by Candace Sams
Cairna frowned. “If Kathy decides to have your baby and it lives, you won't know what to do. You haven't thought that far ahead, have you?"
"So, it's Kathy is it? You don't even know the woman and you're shortening her name as if you were friends."
Cairna angrily slammed her fists down on the arms of the chair. Unused to such a show of emotion from her, Tearach simply stared.
"You're so good at looking for the worst, aren't you? Well, I hope Kathy shocks the Goddess out of you, has your baby and the wee babe lives. Then you're going to owe the biggest apology of your life to me, Shayla, and everyone else who's trying to help us.” She quickly stood, causing Tearach to do the same, and then he backed up. She stormed out of the kitchen, up the stairs and slammed the door to her bedroom.
Tearach let out a long breath. It was good to be young and have dreams. Good to think there was some way out of the situation they faced by simply following Shayla's plans. But he couldn't see it happening the way Cairna envisioned. The fates weren't with his people. If this last desperate attempt failed, there would be no Goblins left in sixty to seventy years. Cairna would never hold her own child more than a few hours before it died, and part of the magic that still existed on Earth would be lost forever. He wanted to cry out in rage and fight, but how did one fight against time, against the inevitable?
He left the cottage and made his way to the castle. There was no reason to change to human form. Kathleen might as well see him for what he was, in the cold light of day. If the Sorceress of the Ancients didn't like it, so much the better.
When he got to the castle, the guards asked him to stop. Tearach ignored them and quickened his stride. By the time he arrived outside Kathleen's door, the entire castle had been alerted. The place fairly buzzed with staff who attempted to find Shayla and tell her he was at the outsider's door in Goblin form. He didn't care. The key to Kathleen's door had been removed. He assumed she was under less restraint, and he raised his hand and knocked.
* * * *
Kathy came to the door expecting to see Shayla. They'd had a long talk that morning which had resulted in a longer argument. She'd finally asked the older woman to leave her room when an impasse had stopped all civil discussion. She pulled the door open and almost choked. "Tearach!"
"In the flesh ... so to speak.” He leaned one shoulder against the door frame. “May I come in?"
For a moment, she stood still and tried to gather her wits. The moonlight hadn't done justice to the previous night's macabre change in his appearance. She nodded, stood to one side and watched as he walked by.
"Still don't believe in Goblins?"
Kathy swallowed hard, took a deep breath and willed herself to sound calm. “I guess I was wrong about that.” She wondered how much more of reality, as she knew it, would be tested.
"So, the ingenious Kathleen Parker admits to being wrong. Shall I mark this on my calendar as an event of stellar importance?"
His sarcasm was exactly what she needed to regroup. “Now I know why your eyes were so different."
"My eyes?” he asked, shaking his head in confusion.
She moved closer to him and began a more clinical inspection. Truth be told, this was an opportunity of a lifetime to study a creature unknown to anyone else. Her logical mind superimposed itself over the frightened part. “In this form, you have no sclera. Probably so you can see at night better and distinguish distance more clearly in the day."
"What in blazes are you talking about? And quit studying me like I'm an insect under a microscope, woman!"
She shrugged and continued her perusal in silence. Along with having only black orbs for eyes, his ears were pointed and his incisors had lengthened. She'd seen the green skin in moonlight, but it seemed a darker shade today. This could possibly give him an advantage when hiding in forest undergrowth. The leather jerkin he wore was sleeveless and showed taut, highly developed muscle in his biceps and pectorals. A creature built for speed, strength and agility. Some part of her brain registered that the man was just plain built.
"Are you quite through examining me?” he ground out.
"Well, you showed up here so I could get a good look. That's exactly what I'm doing,” Kathy explained.
"My appearance still doesn't frighten you?"
"Ohhhhh, you'd like that wouldn't you?” She smiled, placed her hands on her hips and imitated him. “What did you do today, Tearach? Well, I showed up at that human's door all green and menacing. You should have heard her scream. Why, I'll wager they heard it all the way to Buckingham. Parliament is up in arms!"
For a split second, he almost smiled. The woman had an outrageous sense of humor, even if it was at his expense. “Are you done?"
"No,” she sighed, “I've got some questions I'd like to ask."
"About me, I presume?"
She nodded. “How is it you're able to manifest different appearances? Last night, you seemed to have to concentrate to make this change."
"I do have to concentrate unless we've been in human form too long. Then the change happens whether we want it to or not."
She placed her hand to her chin and studied him again. “So you can only maintain human appearance for a limited time?"
"Yes, but there are others who..."
"Enough!” A voice echoed off the walls and shook the windows.
Tearach and Kathleen quickly turned to see Shayla standing in the doorway. She was in the traditional white robe of her Druid forebears. Several staff members and guards stood behind her.
"Tearach Bruce! What could you possibly be thinking to come here and show yourself in Goblin form? My instructions specifically forbade you from doing such a thing.” Shayla walked into the room and glared at him.
