many goblins bustling around it had to be their base of operations. Maks and Ari followed the patrol down a hallway, past customer service and through a door marked BREAK ROOM. A lounge lavish enough to do a nightclub proud met them on the inside.
The patrol leader ran over to a figure in a circular booth at the far wall. After a short exchange they were invited back to meet the lady. Halfway there, Maks got a full look at her. “Damn,” he murmured in appreciation.
Ari nodded beside him. “Even better,” she said.
No jealousy or pique at his response, and why was this “even better”? The returner continued to surprise him. In truth, the Lady Goblin-kin did not surpass Ari’s loveliness. She did, however, possess a bodacious figure a man could not help but appreciate. Her hair spiraled around her shoulders in long ringlets so dark a shade of garnet they appeared black unless light caught and illuminated the red. The ringlets led the eye to an ample expanse of bottle-green cleavage. Maks cleared his throat. He had not meant to ogle the lady, but one could not help it any more than one could ignore a four-tier birthday cake in the middle of the room. Her décolleté begged for attention.
Glancing to the side he noticed Ari laughing at him. He allowed the faintest hint of humor to touch the corner of his mouth.
“I know,” she said, “you were preoccupied.”
The Lady Goblin-kin gestured for them to join her at the table. Ari slid into the blue velvet booth and Maks followed. The lady was quite good looking, with a full mouth and well put-together features. He glanced at Ari. The returner remained the victor.
“You are Ariana Golde, the returner?” The lady’s voice wrapped them in fur.
“I am. My companion is Maksim Medved.”
“Oh yes, Maksim Medved. The surly one.”
Ari choked on laughter.
“I am not surly,” Maks said.
“I wouldn’t know. I have only heard.” The queen of the goblins remained perfectly composed, as one would expect of a sovereign. “I am Lucida, the lady of the Goblin-kin. Ariana Golde, you have something I want.”
“I do.” Ari reached into her shoulder pack, pulled out the necklace and laid it on the table—two rows of rubies varying in size set into platinum, encrusted with diamonds and emerald dust.
Maks made a warning sound in his throat. He did not like where this was going. Ari laid a hand on his leg and glanced at him. Her look begged him to trust her. How could he? She was a vorovka and a treacherous one. Only the thought of the statue stilled his tongue. His opinion of the returner teetered to and fro in a kind of Arian-o-meter. He liked her, and then he didn’t. He’d been right from the beginning. She was not for trusting.
Lucida ran her fingers over the necklace, raising an eyebrow. “I suppose you would like a reward.”
This made more sense. Ariana Golde hoped for a better price than she had already received.
The returner shook her head. “I can’t accept more money for completing the job the Grand High Oni hired me to do.”
Maks and Lucida gave her twin looks. Both their expressions cried mischief. Ari either didn’t notice their disbelief or ignored it.
“Lady Lucida, haven’t you wondered why the Grand High Oni goes out of his way to ruin every marriage contract you’ve ever made?”
The lady inclined her head. She must have been searching for the trick in Ari’s question. “I know why. The red bastard hates me with all the fire in his bloated ogre belly. That’s why.”
Shaking her head with a knowing expression, Ari answered. “My father often sings a song: ‘Thin Line Between Love & Hate’ by The Pretenders. Have you heard it?”
Lucida nodded.
“I believe the lyrics apply here,” Ari said. “When your feud started, wasn’t it because your father tossed the High Oni out on his impressive backside during a poker game?”
Leaning forward the lady replied. “Yes, but rumor had it The Ogre said something unseemly about
The patrol leader ran over to a figure in a circular booth at the far wall. After a short exchange they were invited back to meet the lady. Halfway there, Maks got a full look at her. “Damn,” he murmured in appreciation.
Ari nodded beside him. “Even better,” she said.
No jealousy or pique at his response, and why was this “even better”? The returner continued to surprise him. In truth, the Lady Goblin-kin did not surpass Ari’s loveliness. She did, however, possess a bodacious figure a man could not help but appreciate. Her hair spiraled around her shoulders in long ringlets so dark a shade of garnet they appeared black unless light caught and illuminated the red. The ringlets led the eye to an ample expanse of bottle-green cleavage. Maks cleared his throat. He had not meant to ogle the lady, but one could not help it any more than one could ignore a four-tier birthday cake in the middle of the room. Her décolleté begged for attention.
Glancing to the side he noticed Ari laughing at him. He allowed the faintest hint of humor to touch the corner of his mouth.
“I know,” she said, “you were preoccupied.”
The Lady Goblin-kin gestured for them to join her at the table. Ari slid into the blue velvet booth and Maks followed. The lady was quite good looking, with a full mouth and well put-together features. He glanced at Ari. The returner remained the victor.
“You are Ariana Golde, the returner?” The lady’s voice wrapped them in fur.
“I am. My companion is Maksim Medved.”
“Oh yes, Maksim Medved. The surly one.”
Ari choked on laughter.
“I am not surly,” Maks said.
“I wouldn’t know. I have only heard.” The queen of the goblins remained perfectly composed, as one would expect of a sovereign. “I am Lucida, the lady of the Goblin-kin. Ariana Golde, you have something I want.”
“I do.” Ari reached into her shoulder pack, pulled out the necklace and laid it on the table—two rows of rubies varying in size set into platinum, encrusted with diamonds and emerald dust.
Maks made a warning sound in his throat. He did not like where this was going. Ari laid a hand on his leg and glanced at him. Her look begged him to trust her. How could he? She was a vorovka and a treacherous one. Only the thought of the statue stilled his tongue. His opinion of the returner teetered to and fro in a kind of Arian-o-meter. He liked her, and then he didn’t. He’d been right from the beginning. She was not for trusting.
Lucida ran her fingers over the necklace, raising an eyebrow. “I suppose you would like a reward.”
This made more sense. Ariana Golde hoped for a better price than she had already received.
The returner shook her head. “I can’t accept more money for completing the job the Grand High Oni hired me to do.”
Maks and Lucida gave her twin looks. Both their expressions cried mischief. Ari either didn’t notice their disbelief or ignored it.
“Lady Lucida, haven’t you wondered why the Grand High Oni goes out of his way to ruin every marriage contract you’ve ever made?”
The lady inclined her head. She must have been searching for the trick in Ari’s question. “I know why. The red bastard hates me with all the fire in his bloated ogre belly. That’s why.”
Shaking her head with a knowing expression, Ari answered. “My father often sings a song: ‘Thin Line Between Love & Hate’ by The Pretenders. Have you heard it?”
Lucida nodded.
“I believe the lyrics apply here,” Ari said. “When your feud started, wasn’t it because your father tossed the High Oni out on his impressive backside during a poker game?”
Leaning forward the lady replied. “Yes, but rumor had it The Ogre said something unseemly about
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