“No.” My head shook and I forced my hands to stay straight out. “I’m protecting a friend. My...” What was that word Dukos used? “My brother-cousin.”
Snarling hard enough in my face to make me jerk back, the unmanly squeak lodged in my throat, thankfully, stayed there.
“Struck a bargain. Toll an’ a price, an’ it’s paid. He stays.” Dukos hands slapped on my shoulder, rattling it a little as Troll slowly pulled back.
Searching the floor, I found the piece, picked it up, and held it out to him.
Nugget blinked at the ruby necklace, surprise flitting across her heart shaped, softly rounded face. “Otvla’s necklace. But how did you...?”
“Same as the locket Hellion has,” I replied quietly, clearing my throat roughly as I rubbed at the back of my neck.
“Stole it,” Dukos rumbled, snorting. “Stole from the witch.”
Nugget let out a surprised, laughing snort, hand slapping over her mouth quickly as her blue eyes widened, landing on me. “I’m so sorry, that’s your mother. That was rude of us, no matter what.”
Sniffing in disgust, Dukos rumbled, “Still a witch.”
A short bark of laughter shot out of me and I grinned. “No offense taken. We’ll just say I left for a reason.”
“Why dinna ye have the gem?” Troll muttered, glaring angrily into Dukos’ dual colored eyes.
Dukos head tilted and he shrugged. “Gave it fer food, gave it back. Price was his, toll’s Dukos’. Paid it.”
“Ye what?!!”
Frowning, Nugget’s brows pulled down. “Oh, dragon dung.”
Hissing through clenched teeth, I thought the deep orange-eyed demon troll might explode. He did, just not the way I’d hoped. “Have ye gone stark ravin’ mad, lad?! What. The. Fuck!”
Eyes glinting, inky tendrils sneaking into his own, Dukos’ lips pulled back, displaying an impressive set of jagged, sharp canines. “Startin’ me own clan. Found a bridge, down by Nefters. Demon-cos goes wit’.”
That was the most I’d heard Dukos say, ever. Peering up at him curiously, I wondered what other quiet secrets my troll friend held.
Troll’s head reared back, as if Dukos had slapped him, and some of the fight left him. “Ye’d leave yer groupin’ fer a little piss pot like that?” Flicking a finger at me in disgust, he sneered when he snapped at me and I jumped. “Not normally done, son.”
Dukos shrugged, scratching behind his small, folded over ears, reminiscent of a miniature version of a dog’s, but they didn’t flop. “No’ normal, I be.”
I understand that, maybe a little too well.
Whirling on me, Troll growled angrily. “This be all yer fault. Fillin’ his head wit’ lies, get ‘o’ the pisser?”
“No. What? We just met, uh, again.”
“Kin ta me too,” Dukos grunted obstinately, “keepin’ him.”
Gripping his skull in frustration, chest heaving like a bellows, he grumbled low, gritting the words past locked lips, “Dinna work like that, an’ ye canna make yerself beholden ta a bleedin’ human! Have ye not seen the ‘combs enough? Do ye not see what kinda power ye be givin’ a feckin’ human! He could be Caster! Ye wish ta go mad, eh?”
“He isna, willna.” Lips thinning as they pulled down, Dukos’ eyes narrowed, the patterns along his skin blazing electric blue with tendrils of orange.
This was a battle of wills, and it wasn’t going to end well.
“What? What?! Wait,” I shouted. Scrambling, eyes wide, I licked my lips hurriedly, sputtering, “Look! Look, here!” I waved the ruby necklace around, almost taking my own eye out in the process. “I, uh, I wish to be brother-cousin to Dukos, uhm, of the trolls, okay? Alright! Here! Here’s my, uh, uh... shit.” What the fuck was that- “Oh. Here’s my, uh, my price!” Thrusting my hand out, it was Nugget who snatched the jewels up, grinning mischievously.
“An’ ye’ll stay forever,” Dukos grunted, “kin ta me.”
Blinking over at him, I nodded. “Right,” my thumb hooked over my shoulder, “what he said. That too.” Stay forever under the protection of a powerful troll? I could have found worse fates. Truth be told, it sounded better than all the rest so far.
“Done!” the feisty woman called, smiling cheekily in the face of her mate’s wrath.
“Nugget! Ye canna-”
“I just did!” she sang tauntingly, a glint in her eye as she smirked at the jewels, smiling up into Dukos’ relieved face as he let out a long chuff.