"She isn't stupid, Sorceress. Kathleen noticed some unusual things about me before I ever showed her my true form."
"Be that as it may, you did not have my permission to come here like this.” She raised one hand then dropped it to indicate his full length.
"Fine! Punish me if you wish, but it won't change the fact that she'd have found out everything sooner or later. That was one of the drawbacks to bringing an outsider here. A choice you decided to make."
"When she was supposed to find out was not up to you, Goblin. That was my decision and you've undermined plans that could negatively impact the very survival of your race."
"Excuse me, but the she you're speaking of is standing right here and doesn't like being discussed as if she were a nonentity!” Kathleen snapped. “And how could my knowing who he really is impact the survival of his race?"
"Quiet, woman!” Shayla spoke, using her powers over the elements. The amplification of her voice resounded through the room.
Kathleen raised her hand, pointed an index finger at Shayla and moved forward. “Wait just one damned minute..."
"Kathy, stop!” Hearing the anger in her voice, Tearach caught her by the shoulders and held her back. He'd inadvertently used the abbreviated version of her name, but she was too irritated to notice. If he'd let her step any closer to the Sorceress, the outsider would only be a memory.
Shayla turned toward the younger woman. “You've seen him like this before, haven't you? Was it last night?” When Kathy didn't answer, Shayla raised her voice again. “Answer me!"
"What happened last night isn't any of your business,” Kathy said belligerently.
"You insolent creature. With a wave of my hand I could..."
"Yes, Shayla, you could do a lot of things,” Tearach interrupted. “All of them quite terminal I'm sure.” Before anyone could utter another word, Tearach grabbed Kathy's arm and pulled her toward the door.
"Just where do you think you're going? I'm not finished with either of you,” Shayla declared.
"Kathy and I are going to the woods for a while. She needs to understand who you are. You need to remember she was brought here against her will. And all of us need a break.” With that, he stalked to the door. When Kathy began to protest at the indignity o
f being half-dragged, he took a firmer grasp on her arm. “Not now, Kathy!"
* * * *
As soon as they were outside the castle, Kathy jerked her arm free. “That woman..."
"Could easily end your life,” Tearach finished. He kept walking toward the woods.
"She told me all about being some kind of Druid Sorceress with powers over the elements. I suppose, if Goblins exist, so can Druids."
Tearach stopped walking. “When did she tell you this?"
"Earlier this morning. But I started asking too many questions, and we had an almighty row."
"You mean you knew about her powers and argued with her anyway?"
Kathy shrugged. “I wasn't sure I believed in her powers any more than I believed you were a Goblin. When she's angry, however, your Sorceress can certainly rattle windows and enhance her voice well enough. Now, I'm certain she does have powers. I argued with her only because I dislike being treated as if I'm some lower life form. Just because I don't have control over the elements and can't change my appearance doesn't make me inconsequential. And, for some reason, she certainly thought enough of me to abduct me, though I still haven't figured out why I was chosen."
Tearach shook his head. “I don't get you. Even when you're furious, your mind still keeps analyzing."
She walked by him, held her hands up and sighed. “Can't help it, my Goblin friend. It's the way I'm made."
Tearach stared at her. Were they friends? Had their forced relationship proceeded to that point so quickly? It was true they had enough in common. Neither of them wanted to be in their current dilemma. But she was still an outsider. Her kind had all but destroyed his. It wasn't possible to be friends with one of them. Or was it? He quickly caught up with her. For some time they walked in silence. Knowing others were close, he risked yet another reason for Shayla's wrath.
"Did Shayla tell you anything about the other inhabitants of this forest?"
Kathy stopped to face him. “Yes. Having seen Shayla's powers and yours, I'll believe what she says about them is true. I got the impression she wouldn't have told me about the Fairies and all the rest except she was leading up to revealing your situation. I pretended to be quite shocked by all her descriptions of mythical creatures lurking about. She had no way of knowing I'd already been flummoxed by you in Goblin form."
Tearach seriously doubted this woman had ever been flummoxed, as she put it, by anything. Except for the times she'd been provoked, Kathy seemed to be in total control. How did a person get so mentally harnessed? His desire to see her shrink in terror was gone. Somehow, he didn't want to make her fear him. But why? She was his people's enemy. “Why didn't you tell Shayla you'd seen me as a Goblin last night?"
"It was between you and me.” Kathy left it at that. Some instinct had told her that Shayla wouldn't approve of him revealing his form. Had that same instinct prompted her to protect him? He was her abductor, albeit an unwilling one. Why should she care what a Druid Sorceress did to him?
"Well,” he tossed his hair back over one shoulder, “I've put my foot in it by trying to show you anything."
"I gather she thinks it's her business to reveal this forest world.” She lifted her hands toward the surrounding scenery.
"By rights, it is. And you should try and remember she's very powerful. Provoking her isn't wise."
Kathy laughed in disdain. “She won't do anything but scream a lot. That woman's got plans for you and me. Besides, I don't see you walking on egg shells around her."
