goal; the leader wore a policeman’s cap she’d combined with medical scrubs and a marching band jacket. The oversized nightstick at her waist didn’t give her much of an advantage either. Not when any trespasser would likely flip themselves over laughing. Her squad mates were no less comical.
Ari whispered assurances to Frannie before stepping away from the fence. The earth-spirit vanished.
Turning to her ten o’clock Ari made a show of brushing off her jumpsuit and straightening her collar. When she’d finished, the glare she fixed on the three-goblin unit could’ve served as a master class in intimidation. Sparks of chaos blazed around her.
The patrol shifted uncomfortably.
As a spectator, Maks found himself liking the returner more and more.
“We’re planning on eating you three in a pie,” Ari said matter-of-factly, her arms folded across her chest. “We’ve already felled Corbel and Trajan.” She shook her shoulder pack and the henchmen moaned. The patrol gasped.
Yes, he liked her more and more—despite her shortcomings.
Taking his cue, Maks shuddered and unleashed Bear. The goblins eased backward. Ari blessed him with a sly smile.
“Or,” she said, inclining her head, “you could save your backsides and take us to your leader.”
If it weren’t for his snout a laugh definitely would have escaped him. Maks couldn’t tell why Ari wanted an audience with the Lady Goblin-kin but he was annoyed enough with both of Fanaweigh’s factions to play along. He also needed to stick by her for the sake of his parents’ statue. She had him locked into her roller coaster and headed straight for the loop-the-loop. Interesting how he didn’t mind, was beginning to enjoy her. The goblins didn’t find Ariana Golde as amusing as Maks did. Who could blame them? He’d seen her eat cookies off the floor. He knew she’d devour goblins.
Chapter Five
The border patrol drove Maks and Ari past Crimini Road, the goblins’ flea market. Heralded as the finest in North Carolina and eight surrounding states, the marketplace hummed with life louder than the patrol’s jeep. This took some doing. The jeep sounded like a woolly mammoth having its way with a saber tooth. Maks wasn’t sure who came out on top. Much the same as when common folks traded with storied ones. Often both sides benefited from the deals. Though sometimes not.
Goblin territory had a magpie for an architect. The buildings and homes were hodgepodge, combining eras and styles in interesting compositions. Maks would not have chosen to live there. He much preferred the suburb he and his brothers resided in, even with the rambunctious Shue children living next door. Though on the verge, The Old Woman had not succumbed to a nervous breakdown—yet. Neither had the Medveds, and the Shue children were given to pranks. Despite lacking Shues, goblin territory sheltered many species of Faeble.
Maks and Ari’s surprisingly smooth ride came to an end double-parked at the doors of a department store. He’d lost twenty percent of his hearing but at least his body hadn’t sustained any damage.
“Come away then,” the patrol leader shouted as all three goblins jumped from the jeep and hustled through the glass doors.
Maks held out a hand to help the wide-eyed Ari down. She blinked repeatedly; sticking a finger in her ear, she wriggled it. “Cripes, so loud.”
He blinked this time. She may as well have blown a foghorn in his face. “You do not have to yell. I have already become deaf,” he said.
“Oh,” she replied in slightly diminished decibels.
The name Lucida’s was etched onto the glass doors, along with office hours where store hours should have been. Clever goblins. They’d appropriated well. Maks looked to Ari and realized he still held her hand in his. He let go and received a smile. “I was preoccupied,” he said, holding a door open for her. She didn’t reply.
Lucida’s clearly didn’t function as a store anymore, but with the
Ari whispered assurances to Frannie before stepping away from the fence. The earth-spirit vanished.
Turning to her ten o’clock Ari made a show of brushing off her jumpsuit and straightening her collar. When she’d finished, the glare she fixed on the three-goblin unit could’ve served as a master class in intimidation. Sparks of chaos blazed around her.
The patrol shifted uncomfortably.
As a spectator, Maks found himself liking the returner more and more.
“We’re planning on eating you three in a pie,” Ari said matter-of-factly, her arms folded across her chest. “We’ve already felled Corbel and Trajan.” She shook her shoulder pack and the henchmen moaned. The patrol gasped.
Yes, he liked her more and more—despite her shortcomings.
Taking his cue, Maks shuddered and unleashed Bear. The goblins eased backward. Ari blessed him with a sly smile.
“Or,” she said, inclining her head, “you could save your backsides and take us to your leader.”
If it weren’t for his snout a laugh definitely would have escaped him. Maks couldn’t tell why Ari wanted an audience with the Lady Goblin-kin but he was annoyed enough with both of Fanaweigh’s factions to play along. He also needed to stick by her for the sake of his parents’ statue. She had him locked into her roller coaster and headed straight for the loop-the-loop. Interesting how he didn’t mind, was beginning to enjoy her. The goblins didn’t find Ariana Golde as amusing as Maks did. Who could blame them? He’d seen her eat cookies off the floor. He knew she’d devour goblins.
Chapter Five
The border patrol drove Maks and Ari past Crimini Road, the goblins’ flea market. Heralded as the finest in North Carolina and eight surrounding states, the marketplace hummed with life louder than the patrol’s jeep. This took some doing. The jeep sounded like a woolly mammoth having its way with a saber tooth. Maks wasn’t sure who came out on top. Much the same as when common folks traded with storied ones. Often both sides benefited from the deals. Though sometimes not.
Goblin territory had a magpie for an architect. The buildings and homes were hodgepodge, combining eras and styles in interesting compositions. Maks would not have chosen to live there. He much preferred the suburb he and his brothers resided in, even with the rambunctious Shue children living next door. Though on the verge, The Old Woman had not succumbed to a nervous breakdown—yet. Neither had the Medveds, and the Shue children were given to pranks. Despite lacking Shues, goblin territory sheltered many species of Faeble.
Maks and Ari’s surprisingly smooth ride came to an end double-parked at the doors of a department store. He’d lost twenty percent of his hearing but at least his body hadn’t sustained any damage.
“Come away then,” the patrol leader shouted as all three goblins jumped from the jeep and hustled through the glass doors.
Maks held out a hand to help the wide-eyed Ari down. She blinked repeatedly; sticking a finger in her ear, she wriggled it. “Cripes, so loud.”
He blinked this time. She may as well have blown a foghorn in his face. “You do not have to yell. I have already become deaf,” he said.
“Oh,” she replied in slightly diminished decibels.
The name Lucida’s was etched onto the glass doors, along with office hours where store hours should have been. Clever goblins. They’d appropriated well. Maks looked to Ari and realized he still held her hand in his. He let go and received a smile. “I was preoccupied,” he said, holding a door open for her. She didn’t reply.
Lucida’s clearly didn’t function as a store anymore, but with the
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