“Eat that Otvla.” Humming a funny little victory tune, she flung the jeweled necklace ‘round and ‘round on her finger, eyes flashing an electric blue as her left hand perched on her generous hip.
“God... damned... bloody! Nugget! I dinna.... Ye...Ye daft... Fuck me!” Hands fisting at his sides, Troll stood to his full, massive height, threw his head back, and roared.
Cupping her hand over her eyes to watch the show, she drifted towards us slowly, shrugging. “Well, that went better than expected.” Smiling up at Dukos, she winked. “You take good care of that human cousin under your wing now, you hear? Best leave him out of Under, take leave to your bridge, sweet, you know how Ketik gets.” Throwing her arms around him best as she could, she nuzzled his rib. “Don’t forget where home is, baby.” Cracking an eye open at his grunt, she pinched his hip. “Hush you. I’m your mum. You’ll always be my baby. My little duke.” Squeezing her eyes shut tight, she sniffled, “I just want you to be happy, especially you. I’m sorry we banned you from seeing your cousin. We did what we’d thought best at the time. We love you, you know.”
“No, we dinna!” Beast called, snickering.
“Quiet, you! Or you’ll be next!” Nugget warned sternly.
Mav snorted, chortling, and the next round of shouting and bickering started.
Nodding as he stared down into the woman’s vibrant blue eyes, her youthful face at odds with the way she spoke to the troll, motherly and affectionate, Dukos grinned slowly, brushing his knuckles over the much smaller woman’s cheeks.
“Love ye, Mum.”
“Ah. You melt my heart, luv, that you’ll still say it.” Her fingers gripped him tighter.
Mum? It clicked and I gaped. My slow, stunned mind was just now picking up on all the not so subtle hints.
She had the same swirling markings marring her human body, trickling all the way up to her jawline, same swirling design as all the other trolls. What did they mean? I wondered. Was she a sort of troll now too?
When Troll was done roaring, he stormed over, tugging his mate back, snatching Nugget up to toss her over his shoulder, smacking her rounded ass soundly as he stormed off, growling at her howling protests. “I’ll blister yer bleedin’ arse bloody an’ blue, woman! Canna believe ye! More trouble than ye’re worth!”
“He’s not really going to do that, is he?” I murmured uneasily, nudging my companion.
“What?” Dukos grunted. “Beat her?” snorting, he grimaced. “No. Just go fuck a while, if we be lucky.”
Tension leaving my shoulders, I nodded. “Better than being beaten.” I hoped.
“Never heard ‘em goin’ at it.” Dukos grunted and shook his head. “Tup like bunnies. Haveta look the arsehole in the eye ta break fast, knowin’ he tups me mum like a demon.”
“Shut it, whelp, dinna be green. Canna help it if yer mum likes me- Nugget! Shite!” Feisty woman! See?” Troll shouted, going from pissed, to teasing, to mad, to taunting again, “She canna keep her hands off ‘o’ me co- OW! Wench!”
“Don’t talk that way in front of the- Yow! You squinty-eyed, hairless bastard! Stop smacking my ass!” When Nugget’s head shot up to find me staring at her like she’d lost her mind, she grinned, ignoring her son’s unimpressed grimaces and glares. “Well, he meant what he said, and that goes double for me. If you hurt my baby, we’ll kill you. But, you know, welcome to the family, Demon!” she shouted, waving from over the mountain of a troll’s shoulder.
“Oi! Nephew or no’, he’s still the son of a pisser! No talkin�
� to the enemy!”
“Aunt Daphedaenya?” I muttered faintly, swaying a little on my feet, ignoring the deep belly laughs of my troll kin as they all openly mocked me.
Slapping me on the back, Dukos chuckled low. “Nugget now, Demon-cos, kin ta me.”
“Wow,” I muttered, gazing around the room with a stupid, silly grin on my face.
“Wha’s tha’ look fer?” Mav asked curiously, the first from the raucous group to sober.
“I’ve always wanted to be a part of a big family.”
“Oi! Remember ye said that when ye meet Ketik!” Hellion taunted. Grinning evilly, he chuckled, voice deep and menacing. “After he’s done tryin’ ta eatcha.”
“He’s trying to rattle me, right?” I whispered through the side of my mouth to Dukos, face perfectly impassive. If I was going to make it with this rag tag bunch of heathens, I was going to have to learn to deal with them.
