Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
Meg
I chatter happily with my husband as we walk through
the village toward the caves where the goblins are based. I smile up at Cian
and realize I really do think of him as my husband. It isn’t merely a title
someone stamped on us. We’re married. When had that happened?
The last week has been a revelation. I’ve begun to fit into
village life. I’m not delusional. I know I’m not the best cook in the world. My
poor husband is suffering as I learn, but I’m not about to give up. The cottage
has rapidly become my domain. Cian convinced me to stay there while Beck is
gone. There are many daily tasks that require a resident.
It was a smart play on his part. I wasn’t able to hold
myself apart. I find myself rearranging the furniture and reorganizing things
to suit me. I found yards of gauzy fabric in a trunk in the closet and
fashioned some pretty curtains with Flanna’s aid. I weeded the front
flowerbeds. The gnomes were happy to give me bulbs to plant.
I’ve even becoming fond of the chickens. It makes it almost
impossible to eat them. I’ve become fond of all the animals. I learned to milk
the cows and how to brush Sweeney’s mane. I didn’t let Cian kill the rooster.
The rooster only crows about half the time. Cian’s cock is a much better judge
of when dawn is here. It presses against me every morning as the sun rises,
seeking relief.
It hasn’t found any, yet.
That will change soon. I can’t deny him much longer. I don’t
want to. I dream about him at night, Cian and his brother. As wonderful as Cian
is, I’m still heartbroken over Beck. I miss him, but I need to move on with
Cian. He doesn’t know it yet, but I intend to do that tonight.
We become quiet as we trudge through the forest toward the
caves. I feel Cian’s hand squeeze mine as he helps me over a puddle.
Beck’s been sending letters. They began arriving the day
after he left. They popped up on the vampire computer, but each was written in
his own careful hand. Beck’s writing is like everything else about him,
carefully controlled and wholly masculine. There are two every day, one
addressed to Cian and the other to me.
I refused to read the first one. Cian read his aloud and
then dictated his response. The brothers ask about each other’s health and the
status of their endeavors. Beck inquires about the farm and the village, while
Cian asks about the job Beck is doing.
I remain silent.
I’m going to have to deal with Beck eventually. I don’t
understand him at all. Beck left me behind, but then writes to me every day.
The day before, I broke down and read one of his letters. It was full of him
saying he misses me and wants to make up for the way he treated me. He promises
to come home soon with gifts. He promises me a life of comfort.
The trouble is I don’t want that life. I’m enjoying the one
I found. I feel a great sense of belonging and accomplishment when I think
about the changes I made to the cottage. I’m bonding with the villagers and
rapidly becoming important to them. Cian seems to need me as well.
I have no intention of allowing Beck to hire a woman to do
my work. Although, if he proves as insensitive as he was before, he might have
to pay someone to sleep with him.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Cian’s whole body is
tense.
I smile sweetly at him. I don’t have high hopes that Cian
will be able to truly top me when it comes to sex. He’s far too indulgent. He’s
nothing like his brother. Beck would have ordered me to stay away from the
goblins. If I disobeyed, he probably would have locked me away. Cian followed
even though it’s obvious he’s reluctant.
“Yes.” I don’t feel a bit of the trepidation Cian is
experiencing. I’ve met vampires and faeries and trolls and those rude dwarves.
How bad can goblins be?
“Aye,” comes a deep voice. “I thought I smelled something
tasty coming this way.”
Holy crap. What the hell is that?
I’ve only briefly seen goblins in the arena, but they’re
different up close. This one is as tall as I am, though it has to outweigh me
by a hundred pounds. Like the little brownies who are so helpful, the goblin
has a head of scraggly, wiry hair. This one’s hair is black, and his leathery
skin has a distinctly green cast to it. His eyes are large as though he spends
most of his time in the darkness. They’re pitch black and seem a little dead,
reminding me of a snake’s eyes. His mouth is the largest feature on his
triangular face. It’s filled with razor-sharp teeth. He wears only a small
animal skin around his waist, and I find myself very grateful for the attempt
at modesty.
