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

“Immediately upon return.” Ruric said.

She glanced up to see that his eye was already scanning the crowd before them. She had seen that expression before, just as Ruric had been going into battle with the raiders.

“We don’t have anything to worry about, do we?”

“I do not know, bright one.”

“Then we do.”

He looked down at her solemnly, but he didn’t correct her. Jane knew then that she was going to have yet another fight before her as she struggled to convince the goblin council to give her and her people a chance.

“Do you think the Queen will listen?” She asked Ruric as they finally cleared the crowd of goblins welcoming them home.

“She will listen.”

“But the others will not.”

“I do not know. There are some on the Council who will be interested to hear what we have to say. Others will want to stop us.”

Jane nodded firmly. This was yet another obstacle but they had managed thus far.

She glanced up at him as his palm pressed against her spine to guide her across a rope bridge.

His expression was grim as he started to speak again. “Tell no one of the child.”

“Why?” She was surprised he wouldn’t want to use that to his advantage. “That’s the most convincing argument we have.”

“I want to see who is going speak against us first.”

Jane slowed as she saw the Queen’s chamber loom out of the darkness before them. “So you want to find out who the enemy is before we tell them the truth?”

“We will tell part of the truth.” His voice had lowered to a growl. “But hold back the most convincing truth until we know what the others will say.”

With a firm nod, Jane started to move again. The plan was something she could agree to. If the goblins didn’t want her to stay underground, or her people, then she would leave. Ruric would have to make the difficult choice of whether or not he would follow her.

She and her child would not stay where they were not wanted. It was with this thought that she stepped into the Queen’s chamber.

Jane made certain that her chin was held high as she stared at the figures seated upon the jagged thrones of crystal.

The Queen stared down at them from high upon her throne and Jane could not help but think she looked even more frail than the last time. Her wrists were thinner and the bones along her collarbone were far more delicate. She looked more birdlike than ever.

But the fire in her eyes as she stared down at them reminded Jane just how powerful a woman the Queen truly was. She was not the kind of creature that could be easily trifled with.

Ruric stood behind Jane with his shoulders squared and his expression carefully blank. He would not give away anything, not until he provided his full report.

There was a long moment of silence before the Queen became to trill. The warbling voice was surprisingly soothing to Jane as she leaned against Ruric’s side. He did not translate the Queen’s questions for her, and instead began speaking as soon as the Queen’s voice fell into silence.

Jane knew what he was saying. Though she did not entirely understand the noises he made, she knew the parts of the story he was telling as his voice rose and fall.

She was shocked at how much they had gone through. In such little time they had managed to fight off Raiders, survive the desert, experimentation at the hands of a madman, and yet another journey through the unforgiving sands. Somehow they had returned home in relatively one piece, though Ruric was missing a few bits of flesh and an eye.

She didn’t know how it was still possible that they were all standing, or that they had managed this suicidal mission. But in that moment as Ruric’s warm voice rumbled at her back, Jane found that she wanted nothing more than to sleep for weeks.

After everything that they had done, she believed that they at least deserved that.

The voices slowly died down and Jane realized she had shut her eyes. There was a slight movement from behind her as Ruric gently jostled her awake.

Had she fallen asleep? Jane wasn’t so certain it would be that easy in a room full of goblins that may or may not allow her to remain. But she had drifted for a while and had nearly slipped into the dreaming world.

She sighed and rubbed the back of her hand against her eye before she tilted her head back to look at Ruric.

“They wish for you to speak.”

“About what?” Her voice was ever so quiet. Jane didn’t know what they wanted her to say after everything that Ruric had told them. He was unlikely to leave out anything other than the child, and the Council was likely even more distrustful of her.

“I told them that you have a proposal for them. About humans living side by side with goblins.”

“Oh that.” She couldn’t stop the yawn that split her face and attempted to hide it in his shoulder.

Jane stepped away from his warmth then. The chill in the wide cavern would keep her awake. She looked up at the faces of the goblin Council and was instantly reminded that she was going to have to battle them to allow her to stay.

“Ruric, will you translate for me?”

He nodded behind her and moved in front of her so that the goblins would hear him easily.

“The people that traveled with us are not the humans that harmed Ruric. They left their homes in the hopes that we would provide them sanctuary from the evil that lived in the City.” Her voice became stronger with every word that she said. “They do not ask to live in the caves with us, but for a partnership to be created. They will watch over the opening to the Underground and in return they ask that we provide them with water and food.”

She could see from the expressions of the goblin