42. Zair
Zair
The Goblin Queen’s Fan Club
Coach called the forwards in for an extra practice session after our normal drills.
Hours of running, shooting, and sweating have left me exhausted and starving.
I finally head to the showers, my muscles sore from the grueling session.
Once I get dressed, I grab my phone, hoping to see a text from Thea.
GhostChat: Thorny Gossip
70 new messages.
What the hell happened?
I open the group chat and instantly see the flood of texts, but it’s not the usual chatter. The messages are coming in faster than I can read them, but I click on a picture as soon as I see it, Anita, on her knees, pulling on a goblin’s pants. Begging?
ElvenSass:
She literally said “Let me kiss your feet” I AM SCREAMING
CursedCrescent:
Wait WAIT—Anita literally on the floor crying over him?!
MysticTides:
SHE WAS RECITING LOVE POETRY. ABOUT HIS MEATBALLS.
Spella:
Okay, but seriously… has anyone seen Benson’s hands lately?
RuneWithIt:
No no no this school is unhinged I’m obsessed!
BeastlyEnchanter:
Honestly justice for goblins.
HexAppeal:
HOW IS THIS NOT AGAINST SCHOOL POLICY
WitchPlease:
Wait didn’t she say something about blue-haired babies?? ??
Spella:
Is it all goblins? Or just Benson? ?? Do you think she’ll be done with him soon?
ShiftyEyes:
I don’t believe it. Goblin or not, people are just making stuff up.
StarlightWarden:
I quote, ‘they don’t call him a human sandwich because he’s a pickle’
The messages keep flooding in, but I can’t continue, because I know exactly who calls Benson a human sandwich. A crushing weight settles in my chest, and I shove the phone into my pocket, resisting the urge to scream or growl.
Dylan lets out a low snarl from beside his locker.
“You reading the group chat?” I ask, turning to him.
His eyes have gone yellow. He’s close to shifting.
I grab him by the shoulder and steer him away from the nightblinds, out to the now-empty soccer pitch.
“What happened?” I ask, watching his tight, shallow breathing. He can’t talk past the canines, so he hands me his phone. A video message from HowlAboutThat is attached.
I hit play. And then I see red. Anita did not say that about goblins.
She knows the theory. We all do. That witches cursed goblins.
And she said it anyway. I can’t remember the last time I was this angry.
I’m so close to letting the monster out, my body shaking with the effort, and I’m not even sure why I’m fighting it.
I should rip her soul from her body. The rage rises in a roar that’s part scream, part snarl, and I throw my head back, letting it all out.
Dylan finally regains control, his chest heaving.
“That bitch,” he growls. “I’m surprised she wasn’t mauled in the cafeteria.”
“I think I know why,” I tell him, pulling up GhostChat again.
FangsForTheMemories:
This can’t be real. Thea cursed her???
CursedCrescent:
Anita is literally throwing herself at every goblin in sight.
StarlightWarden:
What was in that curse? Because I need it and also fear it
I hand Dylan my phone. It only takes a minute before his expression changes. He barks a laugh, the tension breaking. A video comes through, and we both lean in to watch.
Anita stumbles into frame, crawling on her knees toward a confused goblin. “Please,” she pants, “I want to lick your ears.”
And then she tries.
The goblin jerks back. “You’re disgusting.”
Anita freezes.
In the split second after he rejects her, her face changes. Her eyes go wide and suddenly clear — as if she’s waking up from a nightmare in real time. The horror hits her all at once, and she screams as the video cuts out.
Dylan recoils. “That’s definitely a curse.”
We both stand there for a second, stunned.
Then he shakes his head. “Thea doesn’t let people insult her friends, huh?”
We’re still both watching the phone as two more messages come in.
WitchPlease:
Okay but like… so Thea and Benson are fucking now??
BeastlyEnchanter:
Confirmed. She’s all over that goblin’s giant pickle.
We both stare. Dylan glances over, catching whatever must be written on my face. His grin fades.
“You alright, man?” No. I shrug, taking off toward the dining hall. “You know neither of them would do that to you. We all know you’re in love with her.”
