He encircled me with his arms, his chest against mine, melding our bodies so close that I didn’t know where I began and he ended.
“What in Hag’s name are you two doing in my room?” Honour’s voice cut through my scrambled thoughts.
Pudge slowly pulled back, a dazed look on his face as he stared down at me. “Ivy,” he whispered.
“Pudge,” I answered, breathless. What more could I say? My body tingled from my toes to the tips of my ears. Tiny flutters took flight in my belly. Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I shifted my gaze to Honour. His eyes practically bulged out of his head, his mouth opened in a surprised O. “Um—Honour, please, please don’t say anything to anyone. If Father found out that Pudge and I—that we were found like this when I’m betrothed…”
Honour rubbed a hand across his face. “How long has this been going on? You two sneaking around?”
“A couple of months,” Pudge said, his hand clutching mine and giving it a squeeze.
“Damn it, Pudge, are you trying to get in trouble? If the king found out, or Archer, they’d have your head. I think you ought to stay in my room with me tonight. I’m not sure it’s a good idea for you two to be alone.”
“I— Yeah. That’s probably a good idea.” Pudge peered at me, and my insides stirred again.
There was no denying our connection now. I’d felt the heat between us. Had he?
For whatever reason, Honour never asked again why we were in his room in the first place, before it had obviously turned into an intimate kissing session. I hoped that Pudge could come up with a good enough excuse as I scurried back to our quarters, the Hag’s Crest hidden in my purse.
One thing was for sure: I’d think of Pudge long hours after this moment. My first kiss, although not how I expected it to happen, had been perfect. Even now, I still felt his lips against mine.
…
“Do you two have your packs?” Honour stood next to the rowboat, ready for us to board and be lowered into the water. The others were already loading in, their own supplies in hand.
“Right here.” I pointed over my shoulder. After a couple of weeks at sea, our journey was really starting. As soon as we left the ship, we’d march toward the Outer Realm. Meeting creatures and enemies we’d only read about. My chest tightened.
Just stay calm. I had trained for this moment, and now was the time to prove what I was made of.
Captain Bushwell glanced at me, raising his fist to his chest. He must’ve sensed my nervousness.
I nodded, taking a deep breath.
“Do we really have to ride on that?” Pudge’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the small boat we’d take to shore. He glanced over the railing. “The waves are a lot higher than the sides of it.”
Honour stared between us. “Try and at least pretend to be brave, eh?”
“Easy for you to say,” Pudge muttered.
Honour took my hand and helped me into the boat, followed by Grr. He proceeded to hand over a small wooden cage with two carrier pigeons in it. He hadn’t said anything about Pudge and me being in his room, thank goodness.
“Come on. We’ll be fine. It’s not that far.”
“If I become fish bait, I’m coming back to strangle all of you.”
At last, we hit the water. Honour and Thezriel unhooked the chains and began to paddle toward shore. We rode the waves up and down, the water choppy at best.
Honour rowed the boat, barely breaking a sweat as he fought the currents. I turned my attention back to the white caps and sea-foam.
This was it. We were off the boat and heading to the Outer Realm, the term goblins used to refer to anything beyond our lands. I had no idea what we’d face, but I knew we had to be prepared for anything. My stomach knotted; this trip across the sea had taken far too long. I knew we’d gone as fast as we could, but had it been quick enough? We had to make up time, even if it meant losing sleep.
As we maneuvered closer to the shore, Honour hopped over the edge, guiding us the rest of the way in by a rope. When the boat dragged along the sandy bottom, I grabbed my pack and stood on the seat. Honour reached in and hoisted me in his arms, carrying me to the beach.
“If you didn’t have to leave on the Mission, I’d toss your arse right into the water, like I used to do when you and Pudge were kids,” he whispered. “Remember when my father used to force me to take you two swimming?”
“Yeah, and you almost let us drown because you were too busy trying to get Betta Smithy to notice you.”
