Page 17 of Goblins Don't Count
I patted her shoulder, which was weird, because in that moment of connection, I heard prison doors slamming, and the voice of a man booming, “I sentence you for life?—”
And then she jerked away from me, scowling darkly at the road in front of us. I stared at her, then at my hand, which looked the same. Didn’t it look the same? It wasn’t turning green, was it? But something was happening to me. I could read auras, but that had been much stronger, much more intense.
“You’re going to have to learn to control yourself,” she said softly, but there was a dangerous undercurrent to it.
I curled my hands in my lap over the potato sack and nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry. So, I really am turning into a goblin?”
“It’s not a true transformation. You’ll take on characteristics and their magic, but you’ll always be part human.”
I looked at her skeptically. Was she trying to make me feel better? “Thanks. I still think it can be undone. Maybe I can talk to the Magga and explain that I don’t want her magic and power.”
“Why don’t you want it?” she said, looking at me curiously. “Most people would be really happy with the fact that they were able to take control of a circle, take control of all the people who have treated you like you’re worthless because you lacked potent ability.”
I gave her a horrified look. “You think I want to be like Portalia? I have things to do. My life isn’t some aside to my magic. My magic serves my life, and neither me or my magic are going to be enslaved to someone else. I serve the greater good, justice, and peace.”
“Hm.” She smiled slightly. “Your idealism is inspiring. Good luck getting the goblins to take away their special gift. How lucky that you know some goblins who might be able to help you.”
“I know goblins?”
“Your mother talks about you and your goblin friends at the coven meetings.”
“Does she?”
“I think she even had some hopes that you were developing something romantic.” She shot me a grin. “Speaking of romance, Tim survived dancing with you. I don’t think you so much as stepped on his foot.”
I started pulling on my pants under the potato sack. No way was I getting out of her car looking like this. “It was truly magical. Seriously, my mother wasn’t appalled by the idea of me dating a goblin?”
“She just wants you to find somebody. Some people are like that, intensely riveted on other people’s happiness like they have none of their own.” Her lips thinned, and that’s the last thing she said for the rest of the drive.
It was fine. I was left with my thoughts. Which went around in circles, bouncing between dating goblins, demons, and warlocks, oh my, to finding some evidence about the Judge’s death, and finally, becoming some goblin-witch vessel that everybody wanted to drain.
ChapterSix
Igot home in time to help out with the dinner rush. Good. It was nice to have something to do other than dodge Tarn, who kept looking at me with narrow, suspicious eyes. I worked the tables on autopilot, but my head wasn’t in it.
“You feeling okay?” Gabby asked, frowning at me like she could read my aura.
I grabbed her arm. “Actually, I’m not. I mean, I am, but things have been weird. What do you know about goblins?”
“Lean, mean, green machines? You should stay away from them.”
I nodded and stepped away, raising the pitcher of water between us. Of course. Everyone else knew that you shouldn’t have anything to do with goblins. Even the Goblin Authority had made it clear in every letter- that goblins were not to be trusted, and you should keep your distance, and so on. Every letter. Sashimi didn’t warn me away, but he kept his distance. Except for that last time when he carried me to bed. Yep. That definitely hadn’t been distant.
And then I’d tasered him.
Gabby followed me, eyes worried. “Hey, Rynne, if you’re having trouble with goblins, we can help you out. Mirabel has even the Goblin Authority shaking in his boots. If one of them is threatening you or?—”
“It’s not that. I mean, it’s a little bit of that, but mostly just wondering if you knew any individual goblins.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “Individual goblins. Are you telling me that you’redatinga goblin?” Her revulsion was very obvious.
Would she feel like that about me if I became green? I offered her a small smile. “No. Of course not. Who would date a goblin?”
“I mean, I’m sure there are nice goblins in the world,” she said, chewing on her bottom lip. “I mean, I haven’t personally met a lot of goblins, but they’re really good with money, and, um, usually have really good skin. Green, but good.”
I blinked at her and shook my head. “Okay. Stop trying to be polite before you hurt yourself. Did you know Judge Stevens?”
She nodded. “Way to change the subject. Weird that he committed suicide.”
