The Goblin Queen and the Sigil of Altazan (The League of Sinister Means Book 2)

by H. K. MacTavish

  Oh? What is that I hear? Water! I hear water dripping!

  “This way,” I order the goblins.

  “Yes highness,” one says.

  “Where are we going? Does this look familiar?” Gerald asks.

  “I don’t know this place at all,” I say. “But I do hear water.”

  “More scrying?” Gerald asks. “This is a lot of effort…”

  “Please stop trying to tell me how my villainous ways are at their end and I should surrender to the heroes again. I am growing tired of that little bit from you.”

  “As you wish. But you will regret not heeding my words.”

  By the gods, won’t he be quiet with this karma and comeuppance shit already?

  “If your words keep repeating themselves I’ll find something to shove into your mouth to keep you quiet. And it won’t be hard and long,” I say with a smile.

  “Fine. Keep it up,” Gerald says.

  Hmph. He certainly believes in this karma business a little too much. And me? Getting my comeuppance? As if. He’s the one that invaded my realm, stole my things, and forced me to dredge down here, completely wet, well, damp now, but uncomfortable! And with only four goblins! If anyone is getting their comeuppance it is him and those other three heroes. They deserve everything that is coming to them!

  Now, where is that fucking water? I want to find this peasant and be on my way. The Sigil of Altazan isn’t going to cast itself.

  I hear something and it isn’t water. What is that? Footsteps?

  Of course! That peasant is thirsty. She would have heard the water and is coming to get a sip.

  “Quiet,” I whisper. “Sneaking time,” I add to the goblins.

  “Yes highness,” one whispers back.

  We crouch down low and creep down the street. We are keeping to the right side of the street. Whoever it is that is ahead of us is starting to walk off. Did she hear us? If so I blame the goblins.

  I open my mouth to tell the goblins to charge but I hold my tongue. If she is walking off I don’t want to spook her. Let her walk. We’ll catch up to her. I’ve closed the gap to be within eye sight of this peasant. I’m not going to lose her because I’m impatient.

  The goblins turn around the corner before me and I don’t hear any sounds of combat, from her or my goblins. I hurry to the edge, making a bit more noise than I intended to…but it doesn’t matter! She is so close! Where is she?

  I see where water is dripping down from the ruins of an old statue of some angelic figure. It is bubbling up from wherever the water source is. Probably that river I took a swim in earlier. Where is the peasant woman? There is no sign of her.

  That sound! She slipped! She is just down the next street! I am sure of it!

  The Hunt is On

  “Go!” I urge my goblins. I follow them to the corner of the next street. I turn and look and I don’t see anyone but I can hear feet scampering away. She must have turned down a side street.

  Looking behind me I see Gerald lagging behind.

  “Keep up or I’ll make sure you can’t escape,” I say.

  He picks up his pace. What wonders a little motivation will do!

  “I’m coming,” he says, bound hands before him and still wearing nothing but some boots and his underpants. He looks so comical!

  I turn again to the hunt and see my goblins have taken my urging to heart. They are already down the street. I run after them but I can’t hear the scampering anymore.

  “Hold,” I order the goblins.

  “Yes highness.”

  Is she hiding? I look around with my goblins for any sign of her.

  “Come on out!” I call out. “I know you are out there. I can hear you!”

  Nothing.

  I know she’s out here. Did she duck into a building? That could take a lot of time to search.

  “There is no use in running. You’re caught! Make this less painful for yourself and submit to me now!”

  Still nothing. She has to be around here!

  Something is moving behind us. Gerald and the goblins noticed it too. I rush over to the abandoned building but as I look in I hear another sound behind me. She can’t be in both places.

  “Where did she go?” I ask the goblins.

  “This way?” a goblin offers, pointing down a side street.

  Why are you asking me you worthless sack of green shit!

  “Bah!”