He chuckled. “Hey, I forgot about that.”
“I think she can walk on her own,” Pudge piped up.
“He’s right. I can handle it now,” I said, noticing we were in the shallows.
Gulls chirped and twittered overhead, diving down toward us as if expecting food.
Honour smiled, then set me down. “May take a few minutes to get your land legs back.”
My legs wobbled as if the ground moved beneath my feet. Pudge fell face-first in the sand and kissed the dirt.
“I’ve never been happier to see land in my life,” he said.
After a couple moments, Thezriel joined me, his tall form almost celestial against the moonlight. His damp dark hair stuck against his bronzed skin. “We’ll head out of town and make camp for the night. This is an elfin port city, but they’re not too keen on goblins.”
“Then why did we disembark here?” I followed him toward the docks.
“Because the main road to the Outer Realm is just beyond the woods.”
Honour helped Pudge to his feet and tugged him toward us. “We better get a move on if we want to get camp set up.”
“Everyone, fall in,” Captain Bushwell called out, directing the others.
We walked toward the tree line, and I spotted the houses and stores built high above in the trees. Rope bridges and ladders ran along the canopies, candles glittering against the dusky background. From above, the sound of wooden flutes tinkled on the wind, a haunting melody that gave me chills.
“Wow, this place.” Pudge walked, his head craned to stare at the structures as well.
“It’s astounding,” I said.
“Do you hear that?” he asked a second later.
“Yeah.”
“Kind of amazing seeing a different land for the first time, isn’t it?” Beaurick said, coming up alongside me.
“Yes, still trying to wrap my head around the fact we’re not in Gob Hollow any longer.”
A couple of hours of walking later, we came to a small clearing.
“We’ll camp here tonight,” Thezriel said. He and Honour dropped their packs to the ground. “That way there’ll only be a couple of hours to travel tomorrow.”
Pudge plopped down on a fallen tree, wiping sweat from his brow. “Hag, much more walking and I’m going to fall to my death.”
“I don’t think you’re going to die.” I rolled my eyes, setting my pack next to him.
Honour shook his head. “We need to get a campfire going.”
“I can get firewood if you want,” I offered, wanting to get a layout of our surroundings, just in case. Not that I thought we’d be attacked, but I needed to be prepared.
“Ivy and I will collect firewood if you two want to start preparing dinner.” Honour belted his sword at his waist.
Fingering the dagger at my side, I traipsed after him. The overgrowth snagged at my clothing, trees reaching out to catch hold of my hair as I moved farther into the woods. Moonlight filtered through the treetops, creating eerie bursts in the darkness.
Soon, we found an area with downed limbs, and Honour sauntered up beside me. For a moment, he just stood there staring down at me. He sighed. “Promise me you’ll look after Pudge out there.”
“I will.”
“Hag, I hate this, having to send the two of you off. What if something
happens and you can’t find your way back? Shit. If the king didn’t have a delivery for me to make, I’d be there right alongside you.”
“I’ll be fine, big brother.” I rolled my eyes.
“I hope so. Just don’t let Pudge get you two killed,” he said. “Speaking of Pudge, you two need to be careful out there. You can’t be caught doing something like what I walked in on last night. I already talked to Pudge. I know you two like each other, but you’re promised to another goblin. A very important goblin at that.”
And there it was—the conversation I’d been expecting. “We won’t do it again,” I said.
Honour shook his head. “Sometimes you can’t help things from happening, no matter how hard you try. Just…don’t allow the others to see you two like that. If word gets back to Archer or the king, I don’t know what they’ll do.”
“I told you, it won’t happen again.”
Right then, Pudge came trudging into the clearing. “There you are. Thezriel wanted me to tell you that dinner is ready.”
“And you had to tell us right this second?” Honour said, taking a step back.
“Yes.” Pudge narrowed his eyes at his brother.
