Fath let out a faint grumble, followed by another cough. Spicy tried to roughly estimate the distance. How many weeks of travel away was the second dragon mark?
“How do we get there?” Spicy asked.
Fath didn’t answer. He was breathing slower and more deeply. Soon Spicy learned what a snoring dragon sounded like as the creature’s head sank to the ground. Spicy stood and stared at the giant creature. Its lungs were bellows. Spicy began to back away. Moving quietly across the stone was easy. From here he could escape, go west and find and follow the shore. Eventually he would make his way back into Athra and leave the world of men and dragons behind.
But at what cost?
Once his sister returned to Boarhead, there might not even be an attempt at rescue of Rime and the children. The risks were too great. Too many had lost their lives already. If anyone was going to rescue the children, it had to be him.
A second realization made him stop in his tracks.
The surviving goblins would, out of necessity, work at rebuilding. It was the pragmatism his mother had drilled into him. Spicy would be needed even if he was only a second-rate hunter. And now with so few still alive, a sage was a luxury that the community could no longer support.
He paused to look at his hands. The charcoal had stained his fingertips, much like it had his sister’s. He brushed them off on his pants. Still the smudges remained.
Spicy made his way down the small hill. It only took thirty minutes to gather a pocketful of moss as well as a few blackberries. The dragon would get his wounds patched whether it wanted it or not.
When he returned, he found Fath continuing to slumber. Spicy sat down next to him. He was surprised at how much body heat radiated from the creature. But for some reason he wasn’t tired enough to sleep as he watched the sun rise.
So he picked up a book and began to read.
Epilogue
Spicy heard the creature crashing through the brush well before he saw the troll pushing her way through the trees. Hog’s green skin appeared bright against the faded greens and browns of the forest. Her milky eyes were downcast as she trudged along and paused to smell the ground. Then she looked up at the stone foundation at the top of the hill where Spicy waited.
Fath continued to sleep. He had slumbered all day and there was no indication he would wake.
Hog began to climb. Behind her, she hauled a large tree branch. Her arms quivered with the strain. She had multiple purple wounds on her body. Her breathing came in ragged gasps as she ascended and pulled herself up to where Spicy now rose to face her. There was no hiding the dragon, but the troll didn’t appear to care.
“Meat’s here,” she said.
“Yes. I’m here, Hog. And I’m so sorry. The men killed him.”
A low groan bubbled from her throat. Her eyes were unreadable. “I saw. They put fire to my mate. The men by the boats will fire no more arrows.”
Spicy couldn’t remember how many raiders had been left to guard the camp at the shore.
“Why are you here?”
“The last scent of the human leader is here.”
“What do mean? He’s dead. They’re all gone. All that’s left is a few books. You can’t be smelling that, can you?”
Hog moved to climb on top of the foundation. Spicy had to get out of the way to not be trampled. He hurried to cut in front of her to keep her away from Fath.
“Don’t wake the dragon,” Spicy said. “He killed the man named Lord.”
Hog sniffed the air. “Why did the dragon not eat Meat?”
“Because we’re working together. But it might not be safe for you here.”
Behind him, Fath yawned. Then the dragon made a dry smacking noise with its mouth. Suddenly it hissed and drew itself up like a snake preparing to strike. Hog took a step back and raised the tree branch like a club.
Spicy raised both arms, standing between the two creatures. “Fath, wait. She’s a friend. We’re all friends. No one needs to hurt anyone.”
“Why is this brainless creature here?” Fath asked.
“She’s not brainless. She’s been following the humans who killed her mate. She tracked the scent of the leader to us.”
Fath’s breath grew warmer. With each exhalation, a puff of steam escaped his nostrils.
“Hog, you’re not here to hurt the dragon,” Spicy said. “And Fath, you don’t need a troll as your enemy.”
“Such a fanciful name you have for a degenerated human,” Fath said.
“Why does the worm smell like the human leader?” Hog asked.
Fath belched. A noxious smell filled the air.
Spicy covered his nose with his arm. “Fath? The human leader, Lord…did you…?”
“Wait another hour and you can pick through his bones. Now about this troll.”
“Like I said, Hog is a friend. She was trying to stop the humans. They’re her enemy just like they’re my enemy. And yours. We’re all on the same side.”
Hog placed the tip of the branch down and unceremoniously shoved Spicy aside. “The worm wants to challenge me. Perhaps the worm is meat.”
“You dare?” Fath said with a hiss. The dragon began to swell as it drew in air.
Spicy scrambled and ran at the dragon. He pushed at its bulging belly. “Are you an idiot? You’re hurt. Hog is hurt. The humans did that to both of you. It’s them who destroyed your lair and your walls of records. They’re the ones who killed Hog’s mate. And now the two of you are going to kill each other?”
Spicy waited for what he believed would be the final moment of his life. He was going to be smashed by Hog’s club or roasted alive by a jet of steam. If either creature stepped forward, he would fall underfoot and be crushed. But when none of that happened, he looked up at both Fath and Hog.
“I promised both of you I would help. Hog, I failed you. There’s nothing I can say that will bring your mate back. The human leader who did that is now dead. You can go back home to the big ocean. And Fath, I’m going to stay true to my word and we’re going to find out why the humans know whatever secrets they learned. Fighting Hog will only get you hurt even more.”
