The Seven Year King (The Faerie Ring #3) (17 page)

Tiki spoke up. “We only want to borrow the cup, to help heal our friend, then we would return it—with payment, of course.”

All eyes shifted to Tiki. The goblin leader took a step closer and sniffed the air. “A girl are you, now? Dressed like a man—how very strange.” He placed one clawed hand over the other and rested them on the top of his staff as he contemplated Tiki. “How very strange, indeed. What sort of payment could you make that would tempt us to part with such a prize?”

Tiki was at a loss. What could they give that a murderous goblin might want?

“We have access to gold,” Rieker said. “How much would you want?”

A titter of laughter went through the group.

“What do we look like—
leprechauns
?” The laughter grew louder. The leader adjusted the red cap that covered his skull. “We’ve no need for your gold. There’s only one thing you might be able to give us.” He paused, as if to give weight to his request. “Mortal blood.” His eyes grew steely and cold. “That’s the only payment we’ll accept.”

“Fine,” Rieker said. “Lend us the cup and we’ll be on our way.”

Tiki looked at Rieker from the corner of her eyes. What had he just agreed to?

At that moment, a noose was thrown around her neck from behind and pulled tight. Tiki coughed and gagged, tugging against the rope. The Redcap leader had tricked them. While he had distracted them with negotiations, others had snuck up from behind.

Tiki’s knees were weak with panic. It was hard to fight back when she couldn’t breathe. Images of Dain standing in the Palace of Mirrors, bloodied, bruised and with a noose around his neck flashed before Tiki’s eyes. Was she doomed to the same fate? Or perhaps something worse?

Chapter Twenty-Three

N
ext to her, Rieker struggled with another goblin, though Tiki couldn’t tell if he had deflected a noose from settling around his neck or not. She pried her fingers under the rope crushing her throat, as she gasped for breath. She twisted around and found herself eye-to-eye with the gruesome face of her captive, his rancid breath hot on her face.

“Stop!” she rasped. “I can’t breathe.”

The Redcap tugged the rope tighter in response, his lips spread in a gruesome, leering grin. “No need to breathe when you’re dead.”

Like a flash fire, rage boiled through Tiki’s veins. She was not going to be dead. Others needed her. Just like when she had lashed out at Larkin and drawn blood, it felt as though claws sprang from her fingertips. Tiki stabbed at the goblin’s face, aiming for his eyes. She was surprised when she made contact, and with a growl, she ripped her fingernails across his skin.

Overhead, dark clouds boiled across the sky and thunder rumbled, as if in warning.

With a howl of pain, the goblin released the tension on the rope as he covered his face with one hand and stepped back. Seeing her opportunity, Tiki kicked him in the knee, then kicked him between the legs. This time, the goblin screamed and let go of the rope, sinking to the ground in a fetal position.

Tiki yanked the rope from around her neck and jerked toward Rieker. He was fighting two goblins, deflecting their blows, using his dagger like a sword. But he couldn’t see the third goblin behind him, with his long-handled hatchet raised to strike. Tiki jumped for the little man’s arm, when someone grabbed her from behind, pulling her back.

“No!” she cried, struggling to break free. Thunder boomed so loudly the ground shook. A jagged bolt of lightning fractured the sky. In horror, Tiki watched the axe-wielding goblin’s arms start to swing downward.

“NOOOO!” she screamed, reaching helplessly toward Rieker.

A whistling noise split the air and an arrow embedded itself in the attacking goblin’s forehead. His eyes rolled skyward as if to look at the offending object, before he fell back—dead before he hit the ground.

Three more whistles sliced toward them, one so close Tiki felt the rush of air brush her cheek. The arms that gripped her around the middle suddenly relaxed and she turned to see her captor dead on the ground with an arrow through one eye.

Cries and shouts erupted as the goblins realized they were under attack. They ran this way and that in their confusion, not sure where this new enemy was positioned and trying to get out of the deadly line of fire.

“Run!” Rieker cried as he reached for Tiki’s hand and pulled her away from the melee. He yanked a noose from around his neck as they sprinted across the grass toward one of the other vacant doorways. As they passed under its arched portal, Tiki glanced back. Arrows continued to be volleyed into the group of Redcaps from outside the walls of the ruins, keeping their benefactors a mystery. Who risked their own lives to help them?

“Blast it all,” Rieker muttered under his breath. “Where’s Aeveen? She must have been spooked by the noise.”

Tiki scanned the horizon. The white horse was nowhere in sight. She closed her eyes and imagined she was standing with Dain on the edge of O’Donoghue’s farm like the first time she’d laid eyes on the horse. Dain had been glamoured as Sean then and he’d blown a piercing whistle to call the horse.

Using all her concentration, Tiki put her fingers to her lips and blew, mimicking the sound she’d heard Sean create.

Beside her, Rieker jumped in surprise. “What are you doing?”

“Calling Aeveen.” Tiki opened her eyes and searched their surroundings, but there was nothing besides trees and rock.

“Don’t give away our location,” Rieker snapped. “What makes you think….”

“There!” Tiki pointed. Aeveen came galloping from between the trees, so ethereal and effortless as to appear to be a creature molded from the frothy foam of sea waves. Her beautiful white tail arched and blew behind her as she flew across the rocky terrain. With a snort, she pulled up to a stop next to them. She jerked her head once, as if in acknowledgement of Tiki’s call.

“You can explain this one later,” Rieker said, admiration unmistakable in his voice. He grabbed a handful of mane and pulled himself onto Aeveen’s great back then thrust his hand out for Tiki. With an easy yank, he pulled her onto the horse and they raced into the shelter of the trees and away from the Redcaps.

