Goblins on their own weren't much of a threat to a wolf shifter. But half a dozen or more, all equipped with deadly weapons? That halved Theo's chances of making it out of there alive.
And having to rescue Lily at the same time? He gave them maybe a twenty-five percent chance.
He swallowed hard when the goblins approached to check him for weapons. They patted him down, not gentle about it at all, and he winced when one of them intentionally jabbed him in his bandaged side.
The goblin cackled, and then they roughly escorted him past the compound and toward the pit at the back of the structure. Once a gold mine for Theo's greedy father, its veins had eventually run dry and been abandoned, becoming a playground for Theo and Kaleus. When they were children, they used to come here and play with all the heavy equipment, pretending they were miners and adventurers discovering the great beyond.
Those memories haunted Theo now as he was escorted through, seeing that it had become a haven for the rebels who would do anything to kill him for trying to do the right thing for their species.
The head of an enormous excavator from the human world had been overturned and turned into a giant throne. Bones and skulls from humans, goblins, and various other animals hung from the machine's metal teeth, clattering against each other while Kaleus lounged inside.
He had Lily kneeling at his feet like a dog, bound and gagged. Dirt marred her face and tear tracts were dried on her cheeks. Her blazing red hair was a tangled mess around her.
Cold anger flooded Theo when he saw the state she was in, and he had to fight the urge to shift and tear Kaleus limb from limb for ever touching her.
"Finally, you grace us with your presence," Kaleus said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I was beginning to think you weren't going to show. I thought, perhaps, you'd realized this wolf bitch wasn't worth your time."
Kaleus reached out toward Lily, and she cowered away.
Theo jerked forward. "Don't you fucking touch her!"
Kaleus withdrew his hand, laughing. "So serious, cousin, though I suppose it makes sense that you have a stick up your ass right now, considering what coming here will cost you."
He ignored his cousin's taunts. Theo very well knew what he wanted. "Ungag Lily immediately so she can confirm that she's unharmed," Theo demanded.
"I don't see why it matters either way. She's in one piece, isn't she?"
"Now!"
Kaleus rolled his eyes and ripped the gag out of Lily's mouth. She took in a deep breath of air, as the cloth must have made it difficult for her to breathe.
"Theo," she croaked. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this—"
"That doesn't matter right now," he interrupted. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
She shook her head; the movement was almost indiscernible because she was trembling all over, but Theo still understood.
"Good," he breathed, genuinely relieved. If Kaleus had doneanythingto Lily, he would have torn them all apart without thinking. "I'm going to need you to listen to everything I say, and you'll get out of here just fine. Can you do that?"
She nodded. "Theo, I—"
Kaleus shoved the gag back into her mouth, and she choked on it.
"That's enough of that," Kaleus said, sounding extremely bored. "Now for the trade. Theo, you know there's only one way that this conflict ends, don't you?"
Theo nodded solemnly, but he wasn't looking at Kaleus anymore, or at any of the many goblins that had gathered around to watch the proceedings. He only had eyes for Lily, the beautiful, crazy, stubborn, incredible woman who he'd dragged screaming into his life.
He'd never intended to go this far with her. To risk her this way. To feel anything for her at all.
But here he was. Heretheywere.
Theo would do anything to secure the future of his people, and to keep his mother's legacy and beliefs alive. And now, everything was crumbling around him. No matter what way he turned from here, something would break. Something would have to become his sacrifice.
"If you want Lily back, you will release any right you have to the Underland Throne," Kaleus explained. "You'll admit yourself a traitor to goblin kind, and you will accept exile with your wolf bitch." He smiled at the way Theo flinched when he called Lily that. "Or, I'll put her out of her misery now, and this conflict of ours will continue anew. What will it be?"
Chapter 13 - Lily
Lily's heart welled in her throat as she considered the decision that Kaleus had placed before them. She knew how much the goblin kingdom meant to Theo, and what would happen to his people, and the wolves he was trying to protect, if he gave in to Kaleus' demands.