Goblin Moon (30 page)

He sighed in resignation and hoped he could make some sense of everything. “All right. I'll take you to the Sorceress as soon as Mabb is moved from the castle. I'm sure Shayla will find some other place for her if she knows you'll be around."

"Fine. Until then ... just give me some space. I'll stay inside the cottage with Cairna and the baby."

Tearach lifted his head, took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “If that's what you want."

She nodded and started to leave the room.

"Just one thing, Kathy."

She looked over her shoulder at him.

"I won't be kept from Tearyn. Is that understood?"

Kathy turned away, left the kitchen and went upstairs. She bolted the door to the bedroom behind her.

For seven days, Tearach waited for Kathy's anger to abate. Finally, Mabb was moved to a cabin on the outskirts of the woods, and Kathy took up residence in the castle. She seemed more determined to keep Tearyn away from the Goblin population than ever. Tearach didn't have the slightest idea what to do. Shayla told him to keep trying and lectured him on his responsibilities. Even Cairna put in her opinion about how he should approach the situation.

It was of little comfort that the remainder of the Goblin faction and the entire Order were horrified by Mabb's actions. They saw Kathy as a sort of savior. But Kathy couldn't know how they felt, because she kept herself cloistered behind the castle walls. It was doubtful she'd listen to any logical explanation in her current mood. Tearach stared at her window during the nights, hoping he'd catch a glimpse of her. He made arrangements to visit the baby, but Kathy was never present. He'd been told she sought Owen's companionship, and she'd even found a way to be of use to him with the medical supplies and minor emergencies that arose.

He began to imagine she might prefer the Druid doctor's presence to his. Druids, after all, were human. They just had special powers. Of all the creatures of the Order, Kathy would be most likely to relate to them best, particularly Owen. They shared a common bond in their medical background.

The more he thought about that situation, the less he was able to control his frustration. Kathy should be with him. They should be making plans to handfast. His agitation drew him to visit the source of the problem. If Mabb's intent was to drive a wedge between him and Kathy, she was succeeding. But he vowed he would remove that impediment, get Kathy back and make a home for his family.

Deciding to try and talk to Kathy once more, Tearach left his work at the Loft and walked toward the castle. Shayla stopped him outside the main entrance. The short story the Sorceress told him finally made sense of Kathy's behavior. Tearach angrily stalked to the far side of the forest, intent on finishing the entire incident. As he approached the cottage where Mabb was recuperating, the guards the Sorceress had placed there acknowledged him and let him enter. Mabb, still bruised and hurt, looked up from where she rested.

"I've been wondering why you haven't been to see me.” She rebelliously shook back her hair as she saw him enter the room. “You need to hear the rest of..."

Tearach raised his hand to interrupt whatever she would have said. He stiffly stood before her. “No more lies, Mabb. I know Kathy didn't attack you. I wanted to believe you weren't capable of such a deed. That you wouldn't actually go into someone's home and try to take an innocent child away from her parents."

Mabb stared at the floor. “You'd rather believe her than one of your own kind?"

He slowly shook his head. “Kathy
is
my kind. And there's something very wrong with you, or I'd ask the Sorceress to do worse than just send you away.” When she opened her mouth to speak, he turned his back on her. “As far as I'm concerned, you're no longer one of us. You don't exist. You'll be sent to a small section of woods in Germany. At the Sorceress’ request, some Gnomes there will make sure you don't leave."

She gasped and tried to rise from her chair. “Tearach, don't do