27. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Calista
W hen the bell tolled four, I made my way back to the castle. Even though I dreaded the formalities of the coming dinner with Astaroth, my stomach screamed for nourishment after going without for days. I couldn’t wait to eat the pizza Ziggy promised me when I went down for my late breakfast. He declared it would be the best pizza I’d ever had. While in my toxin-induced coma, he had prepared pizza every night, trying new toppings to wow me as he said he would. I prayed none of them got me high.
Since I had no issues leaving the grounds, I wasn’t worried about returning. The guards in the sentry tower chattered away about something, not paying any attention. Why Astaroth had guards was another question to add to my ever-growing list. All of the goblins seemed to either revere or fear him, and even if they didn’t, they weren’t strong enough to overcome him. There wasn’t one of them that could do magic that I’d encountered in the past and present.
I waltzed across the bridge with the toy I found tucked in my back pocket and covered by my shirt. I couldn’t leave it abandoned in the trash. Something about it spoke to me on a deeper level, and I felt responsible to give it new life. The empty bookshelf in my room would be the perfect spot for it, right next to the music box. A smile pulled at my lips, but it quickly vanished when two goblins jumped out in front of me, spears drawn.
I jumped back and subconsciously grabbed for the pendant that wasn’t there.
They eased and looked behind me. “Where is your guard, mistress?” the one with bushy eyebrows asked.
“She is busy.” Doing only God knew what. Probably out murdering things.
“Sire will not be happy.” The other one tisked. It whistled through the large gap in his teeth.
I rolled my eyes. “ Sire need not know.”
“His Highness commands it.” Bushy tapped the butt of his spear on the ground.
“I command you to keep your mouth shut, or we’ll all be in trouble.”
They looked at each other and shrugged, then parted to let me through. I passed them, chin held high, surprised that it worked. I added “sire” to my list of questions as I went inside the castle. I didn’t make it far.
“Where have you been?”
I sighed and turned on my toes. Jessandra crossed her arms and waited for me to answer.
“Walking the grounds.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Lie.”
“It is not!”
“Another lie.”
“I went to see Bobbins.”
Her brows shot up. “After what happened, you went back to the very spot you almost died. Alone .”
“Yeah,” I drew out. “When you say it like that it sounds—”
“Dimwitted. And irresponsible.” She looked at my chest. “Where is your necklace?”
“In a safe place.”
“The only safe place is with—”
“Astaroth,” I seethed. “Don’t remind me.”
“With you.” Jessandra dropped her arms as if they were too heavy to hold. “The importance of that stone… it must remain in your care at all times.”
“God forbid a goblin be granted a wish from the almighty genie. You’d think he’d enjoy it. It would be another debt owed to him, and he loves those.”
Her jaw ticked. “We all owe him a debt.”
“Of course you do.” I turned and walked down the hall.
“You do not understand,” she said, following me.
“No?” I spun around and threw my hands out to my side. “Enlighten me.”
“I can’t.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
She stared at me.
“That’s what I thought. I’m going to get ready for dinner.” I left her in the hall and went to my room. At this rate, I would get answers faster from Astaroth than I would from her or anyone else. I couldn’t trust he would tell me the complete truth, though. I didn’t trust any of them.
When I arrived at my room, all I wanted was to lie down before I prepared for dinner. But when I went to enter, I heard something crash against the floor. If Astaroth was in there throwing a fit because I left the castle, we were going to fight. The grain of the wood was rough against my ear as I held my breath and laid my head against it to listen. Was that shuffling, or was it my heartbeat whooshing in my ears? The knob felt like sandpaper in my grip as I worked up the courage to turn it.
One. Two. Three.
A thump sounded against the stones as I cracked it open. The edge of the door caught on something and refused to go farther. I sucked in a breath and stepped back when it twitched as if someone bumped it.
Leave, my brain screamed, but I couldn’t bring myself to move. I waited to see if it would happen again, straining my ears to hear even a minuscule movement. When I didn’t, I pushed harder against the door until it opened. My eyes widened. My entire room was in disarray. The closet door was open, items and clothes strewn about. My mattress hung off one side of the frame as if someone was searching for something under it. On the floor in front of the closet sat my jewelry box, open and upside down, with jewelry scattered all over.
I glanced around the room and out at the balcony, but I saw no one.
“What the hell?” I mumbled.
“Uh.”
I stumbled backward, arms windmilling as I tripped over the mess on the floor when the mattress wobbled. A head popped up. One I would recognize anywhere.
“You!” I yelled as the tiny man pushed his redcap out of his surprised eyes.
He used the mattress as a shield. His gaze darted around the room for an escape.
“Who are you?” I demanded, skirting the room to the toppled over chair. The leg was broken and lying beside it. My fingers circled the stick of wood, and I kept it hidden behind me. “Why are you here?”
He regarded my neck and looked around the room. “I came to get what’s mine.”
“Yours?”
He huffed and raised up higher so I could see his entire face. “We made a deal, you and me.”