“WHO DO YOU think saved us?” Tiki asked, once they were sure the goblins weren’t following.

“Most likely Callan or the Macanna,” Rieker said. “It is their job, after all.”

“Would Callan remain unseen, do you think?” Tiki asked doubtfully. “We left without telling him our plans and he doesn’t seem too adept at following me. Usually he likes to give me a lecture when he catches up.”

“Who else would risk their lives for us? No one knows who you are.”

“That’s true,” Tiki mused. “What are we going to do about the cup, now? It’s clear the Redcaps won’t let us near it.” She chewed on her bottom lip as they rode. “Once again, Larkin was right. She told me they would never give it to me.”

“That’s definitely a good question. Besides the fact that we don’t know what it looks like, even if we wanted to steal it—where would we look? Every abandoned building and castle ruin within the Wychwood?” Rieker shook his head. “Impossible. We might just have to find a way to give them mortal blood.”

THEY RODE UNTIL the moon had crested before Rieker pulled Aeveen to a stop.

“Time to rest,” he said with a weary sigh. He slid off the horse and reached up to take Tiki by the waist and help her down. “That’s enough adventure for one day.”

Tiki rubbed her neck and nodded in agreement. She was tired and discouraged and her body ached from riding, as well as from being strangled. Immediately, a sense of guilt washed over her. What must poor Dain be experiencing? He’d been beaten and strangled and who knew what else? And where was he now? Being held under what conditions? And there was Johnny—attacked by the
liche
and clinging to life. She and Rieker were both Dain and Johnny’s best chance of surviving—they didn’t have time to be tired.

TIKI AWOKE TO the sight of four pair of leather boots, so soft and supple as to appear to be slippers, lined up in front of where she and Rieker slept. She jerked upright, startling Rieker awake in the process.

“Good morning.” The leader of the hobgoblins stood on a nearby rock, the head of his spear-like hatchet resting on the ground. The other three hobgoblins stood next to him, along with five or six newcomers behind the others.

“We’ve got to stop sleeping,” Rieker muttered as he slowly climbed to his feet. Tiki glanced around as she too, stood. They didn’t appear to be surrounded, but there were more hobgoblins than before, and for the first time, Tiki noticed that they all carried bows, some cocked with arrows, and each had a quiver on their back.

“It was you!” Tiki cried, pointing at the hobgoblin with bushy eyebrows. “You saved us from the Redcaps, didn’t you?”

To Tiki’s amazement, the ugly little man ducked his head as if he were embarrassed and wouldn’t meet her eyes.

The hobgoblin leader didn’t deny or affirm Tiki’s claim. “There’s a rumour going about that you’re the new Queen of the Seelie Court, herself. Is it true?”

The bushy-eyed goblin raised his head. “I seen her before. I was sellin’ fruit in the market an’—” he pointed a shaking finger— “she was there, an’ one of them called her ‘Majesty’.” He dipped his head and dropped to his knee. “Welcome to our part of the Wychwood, your Highness.”

Tiki tried to hide her surprise. These were the men who sold fruit at that otherworldly goblin market during the dead of night in London? An image of that hunch-backed little man they’d talked to that night played before her eyes. As she considered the man before her she could see they were the same person. And they had risked their lives to save her? She hesitated. Should she acknowledge the truth? But then, what would they do? Instead, she nodded her thanks.

“Thank you for your kind greeting and for your bravery in saving us from the Redcaps yesterday. We are in your debt.”

They ugly men nudged each other and smiled in delight.

“Perhaps we will seek repayment one day,” the leader said in a cagey manner. “But you’ve not answered my question. Is the rumour true? You’re beautiful enough to be a queen, but how do we know you’re speaking the truth? Maybe you’ve been sent by the UnSeelies to spy on us. It wouldn’t be the first time, given what goes on in this part of the wood.” He watched her through narrowed eyes.

Tiki’s mind raced. How was she supposed to prove she was Queen of the Seelie Court? She had little knowledge of the Otherworld as evidenced by her foolish question previously about the hobgoblins and she barely knew any magic.

Rieker spoke up. “She is marked with
an fáinne sí—
” his voice rang with confidence— “do you need more proof than that?”

“Finn’s mark?” The leader asked in surprise. Then his brows pulled down. “Prove it.”

Tiki slid her sleeve up to her elbow, revealing the black lines that swirled and arced around her thin wrist. “It’s true.”

The leader took a step forward to peer closely at her arm. Then to Tiki’s surprise, he gave a deep bow and swept his red stocking cap from his head. “We are here to serve you, Majesty.” Behind him the other hobgoblins dropped to their knees.

“Thank you,” Tiki said. “It’s a pleasure to meet all of you.”

An excited titter went through the group and a few edged closer to get a better look. Rieker tensed and rested his hands along his belt, giving him easy access to a weapon, though they were sorely outnumbered by the hobgoblins.

The leader looked at Rieker as he nodded toward Aeveen. “That is a fine horse. One of the strongest I’ve ever seen. You say she belongs to your brother?”

Rieker gave a short nod.

“Where is your brother, that he lets you take such a magnificent beast? Why didn’t he accompany you on this dangerous journey?”

Rieker frowned. “He’s occupied with other matters at this time.”

The ugly little man didn’t move for a long moment, his brow furrowed in a frown. “I see,” he finally said. He turned his attention to Tiki and inclined his head. “Majesty, why did you seek the Redcaps after we warned you of their danger? As queen, don’t you have others to take such risks?” His eyes shifted back to Rieker.

The goblin who had recognized Tiki spoke up. “Besides, they don’t have anything you want, Majesty.”

Rieker searched their faces. “But what of the cup?”