“I can’t imagine I’ve given you the impression that I’m overly fond of joking, kid.”
“You think—” She laughed sharply before she shook her head. “No way. Mattie won’t want to have anything to do with this, I know that much. She almost stopped talking to me because I asked questions about the FRoE.”
“Ugh.” Lumil rolled her eyes.
“Who the fuck is Mattie?” Byrd cocked his head, one giant gauged ear flopping onto his shoulder.
Corian’s head turned toward the goblin man, but his gaze didn’t leave Cheyenne’s. “Maleshi took a new name for herself.”
“Say what?”
The Nightstalker ignored him. “Listen, Cheyenne. I don’t want to run the risk of letting this portal open again. If I had to take a guess, I’d say whatever comes out of it next time will be a lot worse than what all five of us almost couldn’t put back in. You want that kinda weight on your shoulders?”
“Don’t talk about it like it’s my fault,” the halfling snapped.
“It’s not your fault, but doing nothing will be your fault. I have a feeling you understand that very well.”
Cheyenne scowled at him. He doesn’t know about Ember. “Mattie’s my friend, okay? She made it perfectly clear she left all this crazy shit behind her when she crossed over and that she doesn’t want anything to do with it anymore.”
“She might think that’s what she wants.” Corian pointed at the border ridge. “But if we tell her what’s happening, I know she’ll change her mind.”
Folding her arms, the halfling tilted her head and frowned at him. “How do you know that?”
The smile he gave her was tight and bitter. “Just a feeling.”
Byrd sniggered. “Yeah, you guys had plenty of feelings once upon a time, didn’t you?”
Lumil slapped him on the back of the head and shot him a disgusted look as she shook her head. “Really?”
The Nightstalker ignored them both. “I’m asking you for a favor, Cheyenne. Please. Tell us where she is.”
Cheyenne bit her lip. “I can’t. I don’t know where she lives.”
“But you know how to find out, don’t you?”
“Oh, no.” She shook her head a little and returned his bitter, humorless smile. “No, I’m not sitting down at a computer to find out where she lives. Especially not so you can knock down her door and force her to help you with this...whatever this portal’s doing.”
“Ha.” Lumil shook her head. “Nobody forces Maleshi Hi’et to do anything, kid. I’m surprised you haven’t figured that one out by now. If you really are friends with her.”
The halfling spared the goblin woman a quick glance. “I’m not gonna spy on her and dig up her personal information so people she wants nothing to do with can find her. She hasn’t reached out to any of you, and if you haven’t found her on your own, I’d say that’s a pretty clear sign she doesn’t want anyone to find her.”
“Except for you.”
Cheyenne turned to see Persh’al regarding her with raised eyebrows. “That’s different.”
“Yeah? She told you who she was. Revealed herself to you, L’zar Verdys’ only living spawn.”
“Mattie doesn’t know who my dad is.” The halfling shook her head. “We never got that far.”
The troll’s eyes widened, but he didn’t say anything else.
“She might not know he’s your old man,” Corian added, “but trust me, Cheyenne. Maleshi definitely knows who L’zar Verdys is.”
“You all fight for the Crown together or something?”
The four O’gúleesh exchanged another round of knowing glances.
Corian shrugged. “Or something. If you won’t help us find her, kid, I’ll do it myself.”
Persh’al snorted. “You mean, you’ll have me do it for you.”
The Nightstalker smirked. “Sure. And then we’ll pay the general a little visit. It’s long overdue.”
Cheyenne glanced at the group of magicals, all expecting her to give in. Shit. They’re not bluffing, and I can’t stop them if they really wanna find her. “I won’t help you find her. I won’t give her up like that. But if you figure out where she lives, I’m coming with you.”
The Nightstalker dipped his head in concession. “Sounds fair to me.”
“Let’s get the hell outta here, huh?” Persh’al pounded the heel of his hand against his forehead. “This buzz around here is starting to make me hear voices.”
Lumil snorted. “You’ve been hearing voices since before you came Earthside, troll.”
“I’ve heard enough of yours, that’s for sure.” Persh’al turned to head back into the forest.
Laughing, the goblin woman came up alongside Cheyenne and clapped a hand on the halfling’s shoulder. “L’zar would’ve gotten a kick out of that little show you just put on.”
Byrd snorted. “The guy would’ve made us all bow down and offer ourselves before the next in the Verdys line.”
Together, the goblins gave Cheyenne mocking little bows. Byrd’s shoulder knocked against Lumil’s, and he nearly fell face-first into the dirt when she shoved him away from her.
“That’s as good as you’re gonna get right now, though,” the goblin man muttered, glancing up at Cheyenne to shoot her a quick wink. “Until L’zar decides to show his face again. Then we’ll see what half-cocked plan he’s cooked up to make us all grovel.”
“You’re gonna end up eating those words, you idiot.” Lumil shoved him as they headed toward the tree line after Persh’al.
The goblin man laughed. “Yeah. You’ve never said anything that came back to bite you in the ass.”
“Not about the Cu’ón.”
Corian stared after the goblins with a mix of amusement and confusion. Then he turned toward Cheyenne and raised an eyebrow. “I appreciate your attempt to protect her, kid. Maleshi found a good friend in you, even if she doesn’t know who you really are.”
The halfling shrugged. “Promises must be kept, right?”
“They sure must. We both know how important that is.” Gesturing toward the forest, the Nightstalker leaned forward in what could have been a little bow of his own.
Cheyenne headed after the bantering goblins and Persh’al. He doesn’t need to know I didn’t officially promise Mattie anything. I won’t be the one to force her into