  Worthless! Couldn’t they hear where she went? They were right here! I will not lose her. Not when I am this close! Oh, I will make her suffer for making me hunt her down like this! Not too much suffering. I need her alive. Light suffering. I’ll…pull out her hair or flog her or something…agh I can’t think straight! Where the fuck is she? She’s just a peasant! Just a peasant!

  I walk down the street, prepared to cast a telekinetic spell to force her away. She has a spear at best and while she can take down a couple of goblins she will find that I am a far more powerful opponent. That’s not a bad idea. She thinks she’s a hero? Like Gerald, who is almost naked behind me? Then be a hero. Go on. Try to kill me or rescue him, silly peasant! Then I’ll know right where you are!

  “It is only a matter of time until I find you. Do you really want me to find you hiding, cowering in some corner? Be sensible and surrender.”

  I hear something behind me moving. Is that her? I look over and…now there is something to the right? This ruin is crumbling down around me! How will I find her in a place like this? She is close! I know it!

  “It will go easier for you if you just step out now and surrender.”

  I step around the corner of a building and gaze down the darkened street. Are those eyes? I summon a ball of light and cast it down the street. No. It was just a crumbling statue of…something. Only the feet remain.

  “You’re not getting away from me. I’ve tracked you all the way down here. Where do you think you’re going?”

  I turn to look in a nearby building. I thought I heard something moving around in here but I don’t see anything but the ruins of some stone furniture and some bones.

  I turn away and walk down the street. A goblin emerges from a building and shakes his head. Damn it!

  “I was going to return you to your village when I was done with you but now, I might just feed you to the goblins! Come on out and maybe you’ll be forgiven!”

  I’m not leaving here without that peasant woman!

  “Keep up!” I say to Gerald.

  “Who is highness talking to?”

  “To the prie…”

  I turn around and he isn’t there.

  Ahhh!

  “Where is the priest?”

  “He isn’t here,” a goblin responds.

  “I can see that! Where is he?”

  The goblin shrugs. I raise my hand to cast an ice spear but…no…I need the goblins! Fuck!

  “You four! Find Gerald and bring him to me! Now!” I scream.

  “Yes highness,” they say as they scamper off. How could they lose a nearly naked priest tied up? How? Someone is going to suffer for this. All of this!

  I am now the Goblin Queen without goblins to command. Fine. That’s fine. I can handle one peasant woman on my own. I cast a few orbs of light all around me as I walk down the street. I’ll light this place up! This peasant won’t have any shadows to hide in!

  “I’m not giving up,” I say.

  I toss an orb of light into an abandoned stone building and look around.

  Nothing in there. Nothing living anyway.

  “Did you get thirsty? Did you think that you could get a quick drink and I wouldn’t notice?” I ask as I throw another orb of light into another room. I can’t see anything moving about.

  I continue walking down the street, straining to listen for something, anything that will lead me to whatever little hole she found to hide in.

  I don’t hear anything except the distant trickle of water from that statue a ways behind me. Now I’m beginning to think that I imagined everything.
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  Wait. What is that?

  I sigh. It is just the scampering of my goblins looking for Gerald. Of course he would leave now! Did Gerald think that now was a good time to run away? He’s forced me to send out what few goblins I have left to track him down. I needed those goblins looking for the peasant woman that escaped! I will have him dragged back before me and then…and then I will show him! I don’t know what I’m going to do to him just now, but I’ll do…something!

  Fuck! Where is that peasant? It is just one little peasant? How can one woman elude me for so long? She is just a peasant! I captured a hero easier than her! I’m not sure if that is an endorsement of her or a condemnation of Gerald. Of course I don’t have either now. How do I deserve this shit? I don’t!

  At least this breeze feels nice. Staying underground here has been a bit stifling.

  Hold on. Is that a really breeze I feel? Oh no…if that is coming from outside there could be a crack that she can squeeze out of! And I know that she can fit through those already. I don’t have time to waste!

  I hurry down the street, running in the direction that I feel the breeze coming from. As I get to the end of the street I see a closed door. The wind is really howling but where is it coming from?

