Page 33 of The Goblin and The Dancer
Paul braced a hand against the wall to stand up.
Grik, shoving aside his disheartening worries, reached out a hand to steady the elf.This is the man Rosanna will fall in love with, he thought.It’s to be expected, and it’s who she deserves. No elf could ever love a goblin, let alone one who’s done what I’ve done. Accept it, and be a better goblin.
Paul looked down at Grik and smiled his thanks, and Grik felt a little better. He hugged the feeling to himself as they began the long walk back to Ratiga’s chamber.
Chapter Eight
Ratiga’s men met them as Grik and Paul stepped into the main cavern of the underworld queen’s hideout. Guards hurried forward to drag them out of the tunnel and towards the aisle of torchlight.
Ratiga threw her arms wide. “Well, well! The triumphant return!”
“Paul!” Rosanna cried, her face blossoming with joy, and Grik felt his heart sink. She had looked for Paul first, not him. But hope returned to him a second later as Rosanna said wildly, “Where’s Grik? Where is he—?” and then she looked down and saw him standing there, and her face broke into the most beautiful smile Grik had ever seen.
Rosanna tried to run to them, but, at a signal from Ratiga, a guard held her back. But that didn’t stop the three travelers from beaming at each other in relief and happiness.
“Hold on there, precious,” Ratiga said sourly. Pure and simple affection clearly bothered her. “I’d hold off on celebrating until we’ve completed our little deal.” She steepled her fingers and turned to Grik and Paul. “You certainly took long enough.”
As she spoke, Grik was shoved forward into the light, and the illumination of the torches caught on the abundance of gems he was wearing.
There was a collective “oooh” of surprise and interest from the guards, so loud it cut Ratiga off. It was the moment for the men to prove their true nature, the moment Grik and Paul had been counting on.
Only one guard was conscientious enough to continue holding on to Paul; the others were all distracted by Grik and the jewels wrapped about his person. Someone grabbed him and held him aloft like a slab of beef so that he could be roughly divested of his glittering ornaments.
“Ah, don’t hurt me!” Grik wailed as he was manhandled by the guards. He pulled off a bracelet and threw it as hard as he could.
The majority of Ratiga’s men went stampeding after it. It was like watching a tide turn as they rushed to the corner to scrabble over the prize.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake,” Ratiga cried. “Control yourself, you fools. You realize you can’t keep any of it, right? It’s mine!”
The men continued rolling around on the ground in a wild exhibition of fisticuffs and, unfortunately, biting. Only the three elves guarding the prisoners and one elderly goblin had the self-control not to fight with their fellows over the gems—and the old goblin looked as if he might fall down and die if he moved from his position by Ratiga’s throne, so it might not have been self-control on his part, but rather self-preservation.
Ratiga sighed. “Oh, never mind.” She turned to Grik and Paul. “Well? The crown?”
Paul pulled the crown out of his jacket and looked as if he were about to throw it at Ratiga, but his guard grabbed it from him before he could. The guard turned to Ratiga and presented the crown.
Ratiga snatched it up eagerly and placed it on her head.“Back where you belong!” Ratiga purred, tilting her head in an attempt to peer up at her forehead. She seemed highly pleased with the effect, though Grik thought she looked like an onion with a soup tureen on its head.
Ratiga looked around, obviously expecting applause, and scowled when it was not immediately forthcoming.
Most of the fighting over the gems had died down; the biggest elves and the goblins with the sharpest teeth had claimed the bulk of it.
Ratiga snapped her fingers and whistled for attention, and everyone looked towards her reluctantly.“All hail your queen!” Ratiga roared, twirling for her audience, arms wide.
Her men clapped and cheered dutifully. Since they needed both hands to applaud, the guards let go of Rosanna, and she ran to Grik and Paul.
She grabbed their hands and then threw her arms out to hug both of them. “I’m so glad to see you.”
“Get behind us,” Paul hissed, pushing her behind them, and then he interrupted the cheering around them with a voice that must have once brought corporals to their knees. “The deal is complete. We’ll be going now.” He motioned to Rosanna and Grik to begin moving away.
Ratiga whisked around to narrow her eyes at them. “Well now, hold on, let me think. You did that so easily, perhaps I would be cheating myself of all that’s due me.”
“Easily?” Paul exploded. “Do we look like we just went through something easily?”
Grik, who had been trying to straighten his tunic because Rosanna was looking at him, immediately stopped and tried to appear pathetic and half-dead. It wasn’t difficult.
“You look like fish bait,” Ratiga agreed peaceably. “Nevertheless, I feel cheated. After all, to gain safe passage through my dominion is worth a great deal.” She tipped her head. “And, quite honestly, poppets, I am beginning to think you’re too valuable to let go. You faced the monster, after all; my men don’t have the nerve to do that.”
Ratiga’s men shuffled their feet, and a mumble of embarrassment mixed with annoyance ran through them.
