Read Online The Goblin Market (Into the Green) by Jennifer Melzer - Free Book Online
Authors: Jennifer Melzer
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“What brings you Underground, Meredith Drexler?”
“Underground?” she played that word over in her mind, and then craned her neck over her shoulder to look for the small hill where their cottage rested. All that lay behind her was the Goblin Market—a hideous broken mess of upturned carts, pulp and bruised fruit. She scanned her surroundings for some sign of home, but there was nothing familiar about the world around her at all. “I...” she paused for a moment to try and gather her thoughts. “My sister was taken by the goblin’s king, Kothar.”
“Kothar,” Him and Gwydion replied in simultaneous disgust.
“You know of him?”
“Indeed,” Him replied. “You say he took your sister?”
“Yes.” Meredith felt the breeze now on her skin, and it chilled her in her soaked cloak and dress. “He said I was to be his bride, but when I refused him, he took her. Now I am on my way through the Darknjan Wald to find his castle.”
“The Darknjan Wald?” Gwydion shrieked. “Are you mad, lady?”
“I beg your pardon.”
Him intervened, “The Darknjan Wald is beyond dangerous, Meredith. None who enter are ever seen again, and those who do manage to make their way back to its edge are never the same.”
“I cannot leave my sister to die by his hand. He should have taken me in her stead. It was me he wanted.”
“You?” Gwydion turned over his shoulder and looked up at Him.
“You are her ,” Him astounded. “She for whom he searches… for whom this entire hideous market was created.”
“I don’t understand."
“There is a story as old as the war that divided our kingdom. I can’t explain it, not in anyway that would make sense,” he shrugged. “My brother, Sylvanus, he is the Great Historian. I am a simple hunter with no tongue for lore. I can take you to him. It isn’t far, and you’ve been injured. There are healers there, and rest.”
“Milord, I must advise against this... Sylvanus will not be...”
“Quiet yourself, Sir Gwydion Dale!”
Abashed, the pixie withdrew and muttered under his breath.
Meredith wanted to resist, feared that any time wasted would further doom her sister, but at the mere mention of her injuries, the stings, aches, throbs and pains awakened all over her body. The uncertain blurriness of her once poisoned mind made her feel as though she were one step away from defeat already, and when she looked into Him's eyes, his deep gaze seemed to comfort her.
“I will take you to meet with Sylvanus, and after you have rested, I will show you to the Darknjan Wald myself.” Him promised.
“Are you mad, milord?” Gwydion nudged his companion in the shin with an elbow. “The Darknjan Wald?”
“It is her eyes.” Him didn’t look away from her face. “They enchant me, compel me.”
“Don’t mind him,” Gwydion said.
“Not now, Gwydion.” Him twitched his leg, shoving the pixie away. “What do you say? Finding the Wald alone will be nearly impossible for you as it is. You will have rest and a guide, fresh provisions, as it appears that yours have been tainted.” He gestured toward the pack she’d brought, the soaked crumbs of bread and the squished cheese lie in puddles of toxic juice.
Meredith grappled with her choices. She knew he was right. Kothar himself had said she would probably never reach the Darknjan Wald alive. Perhaps with Him's help, she would have a better chance of saving her sister.
A smile tugged at her pale, bruised mouth, and she nodded. “I accept your offer, and will meet with this brother of yours.”
“Wonderful!” He clapped his hands together.
Sir Gwydion Dale crossed his arms and shook his head, as he muttered the words, “One day you will be the death of us both, Him of the Green. I get the feeling that day is not so far away as I would like it to be.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Meredith rung as much of the water from her cloak and dress as she could, but as they started on their journey to see the Historian,
“Underground?” she played that word over in her mind, and then craned her neck over her shoulder to look for the small hill where their cottage rested. All that lay behind her was the Goblin Market—a hideous broken mess of upturned carts, pulp and bruised fruit. She scanned her surroundings for some sign of home, but there was nothing familiar about the world around her at all. “I...” she paused for a moment to try and gather her thoughts. “My sister was taken by the goblin’s king, Kothar.”
“Kothar,” Him and Gwydion replied in simultaneous disgust.
“You know of him?”
“Indeed,” Him replied. “You say he took your sister?”
“Yes.” Meredith felt the breeze now on her skin, and it chilled her in her soaked cloak and dress. “He said I was to be his bride, but when I refused him, he took her. Now I am on my way through the Darknjan Wald to find his castle.”
“The Darknjan Wald?” Gwydion shrieked. “Are you mad, lady?”
“I beg your pardon.”
Him intervened, “The Darknjan Wald is beyond dangerous, Meredith. None who enter are ever seen again, and those who do manage to make their way back to its edge are never the same.”
“I cannot leave my sister to die by his hand. He should have taken me in her stead. It was me he wanted.”
“You?” Gwydion turned over his shoulder and looked up at Him.
“You are her ,” Him astounded. “She for whom he searches… for whom this entire hideous market was created.”
“I don’t understand."
“There is a story as old as the war that divided our kingdom. I can’t explain it, not in anyway that would make sense,” he shrugged. “My brother, Sylvanus, he is the Great Historian. I am a simple hunter with no tongue for lore. I can take you to him. It isn’t far, and you’ve been injured. There are healers there, and rest.”
“Milord, I must advise against this... Sylvanus will not be...”
“Quiet yourself, Sir Gwydion Dale!”
Abashed, the pixie withdrew and muttered under his breath.
Meredith wanted to resist, feared that any time wasted would further doom her sister, but at the mere mention of her injuries, the stings, aches, throbs and pains awakened all over her body. The uncertain blurriness of her once poisoned mind made her feel as though she were one step away from defeat already, and when she looked into Him's eyes, his deep gaze seemed to comfort her.
“I will take you to meet with Sylvanus, and after you have rested, I will show you to the Darknjan Wald myself.” Him promised.
“Are you mad, milord?” Gwydion nudged his companion in the shin with an elbow. “The Darknjan Wald?”
“It is her eyes.” Him didn’t look away from her face. “They enchant me, compel me.”
“Don’t mind him,” Gwydion said.
“Not now, Gwydion.” Him twitched his leg, shoving the pixie away. “What do you say? Finding the Wald alone will be nearly impossible for you as it is. You will have rest and a guide, fresh provisions, as it appears that yours have been tainted.” He gestured toward the pack she’d brought, the soaked crumbs of bread and the squished cheese lie in puddles of toxic juice.
Meredith grappled with her choices. She knew he was right. Kothar himself had said she would probably never reach the Darknjan Wald alive. Perhaps with Him's help, she would have a better chance of saving her sister.
A smile tugged at her pale, bruised mouth, and she nodded. “I accept your offer, and will meet with this brother of yours.”
“Wonderful!” He clapped his hands together.
Sir Gwydion Dale crossed his arms and shook his head, as he muttered the words, “One day you will be the death of us both, Him of the Green. I get the feeling that day is not so far away as I would like it to be.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Meredith rung as much of the water from her cloak and dress as she could, but as they started on their journey to see the Historian,
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