The idea filled me with an odd sense of fulfillment. This, right here, is where I’m meant to be. Here, with these crazy trolls, with my clansmen and brother-cousin Dukos, is home.
Dukos tugged at his ear, as if in thought. “Never eaten a human, yet. Dinna think.”
“Right.” Because that’s really reassuring. It matters not, I told myself, but I made a mental note never to meet this Ketik, or ever let anyone take me to Under. I’d heed Nugget’s warning well. I like my skin on my body, thank you very much.
“Now, Gobel did, I be thinkin’. Canna recall, to be certain,” Brosius rumbled.
Definitely never going to Under, I thought. Never.
“So...” clearing my throat, I motioned around us, “You were saying, something about a bridge we could stake a claim on. Would it be much the same as this?”
“Magicks? Oh, aye. Be thinkin’ loads of it.”
“Do we have to hunt for magicks?” I wondered aloud. Would it be difficult for us to find some?
“No’ like cos be thinkin’.” Grinning, Dukos held out the ruby necklace, a blue sheen glinting off the beautiful strands, so much so it had me squinting at the sight.
“I thought she took it?” I blurted, gaze drifting towards the back of the cave.
“Mum wouldna leave her babe off wit’ out a care package, eh.” A deep, rumbling chuckle rolled out of his chest and he nodded. “Get yer shit. Be gettin’ off.”
“Now?” I mumbled, dutifully tossing my sack over my shoulder, my purse full of coins tucked neatly inside.
“While day’s still young.”
“But... it’s dark out,” I muttered, following behind as he led the way. Friend. He’d said friend. I have a real friend now. And if the toll holds, we’ll both never be alone. A fair price to pay, I thought, a small smile tugging my lips.
Sticking to the shadows, leading me straight towards the woods that bordered all along this part of the countryside, blending with the Lux, he inhaled a deep lungful of cool night air and sighed. “Exactly.”
Whether he’d meant about the dark or not, or somehow read my thoughts, I chuckled, slapped him on the back, and strode right beside him.
Fresh Start
“What should we call ourselves?” I asked after a long moment. We’d been walking for the better part of the night, heading off to this bridge I’d yet to see.
“What ‘cos be meanin’?”
“A name for our... group, you know? Like... the two desperados.”
“The whuh, now? Desperate weirdos?” Dukos snorted out a laugh, shaking his head at my grin.
“No, desperados. You know-”
“More like two fools fer Gryphon food,” an amused voice muttered from behind us.
Dukos stilled, shoving an arm out in front of me, instructing me to keep my place, cocking his head slightly as a low growl built in his throat. “Thought ye said yer piece.”
“Aye, an’ I did.”
Slowly turning, Dukos angled himself in front of me, thick arms bunching as he hissed warningly. It would have pricked my pride, to be treated like a child in need of coddling, if I didn’t know I was the weakling in this supernatural party.
Quirking a brow, Dukos grumbled, “Figured ye busy.”
Troll shrugged. “Yer mum knows where I be. She’ll keep.”
“What ye be wantin’?” There was a note of impatience to my friend’s tone that implied anything his father might say wouldn’t be welcomed.
“Dinna mess wit’ tha’ spindly pile of dried out wood. Go to the Soulle Bridge in Hill. Here.” Tossing something over his shoulder as he turned, giving us his wide back as I poked my head around Dukos’ shoulder, his son caught the lumpy object expertly.
“What be this?” Holding the bit of twined leather—a small bracelet—a glowing rock wrapped around it, his bright orange brows shot up, but immediately pulled down, perplexed.
“A charm, compliments of yer dear ol’ crazy Uncle Zeik.”
“Zeik escaped?” Dukos’ eyes darted around the woods.
“No’ here. Took his captive deeper inta Under. She willna mind if ye borrow that pretty, though, I be thinkin’.”
“What it do?”
“Protection, fer yer human pet,” Troll spat, “sos he dinna end up prey ta Others, or food.”
“Why this hill?” I asked suspiciously, fingers tightening over the bag slung over my shoulder.
“Ye want ta clan wit’ me youngest? Ye’ll show me ye can be trusted. More dangers in Hill fer a wee human pisser than a troll. But, stay by him, an’ he’ll keep ye well. Much like he’d be goin’ off on his own wit’ the likes of ye in Hegtrag to some piece ‘o’ shit ancient bridge.”
