The Goblin's Crown

Chapter Fifty: The Price of Revenge

  

  As the pitch black of night gave way to the gloomy twilight of day in the perpetual darkness of The Winter Branches, Finn stepped out of his family shack, bundled in a thin coat of murky bog water. A hat woven with rushes covered his wild, curly hair and warmed the tips of his pointy ears. He cupped his hands before his mouth, breathing white steam into them in the chill of the early morning.

The temperature was steadily dropping, hinting that The Thorns had changed direction and were moving the city deeper into The Winter Branches.I could not help but wonder if the change had come about because they could sense a wrongness in the air.

Finn's large eyes snapped westward towards the stream of smoke wafting up from the section of the city where Lir's house stood. Once stood. "Something's burning?" He breathed, questions ringing in his voice. What? Why?

I approached the young lad and pushed my hood back, letting Knut's magic fall away. "Hello again," I greeted, speaking too loudly in his ear.

The boy jumped in surprise. The dark feathers of his wings ruffled like that of an unsettled bird or the fur of a cat trying to make itself look bigger. "You," His voice cracked. His large eyes quickly narrowed. "What are you still doing here? Mother told me you ran off to rejoin your husband."

"She was wrong." I smiled. "Your mother doesn't know everything." I tossed my hair, freeing the curls from my cloak and letting them fall prettily, catching the light of the lanterns. "In fact, I can't. I'm trapped, you see, by all those nasty vines." I propped my arm up on his shoulder, turning my body so that my chest lightly touched his when either of us took a breath. His silver eyes bounced around, scanning me from golden head to ample breasts. I'd opened up my shirt a bit for good measure. A blush brought color to his pale, freckled cheeks. "I was hoping you could help me out."

"Mother says we're already too involved." Finn turned his face away, burying his chin and mouth in the folds of his mud colored scarf. "She wants us to go south for a bit...see The Boughs. Why?" He asked, hesitantly meeting my gaze. "She's never wanted to leave before so why now, after we helped you?" He shifted nervously from foot to foot. "Are we in danger?"

"From me?" My smile broadened. "Hardly. I owe you my life after all." I raised my hood back over my hair just to hide its shine. "Walk with me a while." I clasped his shoulder, ushering him down the alleyway. We couldn't have this little chat right outside Oona's door. If she caught us and warned her son of the lies spewing from my mouth things would go down hill fast. "It is very important that I meet back with my husband as soon as possible if we're to attack Mab's castle," I said, being careful to hide my true intentions. "However, I cannot seem to find an exit. Does the city not have gates?"

"Of course we have a gate." Finn began to scoff at the ridiculousness of my question. He seemed to regret his words the minute they were out of his mouth. His jaw clamped shut. His lips pressed into a thin line.

"Finn," I stopped us both and turned him to face me. "I know I already owe you a great debt, but I need you to help me." My hands rested on both his shoulders. The boy looked at my hand on his left shoulder as if it were the most erotic thing he'd ever seen. I brushed that hand through his hair, ran its fingers along his jaw. "You want to avenge your father, don't you?" I cooed. I swore I could hear his heart pounding.