Page 8 of The Howl
I listened to the outrage from the goblin and grinned wider.
“Tell them to come to Uttira. You’ll be happier, and so will they. I’ll feed them both for you,” I offered, liking the idea of having something to do outside of schoolwork and boredom.
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“Yep. It’ll be fine. Tell the goblin I’ll have a bowl of honey-soaked oats waiting for him at your house,” I said.
She gave them directions, and I listened to her tell the goblin that he needed to protect the brownie and not eat his wings. I cringed at that. Brownie wings were a delicacy I would never understand.
“It sounds like you’ve had an eventful first day,” I said.
“You have no idea. I just woke up in an abandoned warehouse after eating a janky burger at a questionable bar. And the goblin I just sent your way knows who did it, but he’s bound by a spell that won’t let him speak. Like the library. However, according to the brownie, the goblin will be able to talk in a few days because I’m his new master.”
I thought of the secrecy spell that bound the people who read anything in the library they were referencing. But, all spells had limits and loopholes, especially the secrecy one.
“I’ll call you if he says anything about who his previous master was,” I said.
“Thank you. And watch yourself around them. Oanen said they wouldn’t hurt me, but Elbner, the goblin, seems sketchy.”
“Did he make you mad?” I asked, knowing her fury sense was on point for spotting wickedness.
“Surprisingly, no.”
“Then I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
In the background, an eagle’s cry split the air.
“I better go,” Megan said. “Oanen’s coming, and I need to check on the guy Elbner knocked out.”
“What guy?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
The line went dead, and I tossed my phone aside. While Megan was obviously dealing with her own issues, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that she hadn’t asked how I was doing. But, what would I have really said? That I was doing awful because she’d left and I had no one to talk to about how hungry I was? That it felt like the hunger was eating me from the inside?
Sighing, I turned toward the balcony windows and blindly stared out at the darkness.
No, there was no need to involve Megan in my misery when there wasn’t anything she could do about it.
* * *
I stifleda yawn and studied my makeup. Although I’d kept it natural, the cosmetics still enhanced my features far more than I was comfortable. Makeup always attracted attention I didn’t want. Yet, it was a necessary evil. Especially today. It helped hide the dark circles under my eyes so I didn’t look as tired as I felt.
As I stared at myself, my eyes flooded with black then back to brown again. I wrinkled my nose and turned away from my reflection. Why couldn’t my body just cooperate with my brain? I didn’t want to feed. Ever. End of story. My hunger needed to get on board with my life plan of normalcy.
Hoping to distract my body, I went downstairs for some real food. However, instead of finding a deliciously toasted bagel waiting for me, I found Adira.
I paused at the sight of both her and Mrs. Quill sitting at the dining room table. They wore twin, serious expressions that I knew had nothing to do with them being siblings.
Oanen had called me after Megan, last night, and explained that their investigation into the dying trolls was dangerous to Megan. She wasn’t acting like her normal, angry self, and he needed me to get the goblin to talk as soon as he got here.
I’d never asked if he’d told the Council, but based on the solemn expressions of the two women before me, I was guessing he had. Adira’s next words confirmed it.
“We’d like to discuss what happened last night,” she said.
“Did Megan get drugged again?” I asked, hurrying to sit.
“Again?” Mrs. Quill asked. “When was Megan drugged?”
