Read Online The Goblin Market (Into the Green) by Jennifer Melzer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer Melzer
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Gwydion Dale seemed rather put out when he replied with, “You don’t say?”
“In fact, there are no creatures of extraordinary greatness at all where I come from,” she told them. “Only animals, birds, fish... human beings.”
“There is nothing ordinary about human beings,” Him said.
“Chrissy claimed once that she saw a faerie at the edge of our garden. She was very small, and I didn’t believe her, but I suppose it is possible, isn’t it?”
“Quite possible,” Him nodded. “Especially if you are who I think you are. A guard was probably sent to watch over you.”
She was still baffled by his curious talk about her hidden association with Kothar and the Goblin Market.
“The Fae travel Upland all the time. They are fascinated by the odd lives humans lead, and from time to time they have been known to disappear into the human world, completely devoured by their own fascination.”
“Or their desire to wreak havoc and carry on mischief,” Sir Gwydion added.
“I’ve never been myself,” he explained. “To the Upland, I mean. I’ve a brother who’s been, but all the tales I know have come from the elders, from those who used to travel freely between our world and yours.”
After all she had been through in her short time Underground, she couldn’t imagine a single dazzling thing about the world she came from to compare or even lure the magnificent creatures Upland.
The Goblin Market faded with every step, the misted path they followed devouring it bite by bite. The grass was still green, though perhaps it was a lusher shade of green, and beside them loomed what she believed to be the very forest at the edge of the valley she and Christina had often dipped into to gather wild mushrooms. There was something different about it though, something she felt rather than saw, and it tingled against her skin as if the life around her reached beyond the veil of invisibility to touch and become one with her.
She looked toward the darkening sky, the black cloud edged in the gold of a setting sun.
She drew air into her lungs and held it. When she finally sighed, it was as she began to speak, “The Upland, as you call it, is not so different than here. This place is more alive, I think. It’s more alive than anyplace I have ever been.”
Even she was surprised by the spring in her step when she looped around, the magic in the air inspiring her to forget her pain and troubles for a moment.
“I feel the trees breathing, the heart of the earth beneath my feet, and if I stretched high enough, I know I could pluck the stars right from your sky, but where I come from, stars are out of reach, and the earth speaks to no one, and trees... trees are trees and nothing more.”
Him was preoccupied by her description. “I see.”
Silence swirled in around them as they journeyed on. Meredith was distracted by the call of birds in the trees above and droplets of rainwater falling from the leaves onto the earth below. The wood they traveled beside grew darker with every step, and frog songs echoed from their nearby marshy home. It was a night orchestra unlike any she ever heard before, and it lightened her spirit.
“It is so beautiful here,” she murmured.
Him glanced downward at Meredith, his mouth twitching into an inspired grin as he admitted, “Yes, but tonight it seems more beautiful than it ever has before.”
“Oh, please.” Sir Gwydion moaned.
Meredith's face flushed with the warmth of flirtation. It must have been something in the air, or the lingering poison still in her blood that made her act so bold. She became suddenly conscious of their closeness as they walked together, the taut, well-defined muscles of Him’s arm stretching against the free swing of their movement. She breathed in the earthy smell that clung to him—like the rich essence that always seemed to precede a storm. It was a comforting smell, both natural and enticing, and the prickling awareness of desire pulsed in her
“In fact, there are no creatures of extraordinary greatness at all where I come from,” she told them. “Only animals, birds, fish... human beings.”
“There is nothing ordinary about human beings,” Him said.
“Chrissy claimed once that she saw a faerie at the edge of our garden. She was very small, and I didn’t believe her, but I suppose it is possible, isn’t it?”
“Quite possible,” Him nodded. “Especially if you are who I think you are. A guard was probably sent to watch over you.”
She was still baffled by his curious talk about her hidden association with Kothar and the Goblin Market.
“The Fae travel Upland all the time. They are fascinated by the odd lives humans lead, and from time to time they have been known to disappear into the human world, completely devoured by their own fascination.”
“Or their desire to wreak havoc and carry on mischief,” Sir Gwydion added.
“I’ve never been myself,” he explained. “To the Upland, I mean. I’ve a brother who’s been, but all the tales I know have come from the elders, from those who used to travel freely between our world and yours.”
After all she had been through in her short time Underground, she couldn’t imagine a single dazzling thing about the world she came from to compare or even lure the magnificent creatures Upland.
The Goblin Market faded with every step, the misted path they followed devouring it bite by bite. The grass was still green, though perhaps it was a lusher shade of green, and beside them loomed what she believed to be the very forest at the edge of the valley she and Christina had often dipped into to gather wild mushrooms. There was something different about it though, something she felt rather than saw, and it tingled against her skin as if the life around her reached beyond the veil of invisibility to touch and become one with her.
She looked toward the darkening sky, the black cloud edged in the gold of a setting sun.
She drew air into her lungs and held it. When she finally sighed, it was as she began to speak, “The Upland, as you call it, is not so different than here. This place is more alive, I think. It’s more alive than anyplace I have ever been.”
Even she was surprised by the spring in her step when she looped around, the magic in the air inspiring her to forget her pain and troubles for a moment.
“I feel the trees breathing, the heart of the earth beneath my feet, and if I stretched high enough, I know I could pluck the stars right from your sky, but where I come from, stars are out of reach, and the earth speaks to no one, and trees... trees are trees and nothing more.”
Him was preoccupied by her description. “I see.”
Silence swirled in around them as they journeyed on. Meredith was distracted by the call of birds in the trees above and droplets of rainwater falling from the leaves onto the earth below. The wood they traveled beside grew darker with every step, and frog songs echoed from their nearby marshy home. It was a night orchestra unlike any she ever heard before, and it lightened her spirit.
“It is so beautiful here,” she murmured.
Him glanced downward at Meredith, his mouth twitching into an inspired grin as he admitted, “Yes, but tonight it seems more beautiful than it ever has before.”
“Oh, please.” Sir Gwydion moaned.
Meredith's face flushed with the warmth of flirtation. It must have been something in the air, or the lingering poison still in her blood that made her act so bold. She became suddenly conscious of their closeness as they walked together, the taut, well-defined muscles of Him’s arm stretching against the free swing of their movement. She breathed in the earthy smell that clung to him—like the rich essence that always seemed to precede a storm. It was a comforting smell, both natural and enticing, and the prickling awareness of desire pulsed in her
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