Fath’s body quivered and shrank back down. Vapor filtered from the corner of his mouth. With the back of one claw he smacked Spicy hard enough to knock the goblin back onto his butt.
“Insolent child.” Fath slithered back to the map scratched on the rock. “Dismiss that creature so we can leave. Collect the books. And tell your pet not to address me.”
Spicy got up and brushed dirt from his pants.
Hog remained poised to strike but finally lowered her branch. “What does the worm mean by pet? What is pet?”
“A pet is meat you save for later,” Spicy said, instantly regretting the explanation. “Look, Hog, there’s nothing for you here. You helped me. I’ll always be grateful. But you want to go home where you can catch fish and not be bothered ever again.”
Hog pondered his words. “You and the worm are going to where more humans are.”
It didn’t sound like a question. “We’re heading south. There are humans there. Many humans. Villages, towns, even a human city. But we’re going to try to avoid as many of them as possible. They’re dangerous.”
“I’m coming with you. I’m dangerous.”
“That I can’t disagree with. But it’s out of the question. Fath…the dragon wishes you to go away.”
“What does Meat want?”
Spicy looked back at the dragon. It was completely absorbed in the map. “Hog, I don’t know exactly where we’re going. I don’t know how we’re going to get there. I also have no idea what we’ll have to eat. If you come along, there’s no knowing when we’d get enough fish to fill your belly.”
“Fish is Hog’s favorite. But worm wasn’t the only one to eat.”
“You didn’t.”
“Hog would never waste food.”
Spicy tried not to think about the humans at the shore camp. “Okay. I’ll talk to Fath. But follow quietly. And
keep up.”
“Don’t worry, Meat. I will.”
Spicy went to try to convince the dragon that there would now be three of them heading south. Fath only half listened as he made his own additions to the map. But he didn’t say no.
Whatever humans they encountered would have to watch out.
The monsters were leaving Monster Land and coming to them.
Goblin Apprentice
by
G. Gehrke
Goblin Reign Book Two
Chapter One
Spicy crawled towards the human camp. Whatever game they were roasting smelled divine. By his count, there were ten soldiers. Each was much taller than him, with better arms and armor. Spicy carried no weapon. He only had to get close enough to listen.
One man who was louder than the rest spoke with a full mouth. “By the Divine Mother, why didn’t you bring any salt?”
“It’s salted,” a second man said irritably. “It’s also rubbed down with sage and rosemary. If you chew slower and less like a pig, you’ll taste it.”
A few of the men laughed.
“I don’t taste salt,” Full Mouth grumbled. “Pass me another slice.”
“Wait your turn,” the cook said. “Everyone gets to eat.”
“You’re not giving any of our meat to the prisoners.”
A third man coughed and spoke with a hoarse voice. “They can pick on the bones when we’re done.”
More laughter. Then more sounds of chewing and swallowing that both disgusted Spicy and made his stomach grumble. The meager forage over the past few days had done nothing to curb his appetite. He forced himself not to think about food as he craned his neck. He counted again.
But now there were only nine around the fire. There was a dangling red guidon leaning on a tree near the men’s packs and armor. Nothing else was moving.
Where was the tenth man?
He froze. The tall pines surrounding the camp made enough shadows for fifty men to hide in. He had been careful, having gone around the ring of trees before getting closer. The humans had no horses and he was certain of his count, which hadn’t included the two prisoners.
One man and one goblin were tied up and sat in the dirt at the periphery of the fire’s glow.
Lord’s mercenary band had held a goblin as a slave when they had taken his sister Thistle along with his friend Rime and five children from his village. His sister was now free and the mercenaries dead. But Rime and the children remained missing.
Judging by his scent, the goblin prisoner was the same slave the humans had kept around camp. The only reason he was tied up now was that these men weren’t part of Lord’s band, Spicy reasoned. And Lord’s men had never carried any banner. There were too many questions. Where were Rime and the others? And who was their human prisoner?
The troll he’d named Hog claimed she had killed the humans who hadn’t chased Spicy to Fath’s lair.
Even now she and the dragon waited for him. Fath was irritated to even have the troll in his company and less than pleased at this delay. But Spicy had insisted on his eavesdropping mission. He had to find Rime and the others. Now all he had to do was get close enough to the slave to talk.
A twig snapped just behind him.
“The water is foul here,” the tenth soldier said. He stomped through the grass and stopped just next to Spicy. “Told you we should have set camp back near the stream.”
“Quit your complaining and quit shouting,” the man with the hoarse voice ordered.
“Aren’t we setting a watch?”
“Sounds like you volunteered to take the first one.”
The men laughed. The soldier next to Spicy mumbled an oath. Then he looked down.
“There’s someone here!”
He grabbed for Spicy, but the goblin sprang to his feet and bolted past him. The man’s fingers only grazed the back of his coat. Spicy ran towards the break in the trees, but it took a moment for his night vision to adjust. Then the trees before him moved. There was one that shifted directly in front of him, blocking his path. But the tree had two arms and was holding something big. It swung a branch at the man chasing Spicy and caught him in the midsection, sending him flying into the darkness.
