Page 56 of Goblins Don't Count
I started moving more quickly, brushing past the goblin girl as I broke into a comfortable jog.
“What happened to not trusting me?” she asked, easily keeping up.
“I’ll worry about not trusting you later. Right now, I have things to do.”
ChapterSixteen
The car was mostly wheels and a tiny cockpit. I climbed in next to the goblin girl, and then we were rolling, literally, and that thing had hooks in the wheels so it could climb up stone walls. Which it did. She drove fast, and in only a few minutes, we were pulling into a tunnel beyond the city cavern, headed for the exit. Hopefully. We came up against a wall that split open the second before we hit it, then we were out, coming up a ramp past the small hut that was the people's entrance to goblin town.
She stopped the vehicle a hair’s-breadth away from my mother, who held her sign and glared at the cockpit.
I clenched my fists as the emotions bubbled up. She’d humiliated me in front of everyone. She’d never accept that I was my own person. I hated disappointing her, but I was done pretending to live the life she wanted for me. Finally, I took a deep breath, smoothed my palms on my gray slacks, and opened the cockpit. I got out, climbing over the tire to land in front of my mother.
“What seems to be the problem?”
She sputtered and then threw her sign in the air. “What’s the problem? My daughter is stolen away by the goblin king after being corrupted by one of his henchmen, and you’re asking me what is the problem?”
She grabbed me into a hug that surprised me. It also hurt my shoulder, but I was frozen in place from shock, so I didn’t move until she pulled away and peered at me.
“He really let you go?”
I brushed down her hands, one of which was digging into my wound, while my emotions roiled around from angry to relieved. She was worried about me even though I’d lied to her?
“Yes. I mean, he didn’t try to stop me. I asked him for a place to stay until I figured out housing. I need to move out, to live my own life and not rely on you forever.” Really? But I loved my family.
“You pay rent.”
“I need to live somewhere closer to work.”
She flinched. “In the growl district? Really? You want to live and work there?”
I glanced back at the entrance to Goblin Town. “It’s a shorter commute than from here. It’s good to see you. But you should go home. I’m not being held prisoner. I just needed a place to stay for a little while.”
“And this business with the courthouse? With your boss being in a coma in the hospital? That could have been you! Your car was ripped apart! Why would you choose such a dangerous job? It’s like you want to die! You’re so careless!”
I held onto my anger. This wasn’t the time. And she was right. I’d stupidly, carelessly written to the Goblin King so I could save my brother. I’d also worn that cursed dress to a ball, defying my boss in the process. “That’s right. I was. I am. I’m going to work now. I hope that my boyfriend’s sister can give me a ride so I don’t have to find a cab.”
My mother blinked at me. “Just like that? This is your new normal?”
“I’ll give you a ride, sure thing,” the goblin girl called.
I shrugged and had a hard time meeting my mother’s eyes. I felt so guilty. Was she manipulating my emotions, or had I just gotten used to these feelings? “Look, mom, I love you. Thanks so much for caring about me. Now it’s time for me to take care of myself.” I gave her a delicate hug that she finally returned before pulling away with a frown.
“I don’t like you staying in Goblin Town. Can’t you ask Gabby? Or you could stay in a hotel if you must run away from home like a child. Libby’s place is available.”
“I’m staying with my boyfriend. His place is large, quiet, and he doesn’t mind sharing with a feral raccoon. I never asked for a familiar.”
“No, you didn’t, but when the magic grows, so does the connection to the natural world around you.” Her face was still worried. “And he really let you leave?”
Not exactly, but I wasn’t going to tell her that. “I’m not a holograph projection, if that’s what you’re asking. Look, I’ve really got to get to work. Why don’t we all go out to dinner sometime and you can voice your worries in a really reasonable, respectful way, all right? If we do go to dinner, you’re going to show me beforehand every question you want to ask. I don’t want you to hurt his feelings.”
She snorted. “Hurting his feelings? The Goblin King?”
“Yes. Well, the Goblin Authority. That’s his propaganda, and I’m respecting it. By the way, the compulsion at the ball was from the dress I was wearing. Clary gave it to me. I don’t think she knew it was a compulsion dress, but that’s what that was about. I didn’t even realize at the time, the spelling was so subtle.”
“Demon work, sounds like. When witches work with demons, bad things follow.” Her eyes were concerned, and after last night, I had to agree. Internally, so she wouldn’t know and have the opportunity to gloat and press her own wisdom over mine.
“Do you know much about demons?” Like what kind of demon was incorporeal like that, and why it would be able to control people into killing themselves?