  Wait. The wind feels like it is coming from that door. But how is that possible? It’s closed? I walk up to it in order to get a closer look.

  No. The door isn’t fully closed. It’s open slightly. She must have squeezed through here. How long ago did she escape? My heart sinks! While I was taking my time checking out all those buildings she was here? Escaping?

  If she escaped and it cost me Gerald as well…I swear I will raze that village to the ground! They will know the wrath of Vivian, the Goblin Queen!

  I stick my arm through the doorway and start to…I look behind me and my behind is not going to make it past that doorway. I am definitely going to be getting more exercise when this is all done. This is just embarrassing. And I’m reminded that I am just like my sister, despite the fact that I am annoyed when she obsesses over herself and I know I am better than that…and now I’m even more pissed!

  “You had your chance to come quietly!” I seethe as I push the door with my magic. It moves a few inches. That’s it? I push again!

  The door moves another few inches. Not quite the entrance that I had imagined. I expected this to just fly open and I would strut in. That did not happen.

  Okay, a stronger push.

  There we go. I am not trying to snake my way through any more tight openings. Where is Gerald? There are so many jokes I can make at his expense. That would cheer me up! I need something to cheer me up!

  I enter the room and see bits of stone furniture along with fragments of some crafted from wood. From how worn the wood bits are this town was abandoned a long time ago, centuries I would estimate. I’ll worry about what forced everyone to leave a city later. Right now I have a peasant to find.

  This room is damaged. There are walls to the left and right but the far wall is gone. I can’t make out a lot past that but I can hear the river rushing happily along somewhere ahead of me. I hope that peasant didn’t fall in. This would all be a waste of time!

  There! That shadow moving just ahead of me. Is that her? I think it is. It is! It has to be her! I cast a ball of light and throw it towards her.

  She’s on a long…is that a pipe? It stretches out across a ravine. The river must be below that. She’s almost to the other side. I can see a vertical crack in the rock wall and beyond…stars! She’s almost out.

  “Stop!” I yell.

  “No! Whatever your plans are, I won’t be a party to them!” she yells as she moves quicker across that pipe.

  “As if you have a choice,” I say with a little laugh.

  Does she think she can escape me? Me? That is funny. I use my magic to start pulling her towards me. Finally! I have her! Her feet are skidding and sliding against the pipe.

  “No!” she cries.

  I just laugh as she crosses the pipe and now her feet are sliding along the remains of the floor as she struggles to resist. Struggle all you want, you are mine!

  Shit!

  She threw her spear at me! I dodge out of the way, releasing her. Her spear catches the edge of my dress, tearing it! How bad is it?

  Ignore your dress Vivian! That doesn’t matter now! The peasant is important! And she’s getting away. I run forward, grabbing her once again with my magic. She stops moving. She turns towards me and I can see a look of despair. Oh, how that fills my heart with joy seeing that.

  “Stop struggling! It’s over,” I say, smiling. At last, something is going my way!

  “No! Let me go!” she yells.

  I just laugh as I walk towards her, pulling her in my direction at the same time. Victory tastes so sweet.

  “Oh, you should be scared. You killed my goblins and tried to escape from my prison. The things I am going to do to you!” I say.

  She looks…defiant? Who the hell does she think she is? She is a peasant! She should be acting like it! I am her better! She should be cowering! I will teach her to fear me! When I release her, she will piss her skirt whenever someone mentions my name!

  “I will never…help…you…you will regret this!” she says as we come closer to one another.

  Oh, I will regret nothing! She is struggling but she is no match for my power!

  She managed to make it so close to the exit. Her inches are also her miles!

  “You can struggle, you can beg, you can cry, but I will have your blood!”

  If only she just sat still this would be over. You are caught! Just admit defeat so I can move on!

  “I will never stop struggling! I will never beg and I will never cry!”

  “You are a peasant! How can you have such fire? Even the heroes aren’t as defiant as you!”

