybe just someone who’d been through a lot. I was going to guess that it was the latter rather than the former.