“We did no such thing. There were no words exchanged.”
With his face contorted in anger, he spat at the ground. “You killed what was mine. Therefore, I take what is yours. Deal is sealed.”
“I knew there was pixie in there!” I laughed at him and crept forward. “You tried to kill me. I’d say we are even.”
“I wants it!” He launched out from behind the mattress, a small axe in his hand. The chipped edges were coated in a dark, dry grime that matched the patches on his hat. “Give it to me!”
I pointed the swordlike tip of the chair leg at his chest to hold him back. His arms flailed as he attempted to strike me around the length, but he couldn’t reach.
The tip dug in when I pushed against him. “Stay back, troll!”
Laughter hissed from my side where the mountain of clothes lay on the floor. I jumped away when it started moving, the clothes flinging off the top of it. A flat, grey face with large eyes appeared. I did a doubletake, recognizing the goblin who dropped the shit pot.
“If I can’t have the necklace, I’ll take you in its place. I could earn a pretty penny for your pretty face.”
His bushy brow flicked up and a beat later my back hit the floor. Tiny goblins gripped my arms and legs, fighting to hold me down. They didn’t have to fight too hard with the exhaustion I battled from the lingering effects of the Bluebell dust. Saliva glistened their bloodhungry mouths as the redcap stepped between my legs and stared down at me. The blunt edge of the axe slapped against his empty, calloused palm. Dried red flakes floated over me with every tap.
Bending down, he licked a stained finger and ran the wet, offensive tip over my throat. “Would be for not to miss and mar your face.”
The air stalled in my lungs when I understood what he meant. He didn’t plan to kidnap me and sell me to the highest bidder. He planned to literally sell my face.
“Hold her tight.”
Shit Pot scurried to the top of my head and wrapped his arms around it, pulling my chin to tilt my head back. His rank breath puffed in my face with each giggle as the redcap moved around to stand at my shoulder. My pulse jostled the blade as it rested on the line he drew with his spit.
Eyes wild, he raised his weapon up, and I screamed through clenched teeth, “Wait!”
The axe held strong above his head.
“I’ll give it to you!” I panted.
The handle slid in his grasp until the head of the axe hit the top of his hand. A sleazy smile spread over his face.
“Where is it?” he preened.
“How stupid do you think I am?” I growled. “You get the necklace or my head. Not both.”
He rubbed his chin in deep thought then tugged his hat from his spotted, balding head. “I am in need of refreshment. So are my friends.” They crowed with enjoyment. “I may take you anyway then ransack the place until I find the charm.”
“Yes,” they bounced and sang.
Their hold loosened, and I sat up, throwing the goblin attached to my head at the redcap. He screeched and tumbled back as I sprang to my feet, kicking and punching out at the others. They ran to dodge me but gave chase as I bolted for the door a few feet away. It slammed shut in their faces when I yanked it closed. We played tug-o-war, the door swaying and banging with every pull.
The last thing I wanted to do was involve the one person—the one reason—they were here to begin with. If it meant saving my head from a band of bloodthirsty ankle biters, so be it. I’d gladly add another mark to the tally.
I glanced down the hall to Astaroth’s room. They had big balls to come here right next door to their king and steal something from him.
Astaroth’s room is warded!
If I could make it there, they couldn’t enter. But did that mean I couldn’t either without the pendant? It was worth a shot. I waited until they pulled and released the knob. The door swung inward, hitting several and knocking them down. I ran as fast as my tired legs would move, glancing over my shoulder as I went. The redcap was hot on my heels, axe raised ready to strike or throw. I hoped his aim was bad.
The door shook in the hinges as I threw myself against it and fumbled with the knob to get it open. It didn’t budge. “Please open,” I sobbed and slammed my shoulder into it when he neared.
“I’ve got you now!”
Murder gleamed in his eyes and in the drool coating his lips. His arm arched down, and the axe barely nipped my forearm as I jerked away. I raised my foot and kicked him square in the chest. The redcap hit the wall on the other side and bounced off onto the floor. Blood dripped from my wound, and I clasped my hand around it.
Shit Pot bounded toward us. “You’ll pay for that.”
I couldn’t take on all of them. I tried the door again, my hand slipping on the knob from the blood coating it. A tingle zipped through my palm before the door opened, and I fell inside. It slammed shut with zero resistance when I kicked it closed and crab walked backward. The knob jiggled, and I jumped up into a fighting stance. A second later, the ax busted through the wood. The knob fell to the floor when the door opened. The redcap stood on the other side, with the axe resting against his shoulder.
His triumphant smile turned into a sneer. “You can’t hide from me, dearie.”
My heart ratcheted as he crossed the threshold. Instantly, a blinding light filled the room, and a powerful force jettisoned me backward. My spine hit something hard, and I crumbled to my knees. Searing pain shot down my back and spots filled my vision. I pushed through it and raised my head to see where the redcap went. Instead, I saw a shadow spinning wildly in the air and Astaroth launching through it.