Max Hamby and the Faeryn Cross
Chapter 1
A midsummer's breeze whisked through empty stalls. It stabbed at festering piles of waste, then collided with the heavy scent of decay. It rose up like rancid phantoms along the thoroughfare of Grimhold Marketplace. A lone howl resonated from somewhere deep in the Downs, followed by a flurry of activity. Claws scraped over wood and clicked against metal. Grimhold's nocturnal residents scurried from their hiding places. They hissed and fought for a spot around the day’s droppings, until a slight vibration made them pause mid-feast. Whiskers twitched and beady eyes searched the darkness. A sudden flash of light forced the rats back, but only for a moment. Light brought the humans, and the humans meant food. The prospect of a better meal was much too enticing. They crept forward and searched the ground for new morsels. The air ripped apart and a hole appeared. The rats bolted. A pint-sized goblin with a round belly and green-tinted skin hopped through the hole at the edge of the marketplace.
Bonedread hooked his thumbs in the arm holes of his vest and scanned the pathways and stalls for movement. The auctions wouldn't begin for a few more hours and that was fine with him. He had his prize. The elder dwarf’s daughter wasn’t going anywhere and she was sure to fetch a pretty penny. “I will kill you, goblin,” she hissed. He waved off her threat with a chuckle. It had been easy to snatch the girl and escape unscathed, leaving the other brats to deal with the old man and his bat-like creature. He rubbed his protruding belly and grimaced. It had been a long night and a lot of struggle to hang onto her. She was a fiery creature. Without Zeeback and Bigrot, he would’ve lost her hours ago. He wiped a snot filled handkerchief under his nose. They had waited on the outskirts of the Downs to keep the girl hidden. It was closer to the humans than he would've liked. He rarely got that close, because their stink made his allergies flare up. The side of his face burned from a small scratch she had given him earlier. The girl was strong and feisty. She fought hard all night long, and still refused to give up. Her arms and legs flailed, preventing Zeeback and Bigrot from bringing her through the portal. She punched out and connected with Zeeback’s nose. He stumbled and grabbed his face. She kicked up and pounded Bigrot in the chin. His teeth clattered and he bellowed in pain.
“Oh, come on,” said Bonedread.
Zeeback attempted to push Bigrot and the girl through the portal, but she was too fast. He grabbed her hands, but she twisted away and raked her fingernails over his fingers. He howled and jumped away from her again; muttering a string of obscenities under his breath.
“It would be much easier if you two nimwits used your magic,” said Bonedread. He was losing his patience. "Should’ve knocked her out from the beginning." The goblin shook his head. The effects of too much goblin breath were risky and it was never a good idea to sell damaged goods. “Magic, idiots. A small dose of your breath will do.” They ignored him. Bigrot held onto her legs, while Zeeback grabbed for her arms again with no luck. Bonedread smacked them both on the arm. “Is something wrong with your hearing? Use your breath, but not too much. She’ll be no good to me at auction.” Bigrot adjusted the girl's weight on his shoulder and turned his head. Zeeback held on to his bloody hand and sneered at her. She paused mid-swing and watched the goblin's eyes begin to glow. Zeeback crouched until they were nose to nose, then blew a green cloud of gas in her face. A second cloud rolled over her back. The smell of garbage and swamp was so strong it made her gag.
“Celadine, is it?” asked Bonedread. He didn’t wait for a response. “Give in to the gas, girl. You’ll be better off.” He slid over to her and grabbed a handful of her hair. “You're about to have a little sleep. Pleasant dreams.” He grunted. “For now.” He watched her fight against the gas and laughed. “Your true nightmare begins in a few hours.”
Celadine dipped her head and pressed her nose into the goblin's overalls. It did nothing to stop the gas from invading her mind and messing with her senses. It blurred her vision until the goblins were shadowy blobs. It stung the insides of her nose and the roof of her mouth, then slid down her throat and took every ounce of saliva with it. The goblin, called Zeeback, taunted her. He waved his hand in front of her face. His fingers liquified. They swooped up and down, then split into five wavy colored lines. Her stomach twisted into a knot and nausea rushed over her. She closed her eyes and rested her cheek on the goblin’s shoulder till her stomach calmed. Father, she thought. Zeeback wasn’t done toying with her and tapped her on the head. She reached out to scratch him a second time, but missed. Her arm was just too heavy to lift. Her eyelids threatened to close and the urge to sleep was strong. She blinked and forced them open. Bigrot could have simply stepped through the portal, but instead he leaped into the air and thudded to the ground with a chuckle. She rose up and came down fast and hard. Her chest connected with his shoulder and the air rushed from her lungs. Zeeback casually stepped through the portal behind her. “Pay back, girly. There’s more where that came from.” Bonedread reached around them and snatched a thin, silver disc out of the air, then put it in his pocket. The portal disappeared.
Celadine did her best to focus on her surroundings and the goblin lumbering behind her. He swam in and out of her sight line, as she continued to bounce along on Bigrot's shoulder. Zeeback laughed and waved at her. “Y-You’re going to lose every o-one of those fingers when I get free,” she said, through gritted teeth
“Alright, boys. We've got a few hours to kill before the auction begins,” said Bonedread. “We'll get her settled, then you can do what you want, but make sure you're ready when the market opens.” He walked the dark streets of Grimhold and rubbed his hands together. “I can smell the money already.”
