The Goblin Bride (Beneath Sands Book 1) by Emma Hamm (good short books TXT) 📕

of her sobs. He had known it was going to be hard on her. She wanted to be with them, not here. It was the way of things that he had accepted at this point. And though it pained him that she was upset, he also knew that tears could heal.

It was good that she was feeling and not simply holding it all in.

He brought the both of them to the hammock, settling so that it was a seat instead of a bed and they could both remain upright. He could already hear the wet sniffs as she gasped in air and thought that it would be better if she did not choke on her tears.

“You are upset?”

“I miss them.” She said through watery tears, not sure how to tell him that she wanted to go home. Not forever. This place was becoming more home than the mining town was. But she wanted to see her family. She wanted her brother to meet the goblin she was quickly starting to realize she had strong feelings for. She wanted her sister to see this world and fall in love with it as much as Jane.

“Of course you do.” He said quietly, leaning back slightly so that he could start to swing them in the hammock.

“Did you know Jane, that goblins are sent from their families very early on in their life?”

She let out a huff of breath. “No.” In her sorrow, she didn’t really want to hear about the hardships of goblin life. She wanted to pity herself for a while.

“We are taken from our homes and placed with another. It is a way to teach everyone that a goblin is your family no matter where you are. It is difficult for the young ones when they are first taken. Some cry for many days because they feel as though they are alone.”

Jane nodded. That was exactly how she was feeling. She was completely and utterly alone here. And even though there were a few humans, they weren’t interested in talking to her.

“But they learn very quickly that they are not alone. Once they are brought to a new tribe they are considered the child of all that are there. There is no one in these caves that does not love them as their own. It brings us all together. We are forced to realize that everyone around us is part of our family no matter what.”

“I am not a goblin, Ruric.” She had tried to remain quiet while he talked, though every now and then a hiccup of a sob would escape her mouth.

“You became a goblin the moment you were bound to me.” He whispered, leaning forward to catch her tears upon his lips. “When are you going to realize that the goblins love you and have accepted you as one of their own? You are our family just as much as those Above.”

“I don’t want to be loved because I’m female.” She said, a slight hint of anger in her voice even though his lips were on her.

“You aren’t. You are loved because you are one of us and we accept you for that.” He pulled back to brush his thumbs over her cheeks, wiping away the last remnants of tears that his lips had not caught. “I have hope that someday you will realize that this place is just as good as where you came from.”

She hoped the same, though in this moment she resented every second that she was here. She wanted her family, the sun upon her skin, the sound of people chattering in her own language.

Most of the time she was happy here. Most of the time she could find solace in his arms when there was something wrong. But now? She wanted to be on her own.

Home was calling her. The memories of sand brushing against the edges of her mind until she could think of nothing else. Instead of sending him away from her, she lowered herself to press against him.

His heartbeat reassured her, his scent reminded her that there was something good here after all. And that no matter what, she was here because she chose to be here.

It was the lie she told herself so that she could sleep easily that night.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

SHE WOKE TO the sound of warbling. The agitated sound of many goblins together as their feet stamped towards her. She had never heard them make these sounds before. They prided themselves on remaining quiet and collected. The sounds made her nervous.

The hammock swung violently as she vaulted out of it. Ruric must have placed her here last night. She was embarrassed that he had seen her like that. Jane didn’t like to fall apart, though it appeared that was all that she did here. Being away from all that was familiar was slowly turning her into a person that she didn’t recognize. She wasn’t certain whether or not she liked this new version of herself.

The sounds continued to grow louder.

She snatched the woven blanket off the hammock and wrapped it firmly around her shoulders as she rounded the corner of the cave where they slept.

The sounds seemed to be coming from outside. She could count on one hand how many times she had heard the goblins raise their voices. This was on the same level as when the binding ceremony had encouraged people to bring out their drums.

Her hand curled on the flap and pulled it back so that she could see what was happening. The sight that greeted her was shocking.

Goblins were leading a small cluster of humans across the bridges, whooping and hollering as they forced them across. The men were dirty, clearly malnourished, and shivering as they were forced to cross a chasm she knew would be terrifying for them. They were frightened out of their wits.

Jane didn’t think. She didn’t have to. She was already marching towards the prisoners with the