“Oh.”
Protectiveness rolled of the older troll in waves. He’s worried for Dukos. A father nervous about his youngest taking off on his own. He cares.
“I don’t mind a bit of adventure,” I called to my glaring friend as he stared holes into his father’s back.
Grunting in surprise, Dukos blinked and glanced down at me. “Ye dinna?”
“Sure, this hill place sounds intriguing, and I’m up for an adventure. What say you brother-cousin, up to the task?”
“No afraid. Dukos’ll do it,” he grunted out quickly, offended at the way I’d made it sound, implying exactly that.
Surprised, Troll turned his head, the side profile of his scary visage visible in the bright moon’s light. “Warning still stands, wee demon man.”
“I won’t hurt him. You have my word.”
“Ye surprise me, son ‘o’ the pisser.” Troll let out a long, deep breath. The cool night air made it look like smoke as the rapidly cooling air puffed out through his nose like dragon smoke.
“I-I do?” I stammered, sure I’d just somehow been complimented. Somehow.
Nodding, Troll slowly started forward. “Nothin’ like yer old man. Right pisser, he was. And, Dukos?”
“Hmm?”
“Yer mum aint the only one that thinks ye forever their babe, remember that, arsehole.”
Fingering the small stone as it glowed bright, gripping it tight in his closed fist as he handed me the bracelet, he grinned wide, eyes lightening. “Dukos loves ye too, fucker.”
“Fuckin’ right.” And then, as fast as he’d appeared, Troll disappeared behind the thick brush.
“I think I’m beginning to understand this family better,” I murmured dryly, adjusting the ties on my protective charm.
“Mm. He likes ye,” my friend mused, nodding.
“Gee, how can you tell?” My sarcasm was lost on my traveling companion, or so I’d thought.
“Och, bein’ funny man now, eh? Hah.” Dukos slapped me on the back, possibly a bit too hard, sending me flying into a bed of dried up brown leaves and squished muck.
“Oomph. Ugh.” Spitting a bit of greenery I dared not identify out of my mouth, torso and hands covered in grime, I rolled into a dried patch of earth, thankfully just off to side of me, and glared up at my accomplice accusingly.
Crunch, crunch. Dukos stood over me, offering me a hand up as he grinned
, chuckling darkly, deep, glowing eyes glinting in the dark. “Too late ta back out now, cos’, ‘member? Kin ta me now.”
“I think I liked you better when you grunted, pointed, and snarled.
“Me too.” Shoving a huge hand in my face, sending me reeling back towards the ground, he bellowed out a huge belly laugh, lumbering off into the woods.
“Hey!” I called, “I thought I was going with you!”
“Come,” he tossed over his shoulder, and continued to walk.
“Be careful what you wish for,” I muttered, letting my head flop back with a thump. And I meant that in more ways than one.
“Oi! Demon piss, Duke! Da said ye’re goin ta the Hill!” We’re goin’ too, ye arseholes!”
At the sound of Hellion’s voice, and his brothers’ rumbling after, I rolled face first back into the muck and groaned.
“Why did I ever think I’d want brothers, again?” My muffled words ended on a squawk as a huge paw hefted me up.
“Jus’ kiddin’,” Dukos chuckled, holding me out in front of him as I dangled in the air. White teeth gleaming as he put a finger to his lips, he threw me over his shoulder, my bag in his hands, to jog away from his siblings’ bellowing shouts.
“Come now, Demoncos, the desperate weirdos be off.”
“It’s desperados,” I muttered petulantly, sighing heavily. “And do you think you could hurry it up? I think I see Beast’s head.”
“Och, weirdo, rado, wha’ ever. Like ta see Demoncos lug a lump ‘round. Bigger than a cow, I says.”
“I don’t weigh more than a cow. I’m... like a boar. A wild boar.” There, that didn’t sound emasculating at all.
Dukos laughed in a way that told me I’d just said something amusing, my eyes narrowing to little pin pricks.
After a while, his laughter was just plain mocking. “What?”
“Wild bore? Definitely. In Under Hill, human chummin’ wit’ an Ornthren, ‘cos be anythin’ but.”
“Under Hill! B-b-but... You said, hill, I thought, and then... The... the fairy land?”
“Make haste, willna be lettin’ four more in, grey hairy beasties wit’ out wings, ones who dinna know their own heads from arses.”
The Toll Page 57
