didn’t know how to keep the Troll occupied, but blocking the
doorway would be a start. She crawled forward and when she reached the opening,
she looked up into a misshapen face—sunken muddy black eyes, a twisted bulbous
nose, and a lipless slit for a mouth revealing mismatched and discolored teeth.
It was the ugliest face she’d ever seen.
The
Troll lifted his lantern. “Well, now, what have we here?” he growled.
“What
do you want?” Kerry snapped.
“You’re an intruder in me home
and ye ask what I want?” He jerked his chin to indicate the chamber behind
Kerry. “Gomit, get in there and see that the Pixie is still secured. I’ll take
care of the human.”
The Troll reached out one stubby
hand, aiming a blunt finger at her. She felt a pull behind her navel, then she
was jerked through the doorway and slammed against the opposite tunnel wall.
Dazed, Kerry watch as Gomit,
moving slowly, entered the tunnel. He glanced back at her, and she thought she
saw him wink. Then the Troll was in her face, his lantern raised high.
“If ye weren’t so damn ugly, I’d
keep ye for my wife-slave after I send the Pixie Prince back to his own realm.”
His fetid breath washed over her and she gagged, shrinking back from him as far
as she could. “But I can’t stand the look of ye. I’ll have to get rid of ye for
knowing too much about me bridge.”
Before she could tell him the
feeling was mutual, sparkles in the air caught her eye. They glittered in the
lantern light and floated down around the Troll. He gasped and his eyes widened
when they came within his view. “What th—?”
Before
he could finish the sentence, his body went stiff. Just as he started to topple
over, Myghal plucked the lantern from his grasp, and the Troll fell with a
solid thunk.
Myghal
helped her to sit up. “He’ll be all right. In a couple of days.”
Kerry grinned. “What about
Gomit?”
“I’m
here, Lady Kerry.” The little Gnome, not nearly as ugly when compared to the
Troll, appeared in the doorway. “You’d both best be off now. Tredje had
received a message by Sprite that more Trolls are on their way because the
Thane isn’t pleased with the way Tredje is handling the situation. They could
arrive at any time.”
“You’re
right, Sir Gomit.” Myghal flashed him a smile. “I thank you, and all the Pixies
thank you for your help.”
Gomit
bowed. “It’s been a privilege and an honor to serve in my small way.”
Myghal
looked at her. “Are you ready to go with me into the Faerie Realm?”
“What
about Gomit? Won’t Tredje and the other Trolls think it’s strange if Gomit
isn’t unconscious or something? I wouldn’t want him to get in trouble.”
“Never
fear, Lady. The Prince has charmed a little dust for me.”
Myghal
laughed. “He’ll be unconscious with bruises and cuts all over him, but without
the pain. They’ll think he put up a good fight.”
Gomit
leaned closer to Myghal. “An excellent choice, my liege. She cares about those
who serve. The mark of a true Princess.”
Kerry
blushed, but Myghal nodded and clapped him on the back.
Once
again, Kerry heard sounds—this time, loud voices ranting and raving—echo
through the tunnels.
“It’s
time, my liege,” Gomit whispered.
“Are you ready, Kerry?
Transportation will feel strange, but it will be over almost instantaneously.”
She nodded that she understood.
“Hold my hand. You’ll experience
complete darkness, but it will be over in a moment.” He looked at her
questioningly, as if asking if she’d be all right.
She
nodded and did as he directed, intertwining her fingers firmly with his. Then
he threw a bit of dust over them, and sparkles filled the air, each miniscule
crystal shimmering and glinting in the lantern light. The crystals coalesced
into a swirl that whipped around them both. Her bones felt loose and a sharp
sensation sank to the pit of her stomach. Then all went dark.
Chapter Seventeen
Kerry walked along the path
doorway would be a start. She crawled forward and when she reached the opening,
she looked up into a misshapen face—sunken muddy black eyes, a twisted bulbous
nose, and a lipless slit for a mouth revealing mismatched and discolored teeth.
It was the ugliest face she’d ever seen.
The
Troll lifted his lantern. “Well, now, what have we here?” he growled.
“What
do you want?” Kerry snapped.
“You’re an intruder in me home
and ye ask what I want?” He jerked his chin to indicate the chamber behind
Kerry. “Gomit, get in there and see that the Pixie is still secured. I’ll take
care of the human.”
The Troll reached out one stubby
hand, aiming a blunt finger at her. She felt a pull behind her navel, then she
was jerked through the doorway and slammed against the opposite tunnel wall.
Dazed, Kerry watch as Gomit,
moving slowly, entered the tunnel. He glanced back at her, and she thought she
saw him wink. Then the Troll was in her face, his lantern raised high.
“If ye weren’t so damn ugly, I’d
keep ye for my wife-slave after I send the Pixie Prince back to his own realm.”
His fetid breath washed over her and she gagged, shrinking back from him as far
as she could. “But I can’t stand the look of ye. I’ll have to get rid of ye for
knowing too much about me bridge.”
Before she could tell him the
feeling was mutual, sparkles in the air caught her eye. They glittered in the
lantern light and floated down around the Troll. He gasped and his eyes widened
when they came within his view. “What th—?”
Before
he could finish the sentence, his body went stiff. Just as he started to topple
over, Myghal plucked the lantern from his grasp, and the Troll fell with a
solid thunk.
Myghal
helped her to sit up. “He’ll be all right. In a couple of days.”
Kerry grinned. “What about
Gomit?”
“I’m
here, Lady Kerry.” The little Gnome, not nearly as ugly when compared to the
Troll, appeared in the doorway. “You’d both best be off now. Tredje had
received a message by Sprite that more Trolls are on their way because the
Thane isn’t pleased with the way Tredje is handling the situation. They could
arrive at any time.”
“You’re
right, Sir Gomit.” Myghal flashed him a smile. “I thank you, and all the Pixies
thank you for your help.”
Gomit
bowed. “It’s been a privilege and an honor to serve in my small way.”
Myghal
looked at her. “Are you ready to go with me into the Faerie Realm?”
“What
about Gomit? Won’t Tredje and the other Trolls think it’s strange if Gomit
isn’t unconscious or something? I wouldn’t want him to get in trouble.”
“Never
fear, Lady. The Prince has charmed a little dust for me.”
Myghal
laughed. “He’ll be unconscious with bruises and cuts all over him, but without
the pain. They’ll think he put up a good fight.”
Gomit
leaned closer to Myghal. “An excellent choice, my liege. She cares about those
who serve. The mark of a true Princess.”
Kerry
blushed, but Myghal nodded and clapped him on the back.
Once
again, Kerry heard sounds—this time, loud voices ranting and raving—echo
through the tunnels.
“It’s
time, my liege,” Gomit whispered.
“Are you ready, Kerry?
Transportation will feel strange, but it will be over almost instantaneously.”
She nodded that she understood.
“Hold my hand. You’ll experience
complete darkness, but it will be over in a moment.” He looked at her
questioningly, as if asking if she’d be all right.
She
nodded and did as he directed, intertwining her fingers firmly with his. Then
he threw a bit of dust over them, and sparkles filled the air, each miniscule
crystal shimmering and glinting in the lantern light. The crystals coalesced
into a swirl that whipped around them both. Her bones felt loose and a sharp
sensation sank to the pit of her stomach. Then all went dark.
Chapter Seventeen
Kerry walked along the path
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