Changeling by William Ritter

Author:William Ritter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Published: 2019-06-25T17:35:50+00:00

The queen took slow, measured steps to meet the intruders at the foot of the hill. She suppressed a smile.

Directly in front of her, the furious human, Annie Burton, planted her feet on solid ground at last, her teeth clenched and her fists balled. The little goblin halted and steeled himself several feet behind, looking as resolute as he could, the precious thing.

“Those are my boys,” Annie growled.

“I heard you the first time,” the queen replied lazily. “And you are wrong.”

Annie breathed through her teeth. She looked as if she might throw herself at the witch at any moment.

“One of the boys is yours,” the queen continued. “Just one. Isn’t that right? The other—” She eyed Kull. “Well, I assume you had something to do with that, didn’t you, little thief?”

Kull blanched.

“A changeling. It has been a long time. But you came back for it, didn’t you—came back for your lost wayward monster?” She pursed her lips, considering. “How unlike a goblin. If I thought it possible for one of your kind to care about a child’s life, I might be deceived into believing that he meant something to you.”

“Means everythin’,” Kull croaked.

“I find that very hard to believe, thief. Unless—I suppose you have something to gain from the poor creature’s return?”

Kull did not answer.

“Quite a lot to gain?”

Kull’s eyes fell.

“That does explain it. Small wonder that they were fleeing into my forest rather than back to the likes of you. You know, I think they might prefer life in the Wild Wood, don’t you?”

“No. I won’t let you turn my boys into animals,” Annie Burton said. “You can’t have them.”

The queen let a smile spread freely across her face now, equal parts amused and impressed. “So bold,” she said. “My dear, sweet, stupid woman, you really believe you have a say in this, don’t you?”

Annie only glared. They locked eyes, and the witch’s smile melted slowly into something softer, a strange spark of tenderness glittering behind her gaze as she appraised the woman.

“If you really care so very much,” she said, stiffening, “can you even identify your own child?”

Annie scowled and glanced at Kull. Kull bit his lip. In thirteen long years, for all his studying and spying, Kull had never been certain which child was his marvelous changeling and which was the unmagical human.

“You can’t, can you? You both wish to claim your poor, lost children, but you don’t even know them, do you? Well, I do.” The queen lowered her chin. Hard shadows fell under her brow. “I know lost children. And I will make you a deal. If either one of you can guess correctly—if either one of you can claim your true kin, then I will give you back your child. Simple as that. You will be free to leave my forest with him and never look back.”

Kull brightened. Annie remained less than satisfied.

“But whichever you choose,” the queen finished, “the other will be forfeited to me.”

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