The Goblin Warrior (Beneath Sands Book 2) by Emma Hamm (100 books to read txt) 📕

had never seen her like this before. She was practically giddy with freedom. She could hardly recognize herself.

The fabric that covered Ruric lifted and she saw a fleeting image of his hand pointing the way that she had been leading them. Her eyebrow arched.

“I take it I was going the correct direction?”

None of the goblins commented, but she would savor the knowledge that she had been right.

Once more she started forward and the train of goblins followed. They created a striking picture against the sands. Their long shadows stretched into the vast nothing that surrounded them. Slowly their spines started to bend as they fought against the wind. Only when the sky started to streak with hues of pink and purple did she stop them.

“Ruric?” She asked quietly, standing still as he stood behind her shoulder. His shadow fell over hers. “We’ll need to make camp soon.”

“We brought…” He paused for a moment as he struggled for the word he had never used before. “Blankets and sticks.”

“Tents.” Jane had gotten into the habit of correcting his words. Yet now that kindness felt awkward.

He nodded. His hesitation was enough to let her know he felt the same way. “Yes. Tents.”

“Are you sure that will be enough once the sun comes out?”

“No.”

Her eyebrows slashed down as she looked at him. “Do you know what will happen if you are exposed to the sun?”

“No.”

“Ah.” She responded. “That is not good.”

Ruric’s head inclined towards her as he stepped back towards the goblins. “No, it is not.”

The tents were made of thick grey hides. Jane had never seen the creatures these skins had come from, though Ruric assured her they were animals from Above.

Just as the sun crested the horizon, the goblins were able to duck into the three tents that they had created.

“Jane.” His voice sent a shiver through her spine. The deep timber had crept into her dreams as of late.

He did not need to know.

“Yes?”

“Come.” She watched as a clawed hand reached out from the opening of the tent. Skin which she had always thought was green, now yellowed in the golden light streaming towards it. The black nails were suddenly more stark than before.

She sighed. She had never considered herself a woman who fell in love easily. She certainly wasn’t a woman who made foolish decisions because of that love. Yet the sight of him reaching for her twisted something in her chest.

She would forgive him everything because her heart hurt when he was not with her. And that was a foolish thought.

“I’m going to put sand over the tents. I don’t want anyone to see us.”

“We are safe enough.”

“We aren’t.” She whispered, though she knew he was capable of hearing her. “We’re all hungry, I’ll make what food I can.”

The excuse was not a good one and she knew that it would only prolong the inevitable. Her eyes traced the shadow left by his hand as he slowly withdrew back into the tent.

She kicked sand over the tents so that the dark colors could not been seen from afar. Jane had never heard of raiders in this area, but she knew they travelled.

They were men and women who had left the mining camps and were trying to make a life for themselves on the sands. Everything she had heard painted them in a dark light. They were a desperate group of people taking what they wanted from anyone they could.

Once the tents were covered, Jane rifled through the packs to see what she could find. The goblins had been thorough. They brought only dried food that could last a long time in the heat. The dried fish wouldn’t taste very good, but it would fill their bellies.

She made quick work of dishing out rations. Water was added to each plate and she delicately opened the flap of each tent so that she could slide it in. She knew the light was going to be painful for their eyes. The less they were subjected to the better.

Ruric’s tent was saved for last. She could see that they had intended for her to sleep in the same tent as him. Three tents. A goblin to each. Jane wasn’t going to be sleeping with the other two goblins.

Apparently they weren’t going to be letting her sleep by herself.

Sighing, she ducked into the tent with the last two plates. There wasn’t a choice in this situation. Stay outside and bake in the sun, or join him and get over her discomfort.

He was curled in the corner on his side. His large body took up most of the small tent. It was relatively dark once the front flap was closed, but Jane could still see him clearly. He had covered his eyes with more of the hide.

“Is it painful?” She asked him quietly.

A grunt was her only response.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” She said as she settled herself down onto the sand. Her hand touched his shoulder. “I brought something to eat.”

“I cannot think of food.” He responded.

“Water?”

He rolled his head towards her and let the hide slide off of his face. She had never seen him express any pain before. But now his face was scrunched and his eyes watered.

He wasn’t looking in the right direction.

“Ruric, can you see me?”

His large black pupils readjusted their direction at the sound of her voice.

“No. It is too bright.”

Jane had never thought she would pity them. They were a strong race and did not seem to ever have troubles.

Now, pity made her rub her palm against her chest. This powerful race were reduced to cowering in a corner as the light blinded them.

Her fingers stroked over his forehead, drifting down to cover the eyes that were the cause of so much pain.

“Close your eyes then, Ruric.”

His eyes drifted shut.

Jane wrapped his head with the hide. For good measure, she tucked her own cloak around his head as well. The double layer hopefully would bring more relief than one.

“Here.” She said as she scooped a hand underneath