Read Online The Goblin Market (Into the Green) by Jennifer Melzer - Free Book Online Page A

Sylvanus, she felt a great chill and an ache in her head. She was silent as they traveled, barely even listening as her strange new companions bickered back and forth like agitated siblings, rather than servant and master. Her distracted mind played over the events of the last few hours and the things that seemed to tie everything together.
    The song her mother scolded her for as a child, the one about a goblin king searching for a bride. Kothar claimed to be searching for her, and when Him mentioned that the market was created for her—that she was the one the goblin king searched for—a bizarre sense of recognition rippled through.
    The instances must be related, but as Meredith tried to wrap her mind around it, her head felt strange and fuzzy. She could only hope Him’s brother had answers for her.
    As they traveled the pixie glared up at her from time to time. The bitterness of his stare made her feel uncomfortable, especially when Him leaned nearer to her and said, “Don’t mind Sir Sourpuss. He’s just angry because our meeting with you postponed our annual hunt.”
    She glanced down at Sir Gwydion. “I apologize for interfering with your plans.”
    “As if that were the only thing of concern,” Gwydion pursed his lips tightly together and puffed in dismissal. “Lord Reckless will see us to our death before the night is through, I am sure.”
     “Were we not ingrained with chivalric code before we could even speak?” Him asked the pixie. “It was our duty to do right by this maiden.”
    The words that next escaped Sir Gwydion were hidden under frustrated sighs and a furrowed brow. Him ignored the pixie, and returned his attention to Meredith.
    “You know, I’ve never met an Uplander before. I want to know everything about you and your life.”
    “There really isn’t much to tell,” she began. “I’ve lived a rather simple life until now.”
    “Until now? Do you mean that this is your first real adventure?”
    The enthusiasm in his face sparked a hint of excitement inside her as well, but she tried to stifle it with reason. “I don’t know that I would call it an adventure.”
    “You’ve faced the goblin king and his wicked market all in one night. I’d say you’re off to quite an adventurous start.” He grinned. “Tell me about your sister.”
    “My sister.” A thoughtful sigh escaped her as knots of worry tightened inside Meredith’s stomach. “Christina loves to make mischief and get herself into trouble, obviously. I’ve spent the better part of sixteen years following behind her and cleaning things up.”
    “You are a good sister.”
    “She hasn’t anyone else. Our mother passed in childbirth and our father...”
    Him waited well into her long silence before asking, “Your father, do tell me about him. What is he like?”
    “I don’t know.” Her tone gave way to bitterness. “Not much of a father at all, I suppose. It’s been years now since he left us alone.”
    Astonished, Him lifted his arm in comfort across her back and asked, “But who cares for you, if not your father?”
    “I care for things.” Meredith had not been so candid with anyone in all her life, she realized, and there was a brief flash when she asked herself why she was spilling her life’s story to this strange, green man with antlers and a pronoun for a name. She cleared her throat then, and nodded with certainty. “I take care of Christina, and myself. It hasn’t always been easy, but I’ve done my best.”
    Until now , a silent, guilty voice inside her whispered .
    That silent voice put a stop to her willingness to chatter, and she turned to Him and asked, “Tell me about yourself, please? I’ve never met anyone like you before.”
    “There are no Hunters in the Upland?” He wagged the thin arc of his brow at her.
    “Well, we have men who hunt, but I suppose if you are a Hunter, then no, there are none like you where I come from.”
    “How peculiar.”
    “And no pixies either.”
    Sir