“You. Can't. Do. This,” breathed Celadine. “Father. el-elder d-dwarf.” It was an effort just to talk and she let her body go limp. The smaller goblin snickered up ahead.
“Ah, missy. You are a prized catch,” he said. “You may be the elder dwarf's daughter, but you are no dwarf. You will bring a tidy sum, I am sure.” He stepped through the opening of his shack and clenched his pudgy fists. The cages and jars were empty and the makeshift door at the back of the shack gave him a full view of the Downs. He kicked a glass jar across the room. It shattered against the wall, but that wasn't enough to sooth his anger. “It’s gone. All my inventory is gone.” He gnashed his teeth together, then growled and slammed the door of an empty cage. “I will get that kid, if it's the last thing I do.” He would've been set, if the kid hadn't released every creature in his possession. And it was the kid's fault that the old man had turned on him. He stared at the floor and shuddered. The memory of his body turning to liquid, then sucked into that infernal tunic was still fresh in his mind. It was an indescribable experience and one he wasn't willing to repeat. “When the time is right, the stones will be mine and that kid will be no more.”
Zeeback and Bigrot stomped into the shack, dragging a cage behind them. “Where do you want her, boss?” asked Bigrot.
Bonedread blinked, then turned around. The larger goblins had stuffed the girl into a cage that was much too small, but it didn’t matter. In a couple of hours, her light hair and even lighter eyes would attract more bidders than any other auction. He’d be rich. “Set her down anywhere.” He crouched down in front of the cage and studied her. “I will get my payment one way or another.” Tink-Tink. He tapped a clawed finger against an iron bar. “Nothing personal, just business.” He ran the claw down the length of her arm. Celadine jerked away, but jammed her back into the bars behind her. “I wonder what a whole pack of dwarfs would go for. Or Faeryn. There’s a creature you don’t see everyday.” He tapped his chin and studied her. “Hmm. Interesting.” Without another word, he stood up and walked away.
Celadine pulled her knees up to her chin, then shifted her gaze to the opening at the back of the room. The effects of the goblins' breath was wearing off, but not enough to break out of the cage. Fear gripped her insides at the thought of what lie ahead. Tears sprang from the corners of her eyes. Busby Stoop, her people and her father were all gone. A sob caught in her throat. “Father, what should I do?” She rested her head on the bottom of the cage and waited for daylight.
Chapter 1
A midsummer's breeze whisked through empty stalls. It stabbed at festering piles of waste, then collided with the heavy scent of decay. It rose up like rancid phantoms along the thoroughfare of Grimhold Marketplace. A lone howl resonated from somewhere deep in the Downs, followed by a flurry of activity. Claws scraped over wood and clicked against metal. Grimhold's nocturnal residents scurried from their hiding places. They hissed and fought for a spot around the day’s droppings, until a slight vibration made them pause mid-feast. Whiskers twitched and beady eyes searched the darkness. A sudden flash of light forced the rats back, but only for a moment. Light brought the humans, and the humans meant food. The prospect of a better meal was much too enticing. They crept forward and searched the ground for new morsels. The air ripped apart and a hole appeared. The rats bolted. A pint-sized goblin with a round belly and green-tinted skin hopped through the hole at the edge of the marketplace.
Bonedread hooked his thumbs in the arm holes of his vest and scanned the pathways and stalls for movement. The auctions wouldn't begin for a few more hours and that was fine with him. He had his prize. The elder dwarf’s daughter wasn’t going anywhere and she was sure to fetch a pretty penny. “I will kill you, goblin,” she hissed. He waved off her threat with a chuckle. It had been easy to snatch the girl and escape unscathed, leaving the other brats to deal with the old man and his bat-like creature. He rubbed his protruding belly and grimaced. It had been a long night and a lot of struggle to hang onto her. She was a fiery creature. Without Zeeback and Bigrot, he would’ve lost her hours ago. He wiped a snot filled handkerchief under his nose. They had waited on the outskirts of the Downs to keep the girl hidden. It was closer to the humans than he would've liked. He rarely got that close, because their stink made his allergies flare up. The side of his face burned from a small scratch she had given him earlier. The girl was strong and feisty. She fought hard all night long, and still refused to give up. Her arms and legs flailed, preventing Zeeback and Bigrot from bringing her through the portal. She punched out and connected with Zeeback’s nose. He stumbled and grabbed his face. She kicked up and pounded Bigrot in the chin. His teeth clattered and he bellowed in pain.
“Oh, come on,” said Bonedread.
Zeeback attempted to push Bigrot and the girl through the portal, but she was too fast. He grabbed her hands, but she twisted away and raked her fingernails over his fingers. He howled and jumped away from her again; muttering a string of obscenities under his breath.
