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His breathing seemed to quicken. “I’m afraid you don’t have a choice in the matter.”

Chapter 8

Jael had to give her credit. The human did not dissolve into a sobbing mess at his refusal to return her to her people. In fact, quite the opposite, she’d gone silent. He glanced down at her face to make sure she had not swooned—she hadn’t—but the angle of her head made it difficult for him to discern her expression.

He cleared his throat and plodded onward. They were almost back to Imenborg. His arms ached. Although Anrid was slight of build, the journey back through the tunnels had been a long one. And his thigh hurt where the falling rock had battered him. He was sure he would have a nasty bruise to show for his heroic efforts.

Not that anyone would care.

All he would hear about were the tremors that had made their way back to the capitol. The earthquake had been of such a ferocity, he didn’t dare hope the shaking remained localized.

“You’re going the wrong way.”

The small but authoritative voice brought him up short. Jael turned to squint down at the goblinborn. The cocky fellow stood with one hand on his hip and the other pointing down a side tunnel that led to an abandoned cavern below Imenborg. It used to be an adjacent storage chamber but hadn’t been used in years.

“That isn’t the way to go,” Jael disagreed. He kept his tone calm, but he was feeling rather annoyed and anxious about the whole day’s events. “Imenborg is this way.”

“I know that,” Rig said with frustrated wrinkle of his nose. “But the others are this way.”

Anxiety pulsed against his temples with renewed strength. “Others? What others?” His stomach sank and twisted into a knot.

“Medda,” Anrid whispered with a resigned sigh.

“Yes. Medda.” The goblinborn nodded his head enthusiastically. “And the others.”

Others. Dragons bite him.

“You never said anything about others,” Anrid said, unaware of his distress and frustration.

“Oh, yes, a couple others.”

A couple...there were probably a dozen renegade fellows hiding down in that storage room. Perhaps he should send someone back to fetch them...

But no, the sensible thing to do would be to collect them now, since he was here. But he was so tired. And his body hurt.

Instead, Jael stooped to lower the human girl to the ground. She clung to his shirt before she felt the ground beneath her. Then she let go and pushed gently against his chest as if to shoo him away. She was probably glad to be free of him.

“Go and fetch your little friends then,” Jael ordered as he sat down beside the girl. “I’m going to catch my breath.”

Rig nodded and tore out of sight, his shoes slapping against the cavern floor as he disappeared. The runestone he held cast erratic shadows and light against the wall before plunging Jael and Anrid into total darkness. He could have pulled out another runestone...but he just wanted to close his eyes for a moment.

“I’m sorry to have caused so much trouble.” Her whispered apology turned his head in her direction. Her breathing seemed loud.

Yes, a whopping load of trouble. But then he took hold of his irritation. “It’s not your fault,” he muttered. “Your little friend has much explaining to do, however.”

“You’re—you're not going to hurt him, are you?” She sounded concerned.

“Why do you care so much? He kidnapped you, after all. Got you into this mess.” Got them both into this mess.

“I know you say he isn’t a child...but he seems like one to me. And I can’t help but...well, take care of little ones. I’ve been taking care of my sister since I was a child myself. I suppose you might say I was born into it.”

He said nothing as he made himself more comfortable against the wall, one arm resting on the knee he drew toward his chest. He closed his eyes and allowed a moment to collect his thoughts.

“I can understand that.” He didn’t elaborate. It wasn’t any of her business who he was or what he had been born to do. Or that her presence was interfering with that obligation.

It wasn’t her fault.

“What—what is going to happen to me?” Her voice had dropped so low he struggled to decipher her words.