When Honour didn’t move, I hurried to Pudge’s side, carrying my stack of wood. He stopped me and took a few logs from me before we started walking again. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught his gaze. “What’s wrong?” I whispered.
“I swear, he acts like I’m totally worthless—a complete idiot.”
“He’s just worried, Pudge.”
“Yeah, but he never passes up a chance to talk down about me to you, either. Hag, I want to kick his arse sometimes just to prove to him I’m not some spoiled dragon sack.” Pudge glared over his shoulder.
“Not if I beat you to it,” I said. “Just so you know, he’s not really my type.”
“And what is your type?” Pudge said.
I glanced at him, then quickly looked away. Tingles ran from my toes to my scalp. “I don’t know. But I can say for sure, it’s not him.”
Pudge grinned at me but said nothing more.
When we reached camp, I unloaded my armful of wood, then plopped down next to Captain Bushwell, who I’d barely seen on the ship.
“You spent a lot of time below deck,” I said, peering over at him.
His gaze was trained on Vane, Barth, Cray, and a few others. “You have your Mission. I have mine,” he said in a low voice.
“Do you think they had something to do with Dorian’s capture?”
He drank a sip of water from his skin, then shot me a quick look. “Let’s just say there are a few things amiss. Things that don’t add up. But you let me worry about our Mission party, and you focus on getting the prince back.”
Should I tell him about the Hag’s Crest? My hand settled on top of my purse, patting it to make sure it was still hidden away. I trusted him with my life. He was my mentor, but could this information prove to be dangerous?
“Captain, th-there’s something I want to show you,” I whispered.
He shifted his glance in my direction. “Ivy, whatever it is you’re hiding in there, I don’t want to know. The less people who are aware of what you carry, the better.”
My mouth fell agape. “How did you know?”
He smiled. “Because you’ve been holding on to that bag since we left the ship like it was a small child needing protection.”
Damn, I hadn’t meant it to be so apparent. I moved my hand from it. “Someone here is lying to us.”
“I know. Like I said—you have your Mission, and I have mine.”
King Starshooter and Archer truly believed there were traitors amongst the council, that much was obvious. But the question was, how deep were those betrayals rooted? And would someone try to sabotage our rescue? Hag, I was glad Captain Bushwell was here, too.
I studied our party. Whom did I trust? Pudge, Beaurick, Perci, Captain Bushwell, and Honour. But the others, I wasn’t so sure.
Vane could be an arse, but was he capable of pulling off such an elaborate scheme as getting Dorian captured by humans? Unless the elder council members set it up…
Ugh. Too many possibilities. But like Captain Bushwell said, I needed to leave this part to him. And I had to focus on rescuing my brother.
Chapter Nineteen
Thistles clung to my breeches as we pushed through the thick brambles. At last, we stepped onto a worn carriage track. The road to the Outer Realm, the sun beating down on us—draining us.
Even though I’d been training for years for a moment and opportunity like this, nervousness settled in. What if I was too late? What if I failed? Would we be ambushed like the last Mission party? I bit back the fear and doubt. I couldn’t afford to allow these thoughts to plague me—not now, not when I needed to be strong.
“This is where we part ways.” Honour leaned down to tear a pricker from his cloak. “Once you rescue the prince, send word via carrier pigeon. If you arrive before us, wait in Brushton, and we’ll fetch you from there.” He turned to Captain Bushwell. “Keep an eye on these two.”
“You know you don’t even have to ask. We’ll make sure all the younglings come back safely.”
Thezriel shook my hand. “May you have a safe journey, Ivy Archer. And if fate finds you in need of help, you might consider calling upon the Woodland Elves of the North. Tell them that you wish to speak to Thezriel’s sister, Sashine.”
I smiled. “Thank you.”
He moved on to Pudge, and they whispered amongst themselves, while Honour came to stand in front of me. Worry lines furrowed his brow as sadness seemed to wash over his face.
