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Although numbness could be serviceable it would not truly help her and could fail her at the worst time, paralyzing her. He had seen young wood aelves and trolls among those under his command who had grown faint at dangerous times because they hadn’t truly dealt with their fear of the darkest and more dangerous parts of the Eternal Forest. He did not wish that for his mate.
He also selfishly hoped that the former would allow the last of her resistance to the Ha’shena to dissipate so that they could complete their bond and mate. It would settle his instincts some when it came other males who were naturally reacting to MaryAnne’s presence.
Logically he understood it, but that did little to help the irrational part of him that wanted to tear into them for any covetous glance. Fertile humans were coveted by the fae, and while those who weren’t looking for a permanent mate could and did make use of the guests to satisfy their desires, an unclaimed human walking freely among them was a potent temptation among others.
Ha’shena was all well and good but mattered little if the mating wasn’t carried out. A claim wasn’t worth shit if the one who made it couldn’t follow through. Respect for Ha’shena only went so far before males would start getting bolder and try to steal her so that they might try. Unlike the subject of younglings, wherein fae had very strong opinions on the matter and were deeply divided regarding the ethics of stealing them, few here would act against another fae, whether male or female, to keep them from stealing a mate. Not like trolls and orc clans.
It wasn’t just maddening, but the interest of other males was making him feel murderous. The nagini that they come across yesterday had only been the beginning. And unlike the nagini, who had the sense to back down after contemplating whether or not to try his luck, the goblins that were following them now were bolder and reckless in their decision to pursue her. Raskyuil could see the faint flashes of their eyes following her curiously as they slipped from shadow to shadow without any care of his presence at her side.
Raskyuil growled as he watched them, their slender gray bodies practically like shadows themselves as they slunk between the tents and the dense places where the light didn’t quite reach. They did this effortlessly due to their nature, and that annoyed Raskyuil even more since he could not determine by that alone if they were stalking her because they were simply curious as their kind tended to be or were a genuine threat.
It could go either way quite easily, given their natural gifts of magic. Whereas trolls had an uncanny way with fire, goblins were masters of shadow magic and were able to fold it around themselves in very specific ways that allowed them to practically disappear if one didn’t know what to look for. Raskyuil eyed one male suspiciously. He was a full head taller than many of his brethren.
An alpha. Arranged in family groups with a single alpha and a small troop of beta males sharing a female mate, the alphas were noticeably taller and larger. Their magic was also stronger which was why the male seemed almost like a shadow himself as he carried the darkness with him, stretching them beyond their natural limits. With the alpha there, it meant that the hunt was on, and the betas were circling in an attempt to cause a diversion or even possibly separate her to give their alpha and opportunity to snatch her up. Stealing unclaimed females was considered honorable among goblins, and among some goblin tribes, so was stealing them from other species or rivals whether they were mated or not. Raskyuil bristled with fury, his hand clenching at his side as his hand slid closer to the blade strapped at his thigh but then thought better of it. Why not use the opportunity productively?
His eyes cut to a darker outcropping of woods nearby as they came closer to one of the margins of the carnival. Perfect.
He gently nudged MaryAnne, herding her in that direction. It was a gamble. The shadows were thicker there, but he did not want the entire carnival to witness what was about to transpire. Not when he had questions to ask. Questions they would keep to themselves if they wished to remain in one piece—which would not be guaranteed if they ever dared to hunt his female again. His eyes flicked among the goblins racing quicker with excitement as they bound through the shadows around them, their hissed whispers rising from them with a sound like rattling leaves.
His focus returned to the alpha. The male had withdrawn further rather than speed up as his betas had, his cunning expression bearing a hint of wariness to it as he studied their surroundings, suddenly indecisive. Would the male turn back and call his betas off the hunt? The male’s face hardened, and his pace quickened once more with confidence when nothing untoward happened. The male had clearly chosen not to withdraw. Good. Goblins knew more than most about what happened in the unseen places. If there was anything hidden within their dark abodes, they would know of it. If there was anything worth seeing where their shadows touched, they would know of it too.
The shadow drawn around the male suddenly warped and became thicker and darker. Dense black threads spun, weaving bits of shadows together so that the various parts of the carnival darkened unnaturally for his use. He was following them closely now that his speed had picked up, believing himself unseen.
Raskyuil snorted softly to himself, the sound mirthless and grim to his own ears. It was obvious that the goblin did not know that shadow magic was far less effective on trolls, who had the ability to see through the darkest of places than with other species.
“Is everything okay?”
He met his mate’s inquisitive gaze as she stopped and peered up at him with concern, and he tipped his head in a brief nod. It was as much as he could give her as he didn’t have time to explain and couldn’t even if he wanted to, not without alerting her pursuers.
Looking up once more, everything within him stilled. The shadows were pooling directly behind her. The alpha was faster than he’d given him credit for. The shadow behind her stretched grotesquely like a screaming phantom as the alpha bent it quickly and drew up, looming behind her. His crimson eyes fastened on her hungrily, one slender clawed hand rising as if to stroke through her hair.
Rage rippled through Raskyuil. He’d had enough.
“What?” MaryAnne whipped around, her eyes wide.
Her gaze skimmed right over where the shrouded goblin stood, but Raskyuil whipped his arm forward, his hand snatching the male by the throat. The male froze in his grip, crimson eyes widening as the threads of his shadows rapidly dissipated. The alpha stared at him in shock, and Raskyuil bared his teeth fully in a silent threat. His ears twitched at the sound of the betas closing in, their soft growls rattling in the night air.
“Call them off,” he growled.
The goblin lifted his hands, and he gestured quickly, silencing the betas. “They are retreating,” he rasped. “Now release me.”
Raskyuil cocked his head. “I don’t think so. You were huntingmymate.”
“She doesn’t smell of you, troll,” the alpha countered, his sharp teeth baring in reply. “Ha’shena or not, you haven’t mated, and therefore by law a male quick enough could make his try.”
“What?” MaryAnne snapped as she pushed her way in closer, her angry gaze flicking between them.
Raskyuil blinked in surprise at the furious look she turned on him. She was angry with him. Why?
“Did you know that this could happen?” she snapped.
He scowled. He was being considerate, and she was berating him for doing his duty to her? “It was always a possibility. I will remind you that I did say that the carnival was not safe, but you wished for this.”
The goblin chortled in his grip, and Raskyuil refrained from choking the life from the male like he wished to.
“She willing set foot into the carnival as prey, and yet you do not claim her, troll. And you are angry when another tries where you fail.”
Raskyuil growled menacingly at the terrible grin stretching across the alpha’s face. Fortunately, the male fell silent, though the unholy smirk didn’t leave his face.
