But as his hand settled at my waist, maybe I was wrong. His touch was possessive, his fingers gliding down my side to my hip.
“Mr. Vedast, I have one favor to ask before we leave the city,” I said. “I have kept a long-running correspondence with a dear friend, and when I was away with the goblin king, I didn’t write her any letters. She’s been worried sick over me. I want to reassure her that I’m all right.”
“We don’t have time to worry over the post. You can send it when you get back.”
“Oh, please!” I gave him my best beseeching eyes. “She’s already been waiting for days.”
“What is this letter? Let me see it.”
“It’s—“ Now I hesitated. I could tell by his tone that he was going to tear the letter open.
“Let me see it!” he barked.
Reluctantly, I took the letter from my pocket. The handkerchief was wrapped firmly around it, so I couldn’t take out the letter without taking out the handkerchief too. As soon as I had it out, the handkerchief tugged from my hand, tumbling on to the ground with the letter caught up inside. It started rolling away, as if caught by the wind.
I drew in a sharp breath. Would Mr. Vedast see that the handkerchief was enchanted?
The handkerchief was quickly tumbling off in the other direction, getting filthy in the street.
“My—my—handkerchief—“
Mr. Vedast seemed relieved. “It’s too filthy to bother with. You can have one of my handkerchiefs.” He thrust a clean monogrammed square into my hand. “We didn’t have time for letters anyway. Come on, men!” He pointed his gang to the street ahead, and spurred on his horse, causing a little boy to have to dash out of his way.
I cast one look back and saw the handkerchief leap onto the back of a passing carriage. No one else noticed.
I would have to trust that the goblin would find its way north, and on the other hand, it might not even matter. Keely might not be willing to help. Mr. Vedast might kill Nyar before she could get there.
I could only count on myself.
Mr. Vedast and his men conversed on the way about how they might take down the goblin king. They tried to ask questions about his caverns. I played dumb as much as I could. “He doesn’t have any servants, sir. The castle must be enchanted to stay clean by itself.” “I don’t know where he keeps his gold…truth be told, I was locked in a single bedroom the entire time I was there.”
“You are not very forthcoming.” He spoke into my ear. He was riding a little ahead of his men now, and suddenly his hand dropped between my legs.
I went rigid.
“What are you in a twist about?” he asked. “You are no virgin now. At least I’m a real man, not an ugly trickster who lives in a hole in the ground. And soon you will belong to me.”
I wanted to throw myself off the horse to get away from him. But I forced myself to remain calm. “Please, Mr. Vedast. If we are to be married, at least let me see that you will treat me like a proper bride. You know I did it to help my family. Our wedding night will be more precious for waiting.” I almost choked on the last sentence.
“We will arrange things immediately when we get back,” he said.
The journey was so much faster on horseback. The roads I had slowly trudged down in the rain and mud now flew by. We passed the sacred stones and I knew it would only be a matter of time. Would the gates of Nyar’s castle even appear?
My heart stopped when we reached the bend where I had first seen the entrance. And there it was. The open gate, guarded by gargoyles.
“This is it, isn’t it?” Mr. Vedast asked me, and I had to nod.
I cringed as the horses passed through. Their hooves sounded to me like an army. It was still daylight and Nyar would be sleeping in his coffin of glass, helpless—guarded by the river spirit, but she might be perfectly willing to let them cross and drive their swords into Nyar’s heart.
The men slowed their horses to a walk as they came upon the rose garden. It was still every bit as enchanting, and even now a part of me wanted to pick another rose. The men seemed to have no such temptations.
I had some hope that perhaps Nyar’s castle had inner defense mechanisms, that perhaps the doors would disappear and the men would have to dig their way in to find him. Unfortunately, not only were the doors visible, they were thrown wide open.
If it were me, I thought, and I came to a man’s castle to raid the place and the doors were wide open, I might be suspicious.
But the men had no qualms. They hitched their horses at a row of hitching posts I had not even noticed the first time—admittedly, they were somewhat concealed by the tall grass—and headed for the door. They all had swords at the ready and packs that I assumed were holding more weapons and supplies. Mr. Vedast took my arm. “Stay close, Sabela. I promised your family I’d take good care of you.”
I barely suppressed a scoff.
The caverns were utterly quiet. The lanterns and candles that helped light my way were not just unlit, but nowhere to be seen, although the walls still sparkled and glowed. The goblins seemed to be hiding.
The passage shuddered.
You have passed my tests, you foolish girl…you resisted the beauty of the fair man sleeping in the grotto, you resisted the bag of gold, and now you have returned.
I looked up and so did everyone else.
“What does that mean?” Mr. Vedast asked. “You resisted a bag of gold?”
“I don’t know what she’s talking about. I was never offered a bag of gold!”
“You expect me to believe that? I’ve known all along, you’ve had your hands on his gold…”
The river fairy laughed.
Someone is with you? Oh, this is rich. You have passed the tests, but you brought an army with you…willingly, or unwillingly? The latter, I suspect. Before, it seemed you would do anything for the goblin king. He will not wake until you come and give him a kiss. Come and get him, if you dare.
“Do you know where he is, Sabela? Who is speaking?”
“The witch who cursed him.”
“You are the witch who cursed the goblin king?” Mr. Vedast called.
Yes, indeed. He took my daughter’s maidenhood.
“Then I assume you won’t stand in our way if we raid his gold and kill him in his sleep.”
Curiously, the river witch did seem to hesitate. Send the girl first, she said. Do not kill him in his sleep. That is too merciful a death.
Mr. Vedast looked at me like he thought this was a trick I had planned with Nyar.
“Now she’s telling the truth,” I said. “She almost killed me before, when she thought I was trying to help the goblin king.”
“Twelve against one,” one of the men said. “That shouldn’t be too hard. There’s obviously no one here. If they were here, they would have to come to town to trade for supplies. But no one’s seen a goblin in these parts since the king started demanding those girls.”