“It would be much easier if you two nimwits used your magic,” said Bonedread. He was losing his patience. "Should’ve knocked her out from the beginning." The goblin shook his head. The effects of too much goblin breath were risky and it was never a good idea to sell damaged goods. “Magic, idiots. A small dose of your breath will do.” They ignored him. Bigrot held onto her legs, while Zeeback grabbed for her arms again with no luck. Bonedread smacked them both on the arm. “Is something wrong with your hearing? Use your breath, but not too much. She’ll be no good to me at auction.” Bigrot adjusted the girl's weight on his shoulder and turned his head. Zeeback held on to his bloody hand and sneered at her. She paused mid-swing and watched the goblin's eyes begin to glow. Zeeback crouched until they were nose to nose, then blew a green cloud of gas in her face. A second cloud rolled over her back. The smell of garbage and swamp was so strong it made her gag.
“Celadine, is it?” asked Bonedread. He didn’t wait for a response. “Give in to the gas, girl. You’ll be better off.” He slid over to her and grabbed a handful of her hair. “You're about to have a little sleep. Pleasant dreams.” He grunted. “For now.” He watched her fight against the gas and laughed. “Your true nightmare begins in a few hours.”
Celadine dipped her head and pressed her nose into the goblin's overalls. It did nothing to stop the gas from invading her mind and messing with her senses. It blurred her vision until the goblins were shadowy blobs. It stung the insides of her nose and the roof of her mouth, then slid down her throat and took every ounce of saliva with it. The goblin, called Zeeback, taunted her. He waved his hand in front of her face. His fingers liquified. They swooped up and down, then split into five wavy colored lines. Her stomach twisted into a knot and nausea rushed over her. She closed her eyes and rested her cheek on the goblin’s shoulder till her stomach calmed. Father, she thought. Zeeback wasn’t done toying with her and tapped her on the head. She reached out to scratch him a second time, but missed. Her arm was just too heavy to lift. Her eyelids threatened to close and the urge to sleep was strong. She blinked and forced them open. Bigrot could have simply stepped through the portal, but instead he leaped into the air and thudded to the ground with a chuckle. She rose up and came down fast and hard. Her chest connected with his shoulder and the air rushed from her lungs. Zeeback casually stepped through the portal behind her. “Pay back, girly. There’s more where that came from.” Bonedread reached around them and snatched a thin, silver disc out of the air, then put it in his pocket. The portal disappeared.
Celadine did her best to focus on her surroundings and the goblin lumbering behind her. He swam in and out of her sight line, as she continued to bounce along on Bigrot's shoulder. Zeeback laughed and waved at her. “Y-You’re going to lose every o-one of those fingers when I get free,” she said, through gritted teeth
“Alright, boys. We've got a few hours to kill before the auction begins,” said Bonedread. “We'll get her settled, then you can do what you want, but make sure you're ready when the market opens.” He walked the dark streets of Grimhold and rubbed his hands together. “I can smell the money already.”
“You. Can't. Do. This,” breathed Celadine. “Father. el-elder d-dwarf.” It was an effort just to talk and she let her body go limp. The smaller goblin snickered up ahead.
“Ah, missy. You are a prized catch,” he said. “You may be the elder dwarf's daughter, but you are no dwarf. You will bring a tidy sum, I am sure.” He stepped through the opening of his shack and clenched his pudgy fists. The cages and jars were empty and the makeshift door at the back of the shack gave him a full view of the Downs. He kicked a glass jar across the room. It shattered against the wall, but that wasn't enough to sooth his anger. “It’s gone. All my inventory is gone.” He gnashed his teeth together, then growled and slammed the door of an empty cage. “I will get that kid, if it's the last thing I do.” He would've been set, if the kid hadn't released every creature in his possession. And it was the kid's fault that the old man had turned on him. He stared at the floor and shuddered. The memory of his body turning to liquid, then sucked into that infernal tunic was still fresh in his mind. It was an indescribable experience and one he wasn't willing to repeat. “When the time is right, the stones will be mine and that kid will be no more.”
Zeeback and Bigrot stomped into the shack, dragging a cage behind them. “Where do you want her, boss?” asked Bigrot.
Bonedread blinked, then turned around. The larger goblins had stuffed the girl into a cage that was much too small, but it didn’t matter. In a couple of hours, her light hair and even lighter eyes would attract more bidders than any other auction. He’d be rich. “Set her down anywhere.” He crouched down in front of the cage and studied her. “I will get my payment one way or another.” Tink-Tink. He tapped a clawed finger against an iron bar. “Nothing personal, just business.” He ran the claw down the length of her arm. Celadine jerked away, but jammed her back into the bars behind her. “I wonder what a whole pack of dwarfs would go for. Or Faeryn. There’s a creature you don’t see everyday.” He tapped his chin and studied her. “Hmm. Interesting.” Without another word, he stood up and walked away.
Celadine pulled her knees up to her chin, then shifted her gaze to the opening at the back of the room. The effects of the goblins' breath was wearing off, but not enough to break out of the cage. Fear gripped her insides at the thought of what lie ahead. Tears sprang from the corners of her eyes. Busby Stoop, her people and her father were all gone. A sob caught in her throat. “Father, what should I do?” She rested her head on the bottom of the cage and waited for daylight.