Mages and Mysteries: A Fantasy Pride and Prejudice Variation by Victoria Kincaid

Author:Victoria Kincaid [Kincaid, Victoria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms, Alternate Universe, Not in Amazon Library, To Transfer
Amazon: B09MPRSJ6T
Goodreads: 59720000
Publisher: Meadowbrook Press
Published: 2021-11-27T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Caught between dismay and relief, Darcy considered whether the spell was at fault or if he simply did not possess the necessary skill. He could sense the portal draining his energy; that part of the spell functioned as it should.

He shouted again, “I summon you by name! Yucanthas the kobold: appear!”

After a moment, the fire’s smoke took on a greenish hue, slowly coalescing into a humanoid shape. First a face, then a neck and shoulders, and finally a torso with arms and legs. A kobold goblin emerged from the flames, seemingly unscathed, and walked unerringly toward Darcy.

***

The kobold was small, about the size of a seven-year-old human. Its skin was brown and rough with a pebbly texture; a whitish tunic covered its torso. Elizabeth blinked. It was the first time she had ever observed a goblin wearing clothing. Was that a sign that it was more civilized than others?

Nearly glowing with rage, the goblin stalked toward Mr. Darcy with murderous intent. The mage stood his ground as the kobold thudded into the barrier of Elizabeth’s containment spell—where it hissed in frustration as it glared at them.

She could only pray that her spell would hold. The kobold was small in stature, but it possessed a mouthful of wickedly sharp teeth, and its eyes glowed an eerie greenish yellow. The naked hatred in its countenance suggested it would kill them if it could.

“Are you Yucanthas? Do you understand my words?” Mr.Darcy asked. If the goblin could not speak English, then this would all be for naught.

The creature let loose an unearthly screech, startling Elizabeth into stumbling back several steps. Mr. Darcy flinched but did not move. The creature growled and shouted in a guttural tongue, waving its arms so that claws sliced through the air and scraped along the edge of the bespelled barrier.

Mr. Darcy sought Elizabeth’s eyes. “Did I summon the wrong goblin?”

She considered the creature. Of course it was enraged at being peremptorily summoned; surely it only wanted to go back home. “We will not return you through the portal until you have spoken with us,” she told the creature firmly.

The kobold froze, and Elizabeth smiled. It did understand her.

“What does the human want?” it spat. “Will not be your slave.”

Elizabeth recoiled at the suggestion. “We have no intention of enslaving you! We merely desire you to answer a few questions. Then we will return you to your world.”

The kobold snarled. “Humans lie!”

“We are not lying,” Mr. Darcy said, sounding very calm and authoritative. “In any case, you have nothing to lose by answering our questions.”

“Send me home!” the goblin demanded, saying the word “home” with such longing that Elizabeth experienced a flicker of sympathy. The goblin world was described as a place of rock and flame, but perhaps it could be a home for the right creature.

Mr. Darcy shook his head. “Not until you answer our questions.”

The kobold banged against the sides of the containment spell, uttering sounds that she guessed were curses as it explored every inch of the dome for a weakness to provide an escape.

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