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

“I know! They were always hidden by dirt!”

The little girl giggled. Swiftly following the laugh, her brows drew down into an angry line.

“Why are you here?”

Jane blinked slowly at her. “To visit you.”

“No you aren’t.” Willow leaned back enough to cross her arms and stare up at her little sister. “You came back for a reason or you wouldn’t be here.”

“Perceptive as always.” Jane muttered as she stared down the sister that was glaring at her.

“Mhmm.”

She shouldn’t mention anything to her sister. Willow didn’t need to be brought into this situation. Jane couldn’t help but feel as though the hair on the back of her neck was standing up because something bad was about to happen.

“Remember those stories the miners used to tell?”

Willow’s lips pursed. “Mhmm. ‘Bout the goblins.”

“Right.” Jane hesitated, wondering just how much she should tell her.

Her sister’s face scrunched as she thought. Surprisingly, she then shrugged and said, “Makes sense that they’re real. I was wondering what it was.”

Jane’s eyes instantly narrowed. “It?”

Willow’s weight shifted in her lap as she suddenly started staring down at her hands. “I might have been wandering and found it. I didn’t mean to, but I can’t help it. Everything is so boring here and I don’t meant to break the rules. But you know how I always had to be doing something and here that means the vents and-”

A finger against her lips stopped her from talking. Jane held that finger on her sister’s lips for a moment before tapping it gently as she lifted it.

“Willow, are you saying you’ve seen a goblin?”

“Well I’m not sure. it was different than us that’s for sure.”

“Tall?”

Willow nodded.

“Odd yellowish color?”

Another nod.

“Black nails?”

“Yes!”

Jane’s muscles tensed. She hadn’t wanted to think that Simon had made it to the City before them. She could only imagine what things had befallen the goblin boy that had been taken from his home.

“Juo.” She whispered. “What have they done to you here.”

Jane lifted her sister from her lap and set her on the floor. “Willow I need you to take me to him.”

“But he’s locked away in some doctor’s lab.” Willow planted her fists on her hips. “You couldn’t get in there.”

“How did you get in?”

“The vents.”

Jane grinned. “Could you do it again?”

She watched as an answering grin spread across Willow’s face.

“You mean you want me to do what I’m not supposed to do?”

“I want you to get me into that room, and then I need you to help us escape from this place.” Jane hopped off of the table and crouched in front of her sister. “Can you do that?”

Before Willow could nod vigorously as she desired, the door to the room opened. Luther walked in with a small willowy woman.

Jane watched as her sister paled and did not meet the gaze of the woman. Strangely enough, the woman did not meet the gaze of her sister either. They both avoided each other as though there was some kind of secret between the two.

It was odd behavior that Jane would not ignore.

“Jane, this is Christine.” Luther gestured towards the woman. “She’s going to check you over before we talk.”

“Catherine.” The woman corrected him before stepping forward and reaching out to take Jane’s hand.

The forward touch was shocking enough to set Jane back onto the table without noticing that the woman had guided her there. For all her small size, Catherine had always been a good doctor. People did what she asked them when she requested it. Bedside manner wasn’t just a myth.

“It’s lovely to meet you Jane. I’ve heard much about you from your brother.”

Jane’s eyes were fixed on Willow’s. “Mhm.”

“Not much of a talker? That’s alright.” Catherine placed a hand on Jane’s thigh and smiled gently at her brother. “You can leave now, Luther.”

He blushed a violent red before turning on his heel quickly. He had entirely forgotten that his sister was female and that he did not need to see some of what Catherine was likely to do.

“You too Willow.” Jane said quietly. She gave Willow a pointed look. “I’ll meet you when we’re done.”

“Right.” Willow said. “Two leaps to the north and four to the east then!”

Her sister always had been the bright one. Willow was letting her know how to get to the room she would be in. Time to get this over with as quickly as possible then.

She turned towards the doctor and firmly said, “I’m really fine. My brother worries.”

“I know.” Catherine walked over towards a cabinet and started pulling out all manner of metal objects. “I’ve become acquainted with your brother. To be frank, I’m not a general practitioner. I work in the lab.”

“Then why are you here?” Jane asked. Her eyes narrowed at the metal the woman had at her side. Those would perhaps be a little more difficult to fight with, they seemed to be more blunt than sharp. But in a pinch, she would be able to use those to her advantage.

“Because I’ll keep things quiet.” Catherine sat down on the chair and wheeled towards Jane. “Luther has always been very worried about appearances.”

“Of course.”

She didn’t say anymore. This woman was an unknown factor that would only stall the progress that Jane had made. The goblin boy was already here. They could take him and leave.

The problem was that people had seen him. Simon would not be viewed as a raging madman because there were others that could confirm he was speaking the truth.

She had hoped to get through this without letting any other humans know that the goblins existed. It appeared that option was no longer available to her.

“If you don’t mind lying back?”

Jane looked towards the other woman and was once again struck with how fragile she was. Catherine was birdlike in the way her bones were so thin they could easily be snapped. She looked as though she was going to float away.

“I don’t have time to do this.” Jane said. “I only have so much time with my family.”

Catherine smiled at her and patted one