"That's different. There's not much she or anyone else can do to me anymore."
Kathy noted the sad tone in his voice. They walked further without seeing anyone, and she realized it might be due to her presence. Instead of feeling trepidation, there was a kind of excitement in being in a place so unreal. She found herself wishing the others would show themselves.
Tearach glanced at Kathy. She was wearing the same kind of clothing as some of the women in the Order. But she was so very different. She had no powers save those of her mind. Considerable as that brain of hers was, things could get very dangerous for her. For all of them. Still, there was a kind of exhilaration about her. The first time she met a Fairy, they'd probably be answering questions all night. He wouldn't put it past her to ask to touch their wings or gather up some Fairy glamour to study. Goddess help them if she ever got her hands on a microscope and a field notebook. The scene, as he imagined it, almost caused him to smile. Kathy would do exactly what pleased her. The woman seemed to approach life fully. No apologies or explanations, so why had she stopped saving lives and buried herself in a city where she had no friends and worked at a job that offered little challenge? He stopped walking, sat on a downed tree and invited her to join him. It was time for her to answer a few questions.
"So tell me about yourself."
She shrugged, pulled at a tall blade of grass and looked away. “What's to tell?"
"Did you know the Sorceress and her staff did extensive research on your background? They wanted to know who they were dealing with before deciding to kidnap someone."
"So I've gathered.” She turned to look at him. “If you know all about me, why are you asking?"
"Maybe because I've been volunteering a lot of information and getting nothing in return. I don't want Shayla's version of your history, however thorough that may be. I want to hear it from you."
"Hear what?"
"All right, you seem to handle things bluntly so I'll just come right out with it. Why did you stop saving lives to become a temporary secretary?"
She turned away. “Shouldn't we be getting back? Your Sorceress might have her people looking for us."
He pulled her around to face him. Her expression was shuttered, but he gently persisted. “You aren't worried about her. Answer me."
Kathy took a deep breath and studied her feet. “I decided I ... wasn't able to help anyone anymore."
Tearach softened his tone. “Because you saw your father and fiancé die?” He watched her hands clench.
"Your Sorceress is thorough, isn't she,” came her breathy response.
"What happened, Kathy?"
She swallowed very hard. “There was only one other person who used to shorten my name, you know. Everyone else always calls me Kathleen."
"Talk to me,” he quietly insisted.
"My dad. He always called me Kathy. All my life I saw him pick up his gear and go to the station. To me, he was a hero. I never wanted to be anything else but a firefighter, just like him. When I graduated from the academy, it was one of the happiest days of my life. Daddy was so proud.” She stopped and sadly smiled. “We even managed to get stationed together."
She sat on a stump and looked into the distance. Tearach wondered if she'd finish. It seemed she was fighting for control. He'd done it often enough to recognize the signs.
She eventually continued. “Steven was a paramedic as well as a firefighter. He convinced me to get paramedic training, and we found ourselves becoming ... very close.” She stood and wrapped her arms about her chest. “We got a call one night. It was very late. There was a high-rise apartment complex on fire. People were trapped inside. My father and Steven were the first two men in the building. When they got to the top floor, the roof collapsed. I was in charge of the medical team outside. There was nothing anyone could do. End of story."
Something in his heart twisted. “You have no one else? No family?"
"You know I don't. My mother died when I was little. There's no one else."
"I'm sorry, Kathy."
"So am I. But it can't be changed. While neither my father nor Steven would have wanted me to dwell on it, I just didn't want to watch it happen to someone else. So, I left the department. It was over for me when they caught the men who set the fire."
"It was arson?"
She nodded. “The apartment building was occupied by foreign nationals. Some people on the block wanted to run them off. But they didn't consider the full consequences of their actions. They
didn't give a single damn!"
Tearach noted how she ended the story on a bitter note, belying that the tragedy was really over for her. How similar their circumstances were. Both of their worlds had ended because of someone's illegal, careless actions. Shayla's researchers were very good indeed.
"So now you know everything.” She sat back down beside him. “It's your turn. Tell me why the Sorceress wants us in a relationship."
Before that story could be told, Tearach needed to have some space. Adding his sad tale to hers wasn't going to make the day go any better, and it had already started badly. “I will. But I want you to meet someone first."
When he stood and offered Kathy his hand, it seemed the most natural thing in the world for her to take it and go with him. She was often confused by his behavior. One moment it seemed he didn't want to have her anywhere near. The next, he was sharing confidences that had him in trouble with his so-called Sorceress.
"By the way, does it bother you if I call you Kathy instead of Kathleen?” he asked.
She seemed to contemplate the matter. “No, I think I like the short version better. It's less pretentious."
They walked into an area where the undergrowth was at its very thickest. Tearach pushed brush aside and a path suddenly appeared. It was well hidden and meandered past a source of running water. She could hear a waterfall and wished it was visible through all the green shrubbery. The leather clothing and tall boots served them well. Kathy finally understood the need for the leather clothing.