  I have her! I grab her wrists and smile.

  “It is time to stop struggling and do as you are told! Now come! There is a lot to do still.”

  “I told you,” she says, still struggling. “I will never succumb to you!”

  I hold her close to me and smile. I need to show her just who is in control. No one has told her she is just a peasant. I will enjoy telling her what her role is in this world.

  “Let me explain how things are, peasant! The more you resist the more you pain you will endure. Now, com…”

  Oomph!

  She…she kneed me…between the legs…

  I bend over as she slips from my grasp.

  “You hit me in my…”

  Ohhh! Fucking nine hells! This hurts! This hurts something awful!

  “Bitch!” I hiss.

  I reach out to cast a spell but it is weak. She is on the pipe, inching across.

  Fuck! That hurt you fucking bitch! Oh…I can’t remember anything hurting like this.

  “I’ll…get you…for that!” I promise her but I can barely speak. I redouble my magical force and she is held still on the pipe. She is looking at that crack in the cavern. The stars are calling to her. Don’t heed them. Heed me!

  “Let me go!”

  “No. Get over here!” I command.

  “No!” she yells.

  Fuck! That blow…the pain…I can’t concentrate on my magic. I can’t…pull…her…to me!

  Fuck!

  “Don’t make me…” Ohhh…moving just then hurt something fierce…”Don’t make me get you out there! Get over here! Now!”

  “Never!” she cries. She looks scared. She should be terrified!

  I have to go out there and get her. I inch to the edge and see water rushing fifteen feet below me. Part of that underground river I was in earlier. That pipe she is on is big but it isn’t large enough for my liking.

  “Get over here!” I command.

  “No!” she says. She’s getting more defiant. She knows I can’t kill her. She knows I need her alive. At least she is coming to that realization. She should know that doesn’t mean I can’t hurt her! And...ohhh...am I going t
o pay her back for doing this to me!

  You are going to make me walk across this pipe, aren’t you? These shoes I’m wearing aren’t going to give me the best traction. Should I take them off?

  I look at the pipe. No. I need to keep them on. Parts of this pipe look old and rusty. No point in making my life worse by ripping my feet up.

  Fine! We’ll do this the hard way! I start stepping onto the pipe. You will know what it means to suffer! Strike me in my lady parts, will you? I will so enjoy doing returning the favor to you!

  I look down and see my shoe stretch out from the edges of my dress. I pull the other foot close. So far I’m steady enough.

  I look at her and she appears worried. She didn’t think I’d come across this pipe. Either that or she imagines that the longer she stands on that pipe the better the chance she has that I will fall down into that water. As much as I want to throw her down into that river instead, I need her alive. I still need her!

  “Leave me alone!” she pleads. She is losing that defiant attitude. She’s begging. She knows she can’t escape.

  “I will make you suffer for this,” I say to her through my teeth.

  I think my threats are finally getting through to her. Ohhh…how the pain still throbs between my legs! How dare she strike me there! I don’t deserve this! She does! And she will get what’s coming to her!

  I continue to inch across the pipe. I’m almost to her. I can almost reach out and grab her. Then I will take her back with me. I don’t know what I’m going to do to her just yet, but I promise I’ll be creative!

  “Please,” she pleads. “Please, let me go.”

  “The time for bargaining is over! You have made your choice!”

  “You’re right, I have,” she says. Huh? Where did that timid attitude shrink away too…

  She kicks my foot out from under me! It is too sudden and my other shoe loses its traction on the pipe.

  Crack!

  “Ahhhhh!”

  Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! My fucking crotch! Fuck! Can’t see! Can’t breathe! Fuck!

  “Serves you right! Bitch!” the peasant says with a laugh.

  Bitch? Bitch? Did that whore of a whore just call me a bitch?

  Ohhhh…I didn’t know pain like this existed. I feel sick to my stomach. I better not vomit all over myself. Oh, I’m so nauseous right now.