Hog bellowed and strode past him towards the campfire. Men shouted. Their leader barked orders but there was little time as the massive troll assaulted the camp, swinging her monster club to the right and then to the left, knocking men down with the sound of crunching bones. Then she began to pummel one poor soul into the ground like she was driving a nail.
Someone threw a burning log at the troll.
She stumbled backwards. Two men remained standing. They pressed forward, one brandishing a makeshift torch that he stabbed at the air in her direction. The second held a spear. He thrust it and skewered her hand, causing her to drop her club.
Spicy picked up a rock and threw it at the man carrying the torch. The glancing blow surprised the man and got him to turn to face him.
Hog lunged and smashed the man down into the dirt with the flat of one giant hand, sending the torch spiraling away. The soldier with the spear drove it into her side. She grunted as she pressed down and crushed the torchbearer. Spicy ran forward and tackled the man with the spear, not quite bringing him to the ground. They struggled for a moment. The man released his weapon and clamped his hands on Spicy’s arms, prying the goblin free.
Spicy bit a wrist.
The man yelped and let go and shoved him away. Spicy scrambled back past several flattened soldiers. The disarmed spearman appeared to be the cook. He wore a stained apron. From his belt he drew a thick knife that looked like what Spicy’s mother would have him use to chop vegetables.
Spicy’s eyes were locked on the weapon. But there was motion behind the man. Spicy pointed. The cook turned as Hog was pulling the spear free from her side. Blood oozed from the wound.
“Human smell makes Hog sick,” she said.
The cook just stood there trembling as Hog reared up and towered over him.
“Hog, wait,” Spicy said. “Human, if you want to save your life, tell us where the goblin children are.”
“I…I…what?” the man asked.
Hog squashed him with a two-fisted haymaker. When his legs continued to spasm, she drove a fist down on his head. The cook stopped moving.
“Hog! I needed to ask him questions.”
She considered the lump of flattened soldier. “So ask.”
Spicy moved through the other men Hog had struck down. A few continued to twitch. None appeared conscious. Looking at the carnage made Spicy’s stomach go queasy. But the two prisoners remained alive.
Hog was busy probing the spear wound with a thick fingernail. She made a cooing noise with each prod.
Spicy took the butcher’s knife from the cook and began cutting the ropes from the prisoners.
“It’s okay,” he said. “The troll won’t hurt you. She’s with me.”
Spicy recognized the man as one of Lord’s raiders. His eyes were filled with terror as he watched the troll. His lips moved but no sound was coming out. The man looked young, with naked cheeks and chin, perhaps no older than his mid-teens.
“Hog, promise the human you won’t hurt him.”
Hog grunted.
“See?” Spicy said.
The man rubbed his wrists. Spicy worked to free the goblin.
“Now tell me what happened with the goblin children.”
The man bolted. Hog just watched him flee. The man let out a wild laugh as he ran. But before he could get beyond the glow of the fire, another shadow darted at him, large and fast as a snake. A claw tore the man down with a single swipe. The man gurgled as the dragon wiped his talons clean.
Fath snorted and slunk towards the campfire. “Are you finished yet?”
“No, Fath,” Spicy said. “We needed to talk to him. Talk.”
“You don’t give orders, child.”
The dragon was eyeing the goblin slave. Spicy moved to block his path.
Fath lowered his head towards them both and let out a snort that reeked of sulfur. The freed slave grabbed Spicy and hid behind him.
“Move, apprentice.”
Spicy shook his head. “This goblin poses no threat. And I need to ask him more questions. Remember, Fath, you said it yourself. We need a better map if we’re to go as far south as you desire. We also need to know where humans live so we can avoid them.”
A low bass growl sounded deep in the dragon’s throat.
“I know you didn’t forget,” Spicy said. “I didn’t mean to imply that you did. But this is important. No map means we have trouble. More men. More weapons. Maybe men with bombs like before.”
“You used my name in front of this low creature.”
“I’m sorry. But not your full name. I recognize it and keep it dear. In my heart.” He offered a bow, uncertain of how deep he had to lower his head as he had seen his sister do. The creature still made him nervous.
The dragon scratched at the ground as he deliberated. Hog had come up behind him, the tree club once again in her hand. Spicy gestured for her to back off. A long moment passed in which he believed they all were going to die in a spectacular display of steam and bone-crunching violence. But the dragon turned and slithered away.
“Find the map,” Fath said before he vanished.
The slave clung to Spicy. The embrace was difficult to break. Spicy managed to free himself only when Hog moved away too.
“You’re going to be okay,” Spicy said. “I promise. Now tell me about the goblin children.”
Chapter Two
Alma hung from the edge of the rock precipice by the strap of her quiver. As she returned to consciousness, her feet could find no purchase. Beneath her, the drop was high enough to end her life several times over. Above her, a blanket of clouds lay across the setting moon.
A flood of questions rose inside her head, but she dismissed them all. The wheres and whys could wait. The what was all that mattered. Surviving to the next moment was her sole focus.
The Goblin Reign Boxed Set Page 20