“I love to eat sidhe,” the goblin grumbles, the
words tangling around his teeth. He scents the air with the holes in the middle
of his face that seem to pass for nostrils. “And something else. You aren’t sidhe,
girl.”
Cian tries to pull me behind him, but it seems like running.
I read an awful lot, and running is a good way to get oneself chased down and
eaten by a predator. There are times when boldness is called for. If I’m the
queen, then I should start acting like one. And maybe Beck’s name will come in
handy. Everyone seems to be afraid of him.
“I’m human, goblin,” I say, keeping my voice steady. “And
I’m Beckett and Cian Finn’s wife.”
The goblin does not look impressed. “So the boys finally
found a mate, did they? I’m sure my king will be interested in that bit of
news. Unfortunately for you, you brought the wrong brother to our camp, little
girl. If you’re going to greet the goblins, you should have brought the warrior
with you. As it is, I’ll tell my king all about the brothers getting married
and then me eating one of them.”
He looks ready to do it, too. His clawed hands twitch
dangerously.
“I want you to run,” Cian whispers into my ear. “Run and
don’t look back.”
He’s so dramatic. The goblin, on the other hand, is a big
old bully. It’s time to gamble a little. I walk straight up to the goblin and
use my thumb and middle finger to thwack him on his sensitive-looking
nostrils. According to many a nature documentary, it works on sharks. The
goblin howls and takes two steps back.
“There. Now we’re starting to understand each other.” I look
at the small flask on his hip. “Is that what I think it is?”
The goblin pulls the flask out. He holds it in one hand as
he protects his nose with the other. He isn’t so scary now. “It is mine. You
would not like it. Sidhe do not like our liquors.”
I stalk the goblin because I am so close to getting one of
the things I want more than my next breath. “I told you before, I’m not sidhe.”
With a curious expression, he hands me the flask. “It is
strong, I warn you.”
I wipe the rim with the towel I placed on the basket of
cookies. I can’t be sure, but I suspect goblins are probably not the most
hygienic of creatures. It doesn’t matter once that smell hits me. Heavenly
coffee. It’s still warm. I tip the flask and drink it down in one long gulp. It
isn’t even as strong as an espresso.
“Strong, my ass,” I say with genuine relief. This is a piece
of home I’ve missed. “It isn’t strong, goblin, but it will do. I’m going to
need more. Take me to your leader or whoever the hell can negotiate a trade
agreement.”
The goblin’s face approximates a version of friendly. He
still looks like he wants to eat me, but he’s obviously impressed as well. He
looks at Cian, who is openly gaping my way. “Have the Seelies finally found a
decent queen?”
Cian walks forward and takes my hand once more. “Remember
that she is the queen.”
The goblin scratches his belly and gestures around the
forest. “I don’t think she’s the queen of much yet, sidhe.”
“She is my wife and my brother’s wife.” Cian seems much
surer now. “That is all that matters. Beckett Finn might have lost his throne,
but he did not lose his sword. Remember that, unless you want to feel it in
your back when he avenges her.”
But I’m feeling very sure now. I walk up to the goblin.
“Beck won’t need to avenge me, Ci. Goblin Boy and I have an understanding.
Don’t we?”
The goblin bows, but only slightly. “Yes, Your Highness. I
have come to realize you are insane and vicious, and you can handle your
liquor. I respect that. Come. The chief will be interested in meeting you.”
Cian’s hand tightens around mine. He leans over to whisper
in my ear. “He’s right about the insane part, my lover. I hope goblins like
cookies or you might find yourself being eaten as a snack.”
I lean back to my nervous hubby. It’s time to give him a
reason to believe we’ll survive this experience. “Ci, I’m saying yes tonight.”
He gives me a short, hard kiss and then pulls me along to
follow the goblin. “Let’s get this over with, then. Tonight starts early, my
lover, and I promise I’m the only thing eating you this day.” The goblin looks
back at us. Cian’s face becomes gorgeously arrogant. “Lead on. I want to get
this over with. I’ve got better things to do with my day.”