Chapter 8
8
“You’re sixty years old?” I balked.
The blue goblin in front of me straightened its spine with pride. “Just a child, among goblins.”
I shook my head. Goblins were so weird. “And how old is Mr. Fussypants?”
The goblin, Ringo, I had learned was his name, cowered as if Mistral might overhear. “Cannot say, mistress. Older than I, at least.”
I leaned back against the wall again. I had done what I could to get out of the cell, which was basically nothing. My abilities weren’t enough to pass through iron bars, because I could only shift partially into other realms. I could evade someone’s grip, or pass over magical boundaries, but that was about it.
I looked at my now useless watch. Hopefully the water had just killed the battery, or I was going to be pissed. Either way, I couldn’t call Braxton, or anyone. The only way I was getting out of here was when the goblins decided to let me out.
Ringo and I both went still as the door creaked open again. I watched expectantly for Mistral to come into view, but it was only the goblin who captured me. He stepped to the front of my cell, then silently slid a plate of food through the grate in the bottom near the floor. It was roast beef and mashed potatoes.
He straightened to his full impressive height, looking down at me. “I’m told humans like these sort of foods, though I don’t know why we are feeding a spy.” He turned to walk away.
“I’m not a spy!” I called after him.
He stopped walking halfway toward the unseen door, but he simply shook his head, then kept walking. The door creaked shut.
I looked over at the plate of food as my stomach growled. “What are the chances that food is poisoned?”
Ringo hopped toward the food, raising his head high and low, observing it. “If they wanted to kill you, you would already be dead, mistress.” He looked back at me.
“Okay, so what are the chances that there’s some sort of magical compulsion in the food? Something to make me spill all my deepest truths?”
He lowered his head again. “Very likely, mistress. Very likely.”
I used the toe of my boot to push the food back toward the gap it had slid through.
Ringo watched me for a moment, then rushed toward the plate before it could make its exit. He buried his face in the mashed potatoes.
I lifted a brow at him, though he wasn’t paying enough attention to see it. “Aren’t you afraid of any enchantments?”
He looked back at me with gravy all over his mouth. “I’ve got no secrets to keep, mistress. And those trolls caught me before breakfast.”
Shaking my head, I sat back to watch him eat.
I wasn’t sure if Sebastian even planned on paying me my normal fee, but for this, he would most certainly be paying me double.
Ringo snored in my lap. I sensed it was sometime around midnight, but with no windows, I couldn’t tell for sure. I absentmindedly pet Ringo’s soft fur, wishing for a blanket, and a meal. And a very large glass of wine.
I barely reacted when the door creaked open once again. And once again, my original captor came to stand before me on the other side of the bars. Gods, he was huge. One of those big hands pulled a key out of his pocket, unlocked the cell door, then he lowered his chin expectantly.
Really having to go pee, I didn’t ask questions. I scooped up Ringo and hurried toward the cell door as he swung it open for me.
The big goblin gripped my arm, making me wince, then tugged me toward the previously unseen door. Now that I could see it, I could also see that it led to a steep stone stairway.
He tugged me toward the stairs, then motioned for me to go up ahead of him.
Clenching my bladder as best I could, I once again didn’t ask questions. I hurried up the stairs with him stomping up behind me. I had a momentary relief when I reached the landing without wetting myself, but when I turned the corner there were more stairs.
We continued going up. And up. I realized my prison was at the base of a tower. Probably somewhere deep within the Citadel. My legs burned with exertion by the time we reached the final landing, then the goblin grabbed my arm again and dragged me down a long stone hallway. More burning sconces lit the walls, illuminating the longest crimson runner rug I had ever seen.
He stopped us in front of a gleaming wooden door, which he opened, then shoved me inside.
Still trying not to wet myself, I took in the new space. There was a circular table with three chairs near a high arched window in the stone wall. Plush ornamental carpets covered much of the floor, leading over to a massive stone fireplace. Before the fireplace were two cushy burgundy chairs. I could just make out the outline of someone sitting in one of the chairs with his back to us. Since I had only seen two goblins since my arrival, I imagined it was Mr. Fussypants waiting for me.
“You will sit and behave yourself,” the goblin still gripping my arm ordered.
Ringo finally stirred, waking with a dramatic yawn. As soon as he realized where we were, his eyes flew wide.
“Okay, but I really have to pee. If you want me to behave myself, that’s going to have to happen first.”