“I’m not in love with her!” I snap.
“But you definitely like her a lot,” he presses, falling into step beside me. “Have you told her how you feel?”
I glance at him, hesitating. “I—I might have tried. Once.”
His eyebrows shoot up. “Wait, what? When?”
“Couple weeks ago,” I mutter, staring at the ground. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
“Clearly it was, or you wouldn’t look like you’re about to dig a hole and hide in it,” Dylan says. “What happened?”
I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. “I tried to kiss her, okay? She pulled away. Thought I was trying to hook up. It was a mess.”
“Were you?” he asks.
“No! I even told her I wanted to date her. I told her it was real for me.”
Dylan turns to study me, clearly surprised.
“I know,” I mutter, frustration creeping into my voice. “I’ve always said I don’t date witches. They’re manipulative. But she’s not like that. And I still blew it. I laid everything out there, and she just — she didn’t see it. Or didn’t believe me.”
“So she didn’t know you were going to kiss her?”
“That’s the thing. I don’t think she did.” I shake my head. “I moved her hair, looked her in the eyes. I thought she wanted it, but then she panicked when she realized that was what I was trying to do. I think she thought I was actually fixing her hair.”
“What?” He blinks. “You don’t think she’s… you know?”
“No, you’ve heard her dirty jokes. She’s clearly had some kind of sex.
But she couldn’t tell that I liked her. I’m so confused.
Every other girl thinks I’m proposing if I remember their name.
And the one girl I actually like doesn’t pick up any hints I’m dropping.
Hell, I literally spelled it out and she didn’t get it.
” I wipe my hand down my face. This has been eating at me and I’m glad to get it out.
“She said she has someone, but I think she was letting me down easy, because I’ve never seen her with anyone. ”
“Maybe she just needs time,” Dylan says as we walk.
“Why would she tell everyone she’s sleeping with Benson when she has a boyfriend?”
“Stop,” he cuts me off, voice serious. “If you want Thea, you’re going to have to act like all this.” He waves a hand. “Is nothing. Because this is her. Chaos and heart. If you want her heart, you’ve got to deal with her chaos.”
“Dammit, alright,” I agree as we approach the dining hall.
The chatter and laughter from one corner catches my attention, and I immediately recognize Thea’s laugh.
A grin pulls at my lips. Despite whatever has happened, I can’t wait to see her.
We grab our food quickly and head toward the noise.
Thea, Benson, and Mavrik are all piled into a booth.
He seems to be coming out of his shell lately, even looks more alive.
I slide in next to Thea, feeling a mix of comfort and something a little more.
“Seems like you were bored without us,” I tease. Thea reaches over and snags my fruit. I swat at her hand, but honestly, I ordered it because I knew she’d steal it.
“Yup, absolutely nothing of note happened,” Benson chimes in. His red face betrays him.
“Other than the entire campus calling you the goblin king?”
Thea leans in, grinning mischievously. “I think ‘goblin king’ has a nice ring to it,” she teases. “Maybe you should start a fan club.”
“Think you can give me a boost next?” Dylan jokes. “My fan club’s not nearly big enough.”
“I don’t know, does that dog tongue of yours do anything but yap?” Thea asks. Wiggling her eyebrows.
Dylan freezes for a second, a mock pout crossing his face. “Ouch, that stung, Thea. Here I thought we were friends.”
“Yap, yap, yap,” she says, her eyes glinting with trouble.
“Give it five minutes and a jar of honey, I’ll change your mind,” he tells her and the laughter lights up her face.
“My mom makes good honey-butter jam,” Mavrik says and my ribs twist as we laugh harder. Mavrik looks confused, then embarrassed as it dawns on him what he said.
It’s moments like these, with their teasing and playful jabs, that make everything feel right. It’s enough just being here with them, no expectations, no drama, just good friends. Dylan’s right, Thea is chaos and heart, and I wouldn’t want her any other way.
After a few minutes, I notice Thea has gone quiet. She’s staring at the bracelet we bought while shopping last week, her expression tight with debate. I watch as she drops the illusion of the fake bracelet and braces herself, trying to slip it on.
