The Goblets Immortal by Beth Overmyer (highly recommended books txt) 📗

to; for what purpose, he could only guess. Fine. If they wished to watch, Aidan would watch as well. He would return to their midst and see what intelligence he might be able to gather – but this time, he would avoid their food and drink. He grimaced at the mere thought.

Slaíne stirred.

Aidan froze. This was going to be awkward, whenever it happened, so he might as well get it over with. “Slaíne?”

Her spine went rigid, and her steely eyes locked on to his. “Get it out of your system?”

He paused. What could she mean by that? Did she think that he had acted of his own free will?

She rolled her eyes. “I meant the water.”

“I’m sorry. I treated you poorly.” He wondered at his own voice, so mechanical at the confession of such an offense. One might think him insincere or insensible to the pain he had caused. Aidan opened his mouth to offer a more heartfelt apology, but Slaíne laughed. He looked at her, bemused.

“Don’t you look at me like that. Drinkin’ strange water, my lands. How much you drink?”

Aidan flushed. “Enough.”

The girl snorted. “Did you find a way out of here?”

If only he had such glad tidings to bring her. As it was, they were perhaps worse off than when they had first started. “We are ringed in.”

Slaíne nodded. “And their weakness? Any insights?”

Aidan shook his head. “You said that they heal quickly.”

“Right.”

“I’m afraid we’ll have to stay here awhile longer and observe them.”

If the look on the girl’s face was anything to go by, Slaíne hated the plan as much as he did. Still, what else could they do?

“You think we can reason with ’em?”

Aidan thought. “We can try.”

“Perhaps there’s been a misunderstandin’.” It was obvious from the way she said it that she didn’t believe the words coming out of her own mouth. She said as much in her next breath. “Coming on us like that in the middle of the night. They must’ve been following us.”

“Or were drawn to us by the great racket the goblins were making.”

Slaíne cocked her head to the side, and her brow puckered. “Goblins? What goblins?”

Amazed, Aidan told her what had transpired, not pausing to answer the questions he could see forming on her lips.

She listened, the pucker only deepening. “I don’t remember no goblins, sir.”

“What do you remember?”

Her eyes squinted and her gaze became distant. “The light creatures – nymphs, as you call ’em – pounced on me. They kept saying ‘Give us.’ I thought them rightly mad, and told them so. That’s all I remember. Well, that is, not before….” She hesitated, and looked at Aidan sideways, her face draining of color.

“Before what?”

She shook her head, as though she thought she’d already said too much. Why, Aidan couldn’t imagine.

This wouldn’t do. “Slaíne, if there’s anything that might give us an edge against the creatures, please tell me.”

She opened her mouth and closed it again.

Aidan pulled at his shirt, which clung to him with sweat. Upon seeing the girl regarding the motion with abject horror, he ceased. She must be remembering that which he would rather she forgot. After clearing his throat, Aidan pressed the matter further. “Consider carefully. We don’t know what they intend for us. You don’t know—”

She clenched her teeth. “What they want? ’Course I know what they want. ’Tis plain as day. ’Tis plain as the fact that you are hiding something yourself.” The pointed look she gave him sent chills down his spine.

Just the same, Aidan waved away her accusations. Hiding something? What was he hiding? Other than the fact that he’d been communicating with the woman Slaíne so obviously wanted to murder with that silver sword. “Please don’t change the subject.”

Slaíne growled at him as he inched in closer. “You can stay over there.”

“Not if I don’t want to be overheard.”

The look she gave him could’ve taken the courage of lesser men. There was something about Slaíne…yes, something powerful – especially when her anger was aroused. It went beyond her Pull, whose strength still remained a mystery; what was it? Aidan could not place a finger on it. They both had their secrets. She was talking again. He’d best clear his mind and attend to her words.

“You want to know what they want.”

Shoulder to shoulder, he nodded and leaned in for the answer. “What?”

“It ain’t no secret. They’re traders.”

“Traders?”

Her face had grown dark and hardened, though her eyes flitted about in panic. “Slave traders.”

Aidan thought on it for a moment. “But why would they be saying ‘Give us.’ They must think we have something of value.”

Slaíne’s shoulders heaved. “Could mean anything. Could mean—”

“The goblins.”

“I told you, I don’t remember the goblins. Must’ve been knocked out before then.”

Aidan shook his head. “No, I mean the goblins kept demanding that I give them something, too. Perhaps they think we still have the Warring Goblet.”

That had been the wrong thing to say. Slaíne’s spine went rigid and her steely gaze locked on to him. “What makes you think you had the Warring Goblet?”

Meraude had told him, that’s why he knew. He’d been a fool. Was there any excuse to make? Lucky guess? “I thought you said it was the Warring Goblet,” he lied, hating himself very much for such base behavior toward her.

His words did not satisfy. She huffed. “You know I told you no such thing. I knew no such thing. What aren’t you tellin’ me, Ai—Mr. Aidan?”

Was there harm in telling her? Well, he thought, she might try to murder Meraude before I can hold Meraude to her promise of bringing my family back. On the other hand, there was no proof that the mage could or would do that. Whom could he trust?

Slaíne scented in on the truth. “You’ve been talking to someone, haven’t you?”

“Hmm? When?”

“When you’re sleepin’.”

It was his turn to stiffen. “What? What are you talking about?”

She scoffed. “Don’ play wi’ me. You’ve been muttering strange things in your sleep. Someone’s using something to….” Her eyes widened and then narrowed.