Twice Upon A Time (Unfinished Fairy Tales #2)(104)
Morag put a hand on his shoulder. “Borg brought this onto himself. If he didn’t use live creatures as sacrifices in order to gain greater powers, your father might have chosen him to inherit the ring. Didn’t you tell me that Borg was actually stronger than you when your father made the decision that you be the future king?”
“Theoretically he was more powerful, but Father said my powers were still latent, and when fully developed, no goblin could compete with me. Even when I did become the most powerful goblin in the realm, Borg still harbored a grudge. It was a terrible blow to his pride that he was passed over as the eldest son.”
Morag nodded and sat down beside him. Blood sacrifices may be a shortcut, but it was not how a king—or simply a normal goblin—would perform magic. Borg could never be allowed to lead, considering his blatant disregard for goblin rights.
Barthelius patted his wife’s hand, careful to avoid a rather nasty bruise. “Were it not for you, dear, we could have been defeated. I’ve long passed the peak of my powers, and without the ring, I’m no match for my brother. If you didn’t attack him with that lightning spell, he might have made us prisoners—or worse.”
“If he didn’t try to harm Pippi I couldn’t have channeled my inner magic.” Morag shivered and leaned against her husband’s shoulder. She still had chills when she thought of the possibility of Pippi being injured. “So what do you plan to do now?”
“Rebuild our kingdom, of course.”
“You know what I’m referring to.”
Barthelius sighed. “You’re talking about the human girl.”
When they found out that Borg had forced Kat out of her own world and pushed her into Athelia, Barthelius was thunderstruck. Getting a human into Athelia was vastly different from letting a human soul enter an Athelian’s body. If there was any tiny flaw in the spell that provided a finite amount of oxygen, she could have been dead within minutes. But since they were at war, the best he could do was to preserve just enough magic to send Krev to Athelia, and make sure Kat lived long enough until they could send her back. Pippi would be devastated, of course, but what could they do? It was like making a human survive on Mars, the only outer space planet he could remember. A lifetime beyond Earth was impossible.
Pop. A squashed-faced goblin with pointed ears and bulbous eyes appeared in the air.
“Well?” Barthelius said. “Have you taken Katherine Wilson back to her own world?”
“How’s her condition?” Morag asked.
“She’s weak, but she’s home.” Krev flew to the ground and sat down. He exhaled and relaxed his limbs. “Her family will take good care of her.”
“The poor girl,” Morag said, remembering the one time she visited Athelia to administer a memory spell on Kat. She would have done it this time, if only she wasn’t completely exhausted after the war. “She has suffered so much. Falling in love with the prince for a second time, and now going back to her own world…she’s going to be depressed.”
“At least she is alive,” Barthelius said. He crossed his arms, and a determined look came over his face. “Something has to be done. We must not allow this disaster to happen again.”
* * *
The goblin king and queen went to find their baby daughter, who was staying in an earthen-mound dwelling hidden under a thick cluster of trees and bushes. Normally they didn’t use this dwelling except in a case of emergency. Muscular goblin guards stood at the entrance, carrying heavy clubs and maces.
“Afternoon, Your Majesty.” The leader bowed. “The princess is inside, taking her nap. She might wake any time soon.”
Barthelius nodded. “You may reduce the number of guards, now that the queen and I are here.”
Pippi was lying on a soft bed formed of moss, her curly hair a bright contrast to the dark green moss. Not long after Barthelius and Morag entered, she stirred and opened her eyes. “Daddy? You’re back?”
Barthelius flew over to her. “Do you now realize the enormity of what you did?”
Pippi started to cry. “I… I’m so sorry, Daddy.”
“Husband,” Morag chided. “If it’s anyone’s fault, it should be Borg’s. How was Pippi to know?”
“She may be excused because of her age, but she has to be taught a lesson. Look at the consequences. Dozens have died, many more injured, and Katherine Wilson nearly lost her life. If I didn’t manage to send Krev back and give her that mark, she could have run out of oxygen and had brain death in minutes.”
Pippi jumped up. “Where’s Kat now?”
“I had Krev send her back to her own world. She isn’t from Athelia; she cannot survive living without oxygen.”
Pippi burst into tears again.
Barthelius remembered there was this human story in which a serpent convinced a woman to eat forbidden fruit. In a way, Borg reminded him of that serpent. “I know this isn’t entirely your fault,” he said gently, “but nevertheless, Borg would never have been able to create so much trouble if you didn’t help him in the first place. You have to do penance and make up for your mistakes.”
“No!” Morag rushed over and hugged her child. “Don’t you lay a finger on her. She knows that she committed a grave error.”