Read Online Traitor (Creepy Hollow, #3) by Rachel Morgan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Rachel Morgan
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won’t last long as my body begins to heal itself, I bend my knees and jump. I catch hold of a branch somewhere above me, just managing to pull my legs out of the way before the goblin can catch them. I stand up on the branch, grab another for support, and sweep my hand through the air. A pile of sand and pebbles rains down on the goblin, burying him in a mound of dirt. By the time he manages to poke his head out the top, I’ve got an arrow pointed at his forehead.
“ You really going to kill me, little guardian girl?” he snarls. “I didn’t even so much as sniff in the humans’ direction.”
“ Yeah, but you were about to make a meal of that pixie, and my job is to protect whoever needs protecting, be it human or fae.”
“So you kill me because I needed a snack?”
I sigh. “You know how this works, goblin. If you disappear, I won’t be able follow you. If you stick around to fight back, you have to accept the consequences.”
“Death,” he hisses.
“ Well, yeah, if it comes to that.” Please don’t let it come to that. “Or I knock you out, tie you up, and take you to the Guild. Your choice.”
“ Death sounds more fun,” he whispers.
Okay, he really is as stupid as he looks. “You sure? That option’s a lot messier for me.”
“ Death for you, not me!” he cries as he explodes from the mound of dirt. His hairy hands wrap around the branch I’m balancing on, causing it to sag and creak beneath his weight. I somersault backward, my bow and arrow disappearing as I let go of them. I land on my feet, pain jolting through my injured thigh, just in time to see the goblin swinging toward me. His clawed feet strike me in the chest, knocking me flat on my back. I sit up, gasping for breath. He drops from the branch and runs at me.
Sword, sword, SWORD! It appears in my fist—and the goblin runs right into it. It pierces all the way through his flesh. He slumps down on top of me, pressing me to the ground again. The only thing between us is the hilt of the sword, which I try to keep from digging into my chest.
“ You . . . kill us,” he wheezes, the stench of his breath making me feel ill. I try to push him off me. He struggles for a few moments, then becomes still. His eyes stare through me, unblinking.
He’s dead. There is a dead body on top of me.
I push with all my might, using a little magic to help me. He rolls onto the grass, coming to rest on his side because of the way the sword sticks out of his back. It still glitters faintly. It won’t disappear until someone removes it from his body. Then it will return, shiny and clean, to my invisible cache of weapons.
I stand up, breathe deeply, and run a hand through my hair. I hate this part. The killing. Why couldn’t this damn goblin just disappear like most other fae do? Or at least have the decency to let me tie him up and haul him off to the Guild. Like that canttilee who tried to burn down the school classroom, or that shapeshifter guy with the orange hair and eyes.
I look across the park at the human couple. They’re still standing beside the broken swing, talking softly, oblivious to all that’s happened. They have no idea what I just went through to keep them safe.
I reach into my boot for my stylus, then pull my amber out of my pocket. I send magic to the tip of the stylus and write a message to Tora. Had to kill him. Send remover. Thanks. The words glow for several seconds before disappearing, leaving the rectangle of amber smooth and blank. I sit down, lean back against a tree, and wait. It isn’t my job to take care of dead bodies.
Tora’s reply comes a minute later. Sorry. Know you hate that. See you before training tomorrow for report back and counseling. Sent Thorton.
I tilt my head back and let out a groan. Counseling. That thing where I have to discuss my feelings about killing someone. Great. The list of things I’m not good at is pretty short, but discussing feelings is probably at the top. Fortunately, my
“ You really going to kill me, little guardian girl?” he snarls. “I didn’t even so much as sniff in the humans’ direction.”
“ Yeah, but you were about to make a meal of that pixie, and my job is to protect whoever needs protecting, be it human or fae.”
“So you kill me because I needed a snack?”
I sigh. “You know how this works, goblin. If you disappear, I won’t be able follow you. If you stick around to fight back, you have to accept the consequences.”
“Death,” he hisses.
“ Well, yeah, if it comes to that.” Please don’t let it come to that. “Or I knock you out, tie you up, and take you to the Guild. Your choice.”
“ Death sounds more fun,” he whispers.
Okay, he really is as stupid as he looks. “You sure? That option’s a lot messier for me.”
“ Death for you, not me!” he cries as he explodes from the mound of dirt. His hairy hands wrap around the branch I’m balancing on, causing it to sag and creak beneath his weight. I somersault backward, my bow and arrow disappearing as I let go of them. I land on my feet, pain jolting through my injured thigh, just in time to see the goblin swinging toward me. His clawed feet strike me in the chest, knocking me flat on my back. I sit up, gasping for breath. He drops from the branch and runs at me.
Sword, sword, SWORD! It appears in my fist—and the goblin runs right into it. It pierces all the way through his flesh. He slumps down on top of me, pressing me to the ground again. The only thing between us is the hilt of the sword, which I try to keep from digging into my chest.
“ You . . . kill us,” he wheezes, the stench of his breath making me feel ill. I try to push him off me. He struggles for a few moments, then becomes still. His eyes stare through me, unblinking.
He’s dead. There is a dead body on top of me.
I push with all my might, using a little magic to help me. He rolls onto the grass, coming to rest on his side because of the way the sword sticks out of his back. It still glitters faintly. It won’t disappear until someone removes it from his body. Then it will return, shiny and clean, to my invisible cache of weapons.
I stand up, breathe deeply, and run a hand through my hair. I hate this part. The killing. Why couldn’t this damn goblin just disappear like most other fae do? Or at least have the decency to let me tie him up and haul him off to the Guild. Like that canttilee who tried to burn down the school classroom, or that shapeshifter guy with the orange hair and eyes.
I look across the park at the human couple. They’re still standing beside the broken swing, talking softly, oblivious to all that’s happened. They have no idea what I just went through to keep them safe.
I reach into my boot for my stylus, then pull my amber out of my pocket. I send magic to the tip of the stylus and write a message to Tora. Had to kill him. Send remover. Thanks. The words glow for several seconds before disappearing, leaving the rectangle of amber smooth and blank. I sit down, lean back against a tree, and wait. It isn’t my job to take care of dead bodies.
Tora’s reply comes a minute later. Sorry. Know you hate that. See you before training tomorrow for report back and counseling. Sent Thorton.
I tilt my head back and let out a groan. Counseling. That thing where I have to discuss my feelings about killing someone. Great. The list of things I’m not good at is pretty short, but discussing feelings is probably at the top. Fortunately, my
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