Echoes of the Crown by Emily Hartstone

Author:Emily Hartstone [Hartstone, Emily]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-02-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Both the king and princess had made a secret, unanimous decision to follow the goblin – for now.

It was almost dark, and they knew that having a devious goblin determined to coax them into his plan was the last thing they needed to be fighting all night. Not to mention, goblins, as a species, were notorious for living in groups. Where there was one goblin, there was always another ten you couldn’t see. At least, that’s what Sera’s father had always told her.

While a minor inconvenience, both King Kai and Princess Sera knew that they would fare better sneaking out of sight of the goblins when they least expected it, at a time when they were less prepared, rather than now, where it was unlikely the goblin was truly alone, despite appearances. They also knew they could easily overpower the goblins with their height, size, and strength, but outnumbering a large group would be much more difficult. Plus, they did not yet know if the goblins acted alone or in cohorts with other, more vicious creatures.

He beckoned them to follow him, his small shoes sloshing in the mud, but he never lost his composure once despite the skid. The grin was still etched onto his face, his pointed dagger teeth now reflecting a horrific black and yellow under the moonlight.

He had told them that he would take them back to his camp first so they could negotiate the deal.

Despite his words, Sera knew as she followed the goblin through a large clearing in the towering, thick sequoia trees that there would be no negotiations. Whatever the goblin wanted would be what they had to accept.

Still, she was somewhat bemused, despite her and Kai’s secret agreement to follow the goblin for now, only to escape later. The goblin had mentioned some things that would help them: something that would assist in getting to the top of Ilfarsia, but also something that would help the mage create a stronger remedy to prevent the vicious orc attacks on their kingdoms.

While she knew goblins were cunning in achieving their goals, she didn’t know them to be deceptive, especially if a deal had been made. They had, from the very little she had read, experienced, and heard about them in her own history, lived up to their end of their bargains.

“Welcome, friends,” the goblin spoke with an air of glee about him, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet as he walked into a circular clearing in a cluster of sequoia trees. “Welcome…” he greeted again, “to my humble home.”

He gestured around.

Stepping through the final underbrush, pushing the twisted ivy out of her face as she stepped around the king to see better, Sera could finally see what the goblin was referring to and that he was definitely not alone.

Shuffling from the bases of the sequoias, where wide but small in height entrances had been carved, stepped at least one hundred goblins. Perhaps more if Sera were to stand and count each one.

“Thank

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