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

Frank stumbled under his weight as the big goblin attempted to force them back through the doors.

He should have known they wouldn’t be able to leave this easily. His spine curled as though preparing for pain even as he bent his arms inwards to pull the two men towards him. He would at least protect them from whatever was down that tunnel.

Then he heard it. The soft exhalation of his name that sounded as loud as a shout.

Jane.

Her name seemed to scream through his mind until all he could hear was it’s sound. She was alive. She was here.

He turned towards the sound of her voice as she once more repeated his name. The blessed sound of her feet striking the ground rushed towards him.

And damn it all, he couldn’t see her. He could only see the blurry shape that rushed towards him. But as he gathered her gently into his arms, her sweet sunshine scent was underneath the smell of the hospital and fear. He inhaled deeply, finally feeling the worry inside of her loosen.

Her fingers traced the lines of his back, over the stitched edges of wounds without fear of hurting him. Though her touch was white hot, he didn’t want her to stop. She couldn’t because she was alive and he was alive.

Ruric pulled back so that he could attempt to see her. His large hands framed her face. One tipped with black claws and the other barren other than dark scabs. But when his thumbs traced her face, he knew she wasn’t disturbed by them.

Her own fingers were reaching to touch his forehead above the swollen and destroyed eye. Her other hand reached forward to hover above the foot long stitched line across his stomach.

Neither said words, they allowed their hands to do the speaking for them.

Only once she had completed her assessment of his health did Ruric lean forward. His lips were chapped when they touched hers. They cracked and bled against her but he refused to stop until the taste of her washed away the taste of metal and drugs.

He found relief in her arms that gently held onto his ribs. He found peace from the silken weight of her hair in his fingers. But most of all, he felt strong as her lips touched his.

The group of humans behind them shuffled awkwardly, though there were two who couldn’t seem to tear their eyes away from the scene.

“Well.” Luther said gruffly.

“Mhmm.” Willow said as her lips twisted to the side.

Awkwardly the siblings scuffed their feet against the floor. When it became clear that Ruric and Jane were not yet parting for breath, Willow let out a sound.

“What?” Luther stared down at her, seeing the clear expression of disgust on her face.

“I’m never going to be like that.”

He laughed as his sister wrinkled her nose as the two lovers reunited.

“You will someday.”

“Absolutely not.” She stuck her tongue out at her sister and turned back towards her brother. “That’s disgusting.”

Luther Burst into laughter at her words. The sound rung throughout the tunnel and rose up to burst against the ceiling. It was the first sound of happiness many of them had heard in a long time.

As his laughter started to slowly die, others joined in. A few chuckled and before the group knew it, the entirety of them were laughing as quietly as they managed.

Ruric and Jane broke away from each other then, ignoring the sounds of happiness and slight hysteria behind them.

“You’re alive.” He said gruffly as his thumb smoothed away the wrinkle between her eyes.

“I managed.”

“I knew you would.”

She cleared her throat, her fingers ghosting once more over his wounds. “I’m sorry you came here. I’m sorry for everything that happened.”

He shook his head. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”

“It was my people who did this. My people who hurt you.”

“I did not apologize when my people hurt yours.” His words were softer than a butterfly landing upon her. Yet their weight was heavy upon her shoulders. “You do not apologize to me.”

Jane stared up into his eyes and her heart ached for the eye that likely would never see again. She reached up to cup his jaw in her hand. He tilted into her touched and his good eye closed.

“I apologize for the both of us then.”

The sound of someone clearing their throat made both Ruric and Jane turn.

Luther was standing behind them, a blush riding hot against his cheeks.

“Sorry, but we’ve got to go. We don’t know when, ah-” He rubbed the back of his neck

“Of course.”

Jane tucked herself under Ruric’s shoulder. Together with Shusar, she was able to help Ruric walk towards the rest of the group.

The tunnel extended further than Jane could see. There was the slightest light at the end which the entire group stumbled towards like moths towards a flame. Particularly Catherine, who led the group with confidence. Jane could tell she had been here before.

Lingering nerves from the last time they had been in this situation made her wary. Jane couldn’t help herself as her eyes darted towards the shadows. Their feet echoed in the tunnel as boots hit against dirt.

The more distance they put between them and the City, the more the entire group became nervous. Jane’s fingers curled against Ruric’s ribs as tensions rose.

As a group they stumbled into the bright sun of the desert. The goblins had already tied scarves around their heads, effectively blinding themselves. Ruric was the only one who’s face was not covered. Even he had buried his head in the crook of Jane’s neck.

“We made it.” Jane’s breathy whisper seemed to ripple through the grouping of people around her. They had survived. They had somehow managed to free themselves from the City and now blinked up at the sun.

A chuckle spread across the group as relief rippled across the odd group of humans and goblins. Even Illyrin, the silent shadow behind them, felt a soft smile cross his lips. He flexed his hands against the body of the young