“I wish you every success in your Mission. And I hope you and Pudge find safe passage. I… Look, Ivy, you’re like my baby sister, and you’re out here with my brother. Just look out for each other.” He glanced at the ground, then back at me. “I wish I could come along to help you, but this is your Mission.”
“We’ll be fine, I promise. No worries. We have soldiers with us.” A lump formed in my throat, and I bit back tears that threatened to give away my emotions.
He nodded, then reached forward to hug me. The air went out of my lungs as he embraced me tightly.
Grr shoved between us with a growl as if he thought Honour had prolonged our hug too long. I backed away.
“I can honestly say, this is the first time I actually like the dog.” Pudge glared at his brother. “Don’t think about going in for seconds.”
Honour smiled at me, then turned to Pudge. “Relax, I’m leaving.” He leaned in closer to Pudge and whispered, “Just so you know, little brother, jealousy is not very becoming.” He hugged him tight. “Be safe out there.”
Pudge’s eyes widened, and he flushed darker green. “See you soon, I hope.”
With a wave, Thezriel and Honour disappeared from sight. We started walking west. We’d stick to the main road for a while, then venture farther into the wild country. The path might be easier to travel on, but that also meant a bigger risk of thieves and mercenaries. Captain Bushwell was pretty adamant that we stick to the safer route. He’d also suggested we travel during daylight hours, mostly so Pudge and I could get used to it before we arrived in the human world, but also to avoid some of the bandits that could hide easier after dusk.
“Now that you know Dorian’s your brother, is there anyone else you might be considering?” Pudge fell in step next to me.
Wind rattled the trees overhead; I stared up at bits of sunlight peeking through. “We have other things to be concerned about right now. Like the Mission. Like surviving. And when we get back, then we have the Choosing Ceremony.” I chewed my lip.
“Yeah, we do,” he said softly before turning his focus back to the path ahead of us.
Was he remembering our kiss, too? My face warmed as I watched him. Or did our kiss not affect him as it had me?
“Pudge, about the other night,” I started.
“Maybe we should talk about that later, when there are fewer people around,” he said.
I nodded. Of course, he was right.
“Vane, Percivious, and Beaurick, why don’t you scout ahead with Sergeant Sovner?” Captain Bushwell said. “The rest of you keep your eyes open. We’re not in Gob Hollow any longer.”
Squirrels tittered in the brush, some scurrying by with nuts in their mouths. Greenery surrounded us like a heavy blanket. Dense leaves clung to the tall oaks and maples. Butterflies decorated the air with brilliant colors as they flew by in parade-like fashion.
Wildflowers grew in abundance along the sides of the road, deep purples and yellows and crimson dotting the landscape like a painter had dumped bottles on a canvas.
From across the path, a large white unicorn stepped out from behind some brush. I gasped. I’d never seen one this close before. Noticing us, he scampered away.
We walked for hours, not seeing a single soul. Just us and the wildlife. With darkness closing in, I suggested we leave the path.
As we headed into the woods, the trees sprawled out like limbed fighters all around us. Twigs snapped under my feet, the heavy scent of pine lingering in the air.
It felt surreal being out here. Places I’d only read about were coming alive all around me. And yet, I couldn’t enjoy it. Not with thoughts of Dorian hanging over my head. I imagined if I’d been with them on the first Mission, how all of this would’ve been amazing, all the excitement of being outside of Gob Hollow for the first time. But with each mile that brought us farther from our home and closer to where Dorian was, the more anxious I felt. What would I find when I got there?
None of us knew what to expect. Would there be another human hunting party waiting for us? What about the trolls or elves, or even dwarves?
After trudging through the thicket, we stopped. “Let’s camp here tonight. We’re far enough off the road and close to a stream to refill our skins.” I dropped my pack, glancing at Captain Bushwell for the okay.
“This looks like as good a place as any,” he said as Vane, Perci, and Beaurick came tramping back to us, too.
Where There Be Humans Page 15