He gave me a disgusted look, then his eyes darted toward the figure by the fire. I looked over to see a single finger raised.
My escort frowned, then shoved me toward an adjoining doorway. He opened the door, swinging it against the interior wall.
I glanced inside to see a full proper bathroom, toilet included. I hadn’t been sure what I would find in such a medieval feeling place.
I started to walk inside, then the large goblin grabbed my arm again and used his other hand to snatch Ringo away. At my wide-eyed look, he simply said, “Collateral.”
Ringo trembled in his grip, and I tried to snatch him back. “He’s scared. And what am I going to do? Go out the window?”
“You’re going to hurry ,” he said pointedly, dangling Ringo by the scruff of his neck.
And he was right, unless I wanted to pee my pants. I gave Ringo an encouraging look, then hurried into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me.
Once I had made use of the gleaming modern toilet, I took a quick look around at the clawfoot tub and the pedestal sink. There was nothing of use to me in either of them, so I looked out the narrow window to see we were very high up. And considering I could see only night-darkened greenery beyond, we weren’t facing the city. When I looked out to the east, I could see the outline of other structures within the Citadel, far enough away that no one would hear me scream—which I hoped wasn’t on the agenda for the night.
With nothing else to do, and Ringo waiting for me, I washed my hands then went back into the sitting room.
The big goblin was still waiting right outside the door, still dangling Ringo.
I reached out for the little goblin, but he pulled him away from me. Ringo let out a little shriek. “Cooperate, and you’ll get him back,” the freakishly large goblin calmly stated.
I kept my hands extended. “He’s scared . I’m obviously not going anywhere.”
“Give her the goblin, Gabriel,” Mistral said tiredly from his seat by the fire.
The other goblin, Gabriel, didn’t seem happy about it, but he handed Ringo over. He curled up in my arms, still trembling.
I glanced toward the empty seat by the fire, wondering if it was for me.
His eyes dark with irritation, Gabriel gave me a less than encouraging nod.
Wondering what the whole show was about, I approached the fire. “I didn’t eat your enchanted food, so if you’re hoping I’ll spill my guts, you have another thing coming.”
Mistral looked up at me as I neared. “The food wasn’t enchanted.” If it was at all possible, he sounded even more tired and annoyed. “I simply needed time to gather information on your true identity.”
I watched his expression for any hint of a lie—not that I would really be able to tell in a being so ancient—but I didn’t see anything there. Still hesitant, I sat. “So you know I’m not a spy?“
He leaned back against his seat, looking at the fire. Every movement of his was a dance, making him seem not entirely real . “I wouldn’t go that far.”
Gods, he was gorgeous with the orange glow of the fire on him. It made him seem a little less cold than before.
He turned those sharp gray eyes on me and I had to retract the thought. “As far as I can tell, you are a simple night runner, so why did Sebastian send you?”
“You know him?”
He frowned. “Everyone does, unfortunately. Why did he choose you to come here?”
I shrugged, still holding little Ringo. “Convenience, I guess. He couldn’t very well come here himself. ”
He scrutinized me. “No, there must be more to it than that. And so, I would like to offer you a bargain.”
“No more bargains,” I groaned. I leaned back, setting Ringo in my lap now that he seemed more calm. I really shouldn’t be getting so comfortable, but my bones were achy from being wet and cold, and the fire felt divine.
“Do you want your information about Celeste, or not?”
I perked up at that. If I could get the information, I’d be one step closer to getting escaping my bargain with Sebastian. Of course, if I entered a bargain with Mistral instead, was I really any better off?
“I have information about Celeste’s location,” he continued. “You can go back and speak it to your master. Fulfill your bargain with him.”
I let my suspicion show in my expression. “Yeah, but at what cost?”
He smiled. “I want you to report back to me on his actions. I would like to know what he plans to do when he finds Celeste.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t think he’s going to tell me that. I don’t even know why he wants her, or who she is.” I thought about it, then added, “All he mentioned was a debt.”
Mistral flashed his perfect white teeth in what could hardly be considered a smile. “Trust me, he will not let you go as easily as you believe. You have time to learn many things from him, and in return, I will help you fulfill your bargain.”
I crossed my arms. “Or maybe I should just accept my fate. If Sebastian won’t let me go easily, then I don’t see what you can do about it. I don’t need any new bargains from you .”
