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“I-” He paused, his hand flew up to stop me from speaking the words that had danced on my tongue lost as he glanced back behind him, listening to whatever it was that caught his attention.
I couldn’t hear anything, but he was Fae and I had no doubt he heard something that my ears had yet to pick up. But as he stood perfectly still my unease increased. I’d forgotten that Fae were still predators. Their unnatural stillness, keen sense of smell and hearing things long before others could. But it did not take long before my own ears finally picked up what he’d heard.
The noise was jarring and grating, causing a prickle that made my skin crawl as if someone were grinding two rocks together. The friction between them was enough to set my nerves on edge, and the sound grew in volume the longer we stood there.
Hendrix’s face paled, “Run.”
His urgent words sent a surge of panic through me. The way he grabbed my hand and pulled me along only made it worse. We ran down the path we had been traveling with the sound behind us growing louder and more chaotic. The noises seemed to overlap with each other, creating a discordant symphony of grinding and scraping.
As we darted through the rocky path, the sound behind us was a strange mix of grinds and hums. I couldn't make out what it was but it sounded like the buzzing of bees more than anything else. It was an eerie and unsettling sound that added to the panic I felt as we weaved around larger rocks and turned corners, trying to put as much distance between us and whatevertheywere.
I had to yell to be heard as I asked him, “What is that?”
His grip on my hand tightened as he shouted back at me, “Rock trolls. They are not kind or forgiving if you find yourself in their hive. They will rip you limb from limb.”
Rock trolls?Rock trolls?
Oh, he had to be kidding me!
This place was going to give me a heart-attack. Fauns, talking squirrels, Fae that can change into animals, caves that prey on your deepest desires, rock trolls, what else livedhere?
“Faster! You'll never see another sunrise if they get hold of you, because there will be nothing left,” he shouted, his grip on my hand tightening. He pulled me closer to him, urging me to run as fast as I could. I still had not fully recovered from my lack of sleep, stumbling over fallen rocks as I hurled myself forward. Hendrix grabbed my arm to keep me from falling, and I gave him a grateful smile as he righted me again. His response was quick, and it made my heart race.
“Will they devour us?” I asked with fear in my voice.
“No,” he replied, “But they're lethal. They don't tolerate any interference with their hive. They don't care if you're friend or foe. If you disturb their hive, you better know your way out. They may be small, but they are dangerous.”
A small cry left my lips as another fork in the path appeared ahead of us.
“Left Serra, go left!” Hendrix bellowed. He’d stopped, placing himself between the rock trolls and me.
A barrier. I couldn’t let him do this.
“What are you doing?” I asked frantically, turning to him and grabbing his arm. “If they're really that deadly, why are we stopping?”
“Just trust me, go.”
I only hesitated for a brief moment, unsure I wanted to leave him. I’d spent many weeks with this male back in Rothnia. While I did not know him and had not gotten to know him as Corey I was not going to leave him behind. “I can’t leave you.”
“Serra, go. You have to trust me.” He glanced backward as the sound of the rock trolls as their cries increased, gaining ground on us. “Go. Take the path to the left and it will get you out of here. Once out, keep going. They will not follow you. They are cave dwellers and will stay within its bounds.”
“Hendrix,” It hurt me to leave him, a pang of guilt surged through me. I could not place why it bothered me to leave him, but it did. He smiled softly at me again, his eyes once having been full of fear now danced with determination.
“I’ll be okay. Go.”
I knew if I stayed I would not fair well against the rock trolls. And I had a task to complete. A deal with the Goblin King to fulfill. Without any more hesitation I took off down the path, the one to the left as he had said. Leaving him standing there between myself and the trolls. I wished that he would be okay, that they would not kill him.
* * *
Iran as fast as I could, as fast as my legs could have gone, anyway. Any rest I had gained from sleep had been expelled at this point. But the farther I ran, the farther away I got from the Rock Trolls. At least it’s what I told myself, any distance between me and them was welcome. I did not know what Hendrix would do or if he would even survive. But he gave me a fighting chance to get away, and for that I was grateful.
If I saw him again, I would have to convey my thanks, because without him. . . I’d certainly have perished.
The darkness of the cave started to give way as a light bloomed ahead, lighting the path before me. Relief flooded me as I rushed forward, a small cry escaped as I ran for it. The cave entrance loomed before me as I barreled forward and out. My feet carried me as I ran into something- right into a hard object.
Right into a solid chest.
Right into the Goblin King’s arms.