Without thinking, I offer her my hand. Her eyes jump to mine, quiet desperation there, but also resolve.
Wordlessly, she hands me the bracelet. I warm it between my hands first. I fasten it carefully, making sure nothing startles her, no cold metal against her skin.
I hold her hand steady as she takes deep breaths.
“You got this,” I whisper. I don’t know what the bracelet means exactly, but I know it’s tied to something she’s been battling since the moment we met.
And it doesn’t matter.
Whatever it is, whatever it costs, I’ll still be here. Even if all she ever needs from me is a steady hand. She breathes through it, her fingers curling slightly against mine.
Conversation eventually pulls her back in; however she doesn’t let go right away. I don’t move either, letting her take what she needs. When she’s ready, she gives my hand a small squeeze before letting go.
“Excuse me.” A young goblin approaches our table, his eyes locked on Thea. His hands are slightly trembling as he presents something. “I—I wanted to give you a token of my thanks.”
A quiet gasp escapes me. The goblins’ token is no small gesture; they’re a sacred tradition, a sign of deep respect and admiration.
Each token is meant to be something they value most, something they believe the recipient would cherish and appreciate.
And this… this is a huge deal. The goblin presents her with three options, two rings and a necklace.
Each one costing thousands of dollars. They glint under the lights.
Thea’s face is pale and her eyes flick to Benson. He gives a small nod, a silent assurance that she has to accept it. There’s no alternative. No way out. Her fingers twitch, unsure. I can see it in her eyes: the panic, discomfort and guilt.
The refusal to believe she deserves this kind of honor.
The goblin watches, eagerly waiting, his gaze expectant.
She can’t just reject him, it would be a grave insult, a mark of disrespect, not just to him, but to his entire clan.
And yet, Thea sits there, struggling under the weight of it.
Wanting to say no. Knowing she can’t. She thinks she’s unworthy. That’s the problem.
“Oh!” Thea blurts, her voice a little too loud as she scrambles for something to say. “That is an amazing pencil! Is that a Ticonderoga? Those are my favorites! How did you know that it would be what I treasure most?”
He looks confused, after a moment of hesitation his gaze softens. He pulls the pencil from his pocket and with that same gesture of reverence, he hands the pencil over to her.
“I will treasure it, Na Hearth.” She holds the pencil close to her chest, the correct response. The goblin watches her, his shoulders relaxing. I can see how difficult it had been for the goblin to part with his possessions, and she honored him by finding another path.
As word spreads, others follow suit. Soon there’s a line of goblins, each one eager to offer Thea a token of their thanks.
A pencil tucked in their pocket. And each time Thea chooses the pencil.
She treats each one with the same reverence and respect, as if each pencil she receives is a priceless jewel.
Maybe there’s nothing more she could want than a dozen pencils.
Once the line is finished, I walk Thea to her dorm. Before she can stop me, I pull her into a bone-crushing hug. I feel her stiffen for a second, caught off guard, but then her body relaxes against mine.
“Whenever I think you couldn’t impress me more,” I whisper, my voice rougher than I intend. “You do.”
Her body is warm against mine, and for a moment, I let myself hold her, feeling her heart beat.
She’s been so focused on hiding, on running from what she deserves, that she doesn’t see what I see: someone who’s worth everything.
The kind of person who can take a room full of goblins and turn their respect into something beautiful.
I kiss the top of her head and pull back slightly, just enough to look her in the eyes.
“The way you see the world, it’s incredible. And I’m so lucky to get to see it with you.”
Reluctantly, I let her go. I hope she believes me, even just a little.
“And just so you know…” My voice drops lower. “I still meant what I said. About wanting to date you.” I give her a small, crooked smile. “No pressure. I just… don’t want you to think it was some one-time thing I forgot about.”
She looks at me for a minute, before stepping in. She puts her hands on either side of my face and turns it, so I don’t get any ideas. And then gets on her tiptoes to press a kiss to my cheek.
“I know.” Her voice is quiet. “But I can’t.”
“Yeah, you said you have someone. But, I don’t mind sharing, as long as you don’t.” I wink at her and she giggles. The tension breaking.