He steepled his fingers and smiled. “You are still my prisoner. And your devil cannot reach you here.” He tilted his head, making the white strands of his silken hair catch the firelight. “In fact, it could be your way of escaping him. Perhaps in keeping you here with me forever, I’ll be helping you.”
I glowered. “Yeah, no thanks.”
“You find our presence so distasteful?” His eyes lowered to Ringo huddled in my lap. “Or perhaps you just prefer us with fur ?”
My cheeks burned. “Dude, you’re very appealing. I’m not trying to insult you, but I have my own life to get back to.”
Gabriel snorted from his post near the door.
Mistral stood, and I stood reflexively, scooping up Ringo. Mistral stepped closer, and I took a step back, bumping against my chair. The fire suddenly felt a little too hot.
Mistral loomed even closer. He was a good head taller than me, and I had a feeling he could move too fast for me to follow. Goblins were like that, with their own peculiar form of magic. They excelled at sleights of hand and tricks of the eye .
He stepped even closer, practically pressing the little goblin between us, then leaned his face near mine.
My heart pounded. Either he was going to kill me, or kiss me. I honestly had no idea which. With how close he was to my face, I was starting to wonder about the latter.
“What if I told you I could give you information on your mother?”
My heart skipped a beat. “How do you know about that?”
“I told you, I needed time to gather information. One of the investigators you hired is part goblin.” He produced my wallet out of nowhere. The bastard must have pawed through it to find my ID.
My jaw fell open. “What about client confidentiality?”
He smiled with his mouth perilously close to mine. “Lesser goblins answer to me. There is no other choice. “
My throat tightened enough that it was hard to speak. “So you know I’m looking for my mom. So what?”
“I imagine she is the one you received your celestial blood from?”
I simply glared at him.
“Goblins will not manipulate events to threaten your life to gain a bargain,” he continued. “We will simply offer you something too good to refuse.”
I tried to look brave, but I was pretty sure I failed. “ You know the devil offered me that too. He offered to help me find her. And I refused him.”
“The devil doesn’t actually have the information. I do.” He smiled.
I licked my lips. He was still standing so close, and the other goblin had gone entirely silent, watching us. “And all you want me to do is tell you anything I learn from Sebastian?”
“That’s all.” His tone was light, but I had the feeling the information was more important to him than he was letting on.
“So I give you the information, and then you give me information about my mother? Information I don’t already know?”
“And I will set you free. And help you fulfill your bargain to the devil.”
I looked down at the goblin in my arms. “Is he trying to trick me?”
Ringo blinked up at me, obviously horrified that I had brought him into the conversation. “No, mistress. The terms are clear.“
I thought about it. I didn’t owe any allegiance to Sebastian, and really, I was pretty pissed at him for sending me here to begin with. So I could get some revenge and information on my mother. I had no reason to keep Sebastian’s secrets, and it wasn’t like Mistral was asking for any of my own…
I held Ringo with one arm and reached out my hand .
Mistral took my hand, smoothing one long finger across the inside of my wrist until I shivered. “Oh no, dear mortal. That is not how high goblins seal bargains.”
He used his grip on my wrist to pull me close, once again pressing Ringo between us. I stood like a deer in the headlights as his lips found mine.
Heat surged through my body. He tasted like the smell right after it rains, including the electric, hair-raising energy. My blood pounded through my body like angry ocean waves.
His lips remained on mine for a moment, then he pulled away, leaving me with an aftertaste of earth and vanilla.
“See her out to the border.” He turned back toward the fire, then glanced at me. “I’ll send for you when I’m ready.”
My cheeks were on fire and I felt so breathless I could barely speak. “What about my information on Celeste?”
He looked tired again. “She is not in this realm. That’s all I know.”
I blinked at him. That was hardly useful information. I opened my mouth to argue, but Gabriel grabbed my arm, dragging me toward the door. “Hey!” I shouted, but he was already shutting the door behind us.
He kept hold of my arm to continue escorting me out. I felt something heavy in my coat pocket, and reached my free hand in to find my wallet.
At least he wasn’t keeping my money and ID. I was royally pissed, but couldn’t help lifting a finger to my still tingling lips as Gabriel tugged me and Ringo down the hall.
I had never experienced a kiss that quite literally left me breathless, and I never thought I’d end up actually attracted to a goblin. But then again, I had never met a high goblin . They had a tendency to stay within their Citadel. And now, despite my preservation instincts, I was almost looking forward to a return visit.