The Goblin's Heir

Chapter Seventy Three: Mortal

Odd kicked the door open to a chorus of screaming children. Liber knelt in the middle of the room, his arms and what was left of his wings outstretched as he held up a bubble-shaped shield around his gathered children. All eight alive and well, mostly with little more than scratches to attest to their ordeal. Augustus had a broken wing as well as a few deep bite wounds where the goblins had tried to gnaw the wing off. The blood splattering their clothing was for the most part not theirs, but obviously their father's. Liber was holding the shield up from the outside and his body, especial his back and wings had been completely ravaged. Deep, ragged wounds sliced across the expanse of his back, one wing was clearly broken and twisted around, and the other was little more than a stump. It was not a clean cut made with a sharp edge, but ragged. His wing had been eaten off. 

Herod, to my surprise, was already with him. He stood between us and them, holding his hands up almost in surrender.

Liber turned his head as we entered, showing me his pale face painted in his own blood. "Don't you dare come any closer." He hissed weakly at us through trembling colorless lips. He thought I was there to kill him and his children. Once, we'd been allies, perhaps something close to friends, but now I was simply the enemy. The villain once again. I could not say that I did not deserve the title after what I had done to him and his family out of fear for my own family's safety. 

"They are here to help you." Herod said pleadingly. "I promise you, Liber." Herod began to edge nearer.

"Stay away!" Liber screamed and fire spewed from his mouth. Herod sprung back and the flames licked at the spot where he'd been standing, evaporating into smoke. Liber glared straight through Herod, his gaze stabbing into me. "We offered you aid when you had no one else. We were your allies through everything and you took her from us and sent the horde to destroy us."

"I did no such thing." I answered with a snap. "They're no longer under our control. You know this. I'm trying to stop them. If I wanted the lot of you dead, I would have sent the horde down on you years ago." I reeled in my anger with a deep breath. "I am sorry for betraying you. I was afraid of losing my children, terrified of what you might do once you realized how weak we were. Surely you can understand that."

"Where is she? Where is Neasa?" Liber asked, that fatherly fear filling his eyes to their brim. He might not have shared any blood with Neasa, but this was man was her father in the truest sense. He loved her as much as he loved the children who he'd sacrificed so much of himself to protect. 

"She's keeping Aurora busy."  I replied. "It was the only way we could do what we came here for."

Herod looked to me expectantly. "Did the plan work?" He asked. Within seconds of him asking that question already, I could see his expression fall, see the dread seep into his handsome features. The only answer he received was a somber shake of Floki's head. Herod sighed and simply continued on. "We've brought The City of Thorns here. It's nearby. It would be much safer than the palace." He held out his hand to the wounded father. "Come with me. I'll make sure they all reach it safely."

When Liber didn't immediately take his hand, Frit stepped forward with his own olive branch. "I promised Neasa I would help you if I could. Please, come with us, Liber. Let me help you."

"How can I trust you with any of my children after what you did to Neasa and Augustus? You were their friends and you betrayed them, chained them!" Liber shouted.

I could see the uncertainty and confliction in his face. He so badly wanted to reach for that hand, to take the help offered him. He trusted Herod. He did not, however, trust me and by extension my children. I had burned that bridge myself and scattered the ashes to the winds.