Chapter 35 #2
“Welcome to the Underway of Goblin Town.” The man took a seat, his eyes searching us all from head to toe. “So, you are searching the Faerie Water,” he stated, his eyes focusing now on Xavier.
“Why? Tell us Xavier, my prince…why do you think the Faerie Water is even worth risking your life?”
Xavier’s eyes narrowed… he knew the goblin man was playing with him.
“None of your business. What is your price?” he asked, gripping my hand even tighter.
The goblin man started laughing, as if Xavier had said something very funny.
“I don’t care for money, nor do I care for secrets or names. I want to play a game.”
“A game?”
The man nodded, taking out a small bottle covered in dust, and a snowy liquid inside. Was this the Faerie Water?
“How about I tell you one riddle, and you’re going to guess the name of the story,” he suggested, his gaze wandering around.
“What story?” Xavier asked.
“A fairytale, obviously. My favorite kind,” the goblin man replied with a malicious smirk.
“Who is going to give you the reply?” Sparrow asked.
“I’m very friendly and welcoming, Sparrow. You are obviously surrounded by many friends here who could indeed help. But it is your brother that wants something. He needs the Faerie Water, so he is the one who’s going to give me the answer.”
“Okay, tell me the riddle…” Xavier said.
“Petal’s sleep and rivers freeze, once full of bloom and life, now stripped of ease.
Magic swirls, the land decays, her people plead, the blossom sways.
So, she had no choice but to bind herself to ash and bone, a place of shadows and darkness.
To whom does she turn in silent plea to set her kingdom free?
What bond must never come and was never allowed to be? ”
“Sounds like a kitschy love story,” Sparrow muttered. Nathaniel hushed him, and to my surprise Sparrow listened, keeping his mouth shut.
My gaze wandered over to Xavier, seeing how much he was thinking about it.
“I’ve never heard of this story…” Xavier stated angrily, grabbing my hand and stroking over my knuckles. “Something is foul.” His red gaze pointed at the goblin man.
“Well… I never said it is a well-known fairytale. Maybe it is a secret about them I decided to share,” the goblin man replied, chuckling.
In a matter of seconds, Xavier let go of my hand, grabbing the man by his throat and yanking his head back.
“Do you think we are stupid or something?”
The goblin’s man eyes widened at Xavier. He didn’t think any of us could answer it, so he indeed tried to play tricks on us.
But then, something rattled in my head, almost like all the pieces came together in my head.
Petal’s sleep and rivers freeze meant nature was drifting away, almost dying. And the queen had decided to save her kingdom… the man bound to shadow and decay. And their love was never meant to be.
It sounded so much like the story from my childhood, the one which had always made me feel safe and warm, where the Faerie Queen of the Spring Lands was forced to either choose him or her people.
“Do you know the story?” I reached out to Xavier over our mind connection.
He didn’t reply, but I knew he listened to me. His gaze was trailing over me, the green of his beautiful eyes slightly taking over again.
“I think I might know it, but I’m not sure.”
“Tell me, my love.” His voice was breaking in my mind, fragile.
“It sounds like my childhood book. The title was ‘The Last Tale of the Spring Lands.’ The story told about a forbidden relationship between a Faerie Queen and a magical wizard. It deals with the type of relationship he described. But I’m not sure. I could be wrong.”
Xavier rasped.
“So, did the vampire prince come to a conclusion or does he want to leave without the Faerie Water?”
“What about the “The Last Tale of the Spring Lands?”
The goblin man’s smile vanished immediately… he began to stutter.
“How… how is that possible?” His eyes drifted back between me and Xavier, and then they stopped at me, his gaze calculating.
“You know, for a human… she smells like magic,” he murmured, sniffing my hair again. “The kind of magic which is older than our town, and older than all of you together.”
Before he inspected me closer, Xavier threw him on the ground and Sparrow took the Faerie Water from his hand.
“You know you made a deal and you better not smell again what is mine, if you want to keep your nose,” Xavier warned.
“Right.” His voice hesitating, almost as if he was buying time. “But how about another riddle?” he suggested. “For a hair strand of your beautiful mate?”
“Before you’ll touch her, I use my shadows to slice off your fucking hands. We’ll leave now,” Xavier stated, gripping me tightly.
“Hmmm,” the goblin man chuckles amused. “I see, you’re very possessive of her. Who can blame you? She’s smelling sweet.”
With one movement, Xavier’s shadows began manifesting, as he used them to attach the man’s hand and ankles to the chair.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“If you are not going to listen to me, and the laws of your land forbid me to kill you… then at least you’re rotting here.”
Sparrow chuckled, looking over to Xavier.
“Good shot, brother.” He looked at the little bottle in his hand, studying it.
“I can’t believe Seth wants that for Lydia… and he didn’t even say what purpose the Water has…” His voice low, his gaze drifting toward the goblin man.
“It has healing properties,” the man explained quickly. “And in the hands of the right people it gives wisdom and knowledge.”
“This small liquid, really?” Sparrow asked, continuing to regard it like a strange curiosity. “We will go to Seth now. He said he’ll meet us at Carnivalland’s Veil. Are you coming with us?”
Xavier shook his head. “No, I’m not keen on meeting Seth again,” he said, taking my hand and giving his brother a nod.
We left the Underway of the Goblin Market and suddenly found ourselves back in the tailor shop. It was so strange to see the stacked gowns and fabrics knowing there was a whole world of other things hiding behind the curtains.
“Why don’t you want to be there as well?” I asked, my fingertips brushing over his.
Xavier seemed conflicted; his eyes closed as he pressed a kiss on my face.
“You’re my priority. Your wellbeing, and nothing else.
” He grazed the tip of my knuckles in tender movements.
“I’m also trusting Sparrow,” he added, finally meeting my gaze.
“It is only going to be a formal performance with Seth, and I know my brother is really good at putting on a show.” His response made me smile, imagining Sparrow charming even the cold and brooding Seth.
I couldn’t believe he was mated to Lydia.
She seemed bubbly compared to Seth, almost the complete opposite of him.
As my gaze drifted over Xavier, I perceived how different he was from me.
Where he reacted strongly, I was soft, where he was ice, I was fire.
Maybe opposites didn’t just attract, but also balanced each other.
As Xavier and I both left the tailor shop, my stomach rumbled loudly.
“It looks like we should get you some food before we leave,” he commented, amused.
“I thought you’d want to leave as soon as we got the Faerie Water.”
“Yes, but your body needs rest and some food, and I’m not allowing you to feel hungry any longer than necessary,” he replied, his tone serious, as he looked around for a place to eat.
I followed his gaze, until my gaze kept halting at a shield saying, “Market Hall Bakery.”
“What about cake?” I asked, smiling.
He smiled and shook his head.
“Cake? Well… if you want cake, then this is what you’ll get my love.” Xavier chuckled, taking my hand in his to lead us to the Bakery which was right in the center of the main street, surrounded by rose bushes and twinkling lights. Every table even had a small umbrella, to ensure privacy.
As we sat, a man with light ginger hair and blue eyes came up to us, greeting us friendly.
“Oh, meeting a woman with my hair color is very rare and so nice. It is a pleasure to meet you, I’m Ben,” he said and shook my hand.
“Gwendolyn,” I replied with a matching smile. “It is nice to meet you too.”
In front of me, I heard a loud rasp, Xavier was clearing his throat like he hadn’t had a drink in way too long. It looked like my vampire was thirsty.
“Oh, and that’s Xavier,” I said, gesturing toward my brooding possessive shadow.
“Her man,” he added flatly, grabbing my thigh firmly under the table.
“Oh, you are the prince of King Vad and she is your… I had no idea. I’m so sorry for talking to her…” Ben replied anxiously before he quickly ran away, like a dragon spat fire at the table.
I stared at Xavier, bewildered by his behavior toward Ben. What was that?
“Why weren’t you nice to him, he only said hello to take our order,” I pointed out.
“He didn’t need to flirt with you to take some order.” Xavier’s gaze seemed impenetrable right now.
I shook my head, before I could argue with him any further, an older woman came to the table.
“It’s so nice to meet you prince Xavier and your beautiful wife, I assume… We are so sorry. Ben is new here and we hadn’t had the time to introduce him to the basic formalities.” Her words were careful, too careful. It was like she was almost afraid Xavier could bite.
“There is no need to apologize,” I stated. “He just greeted me, that’s all. Nothing more.” I could feel Xavier’s gaze on me, heavy and burning. But I didn’t want Ben to lose his job because of the temperament of my broody vampire mate.
“And I’m also not his wife,” I added with a sweet smile. Not because I didn’t like the idea, I actually liked it more than I was willing to admit. But Xavier really deserved a little teasing.
His gaze snapped to me; his eyes still green but I knew he tried holding himself back in front of her.
“Yes, of course my lady. But as an excuse we’d still love to serve any drinks and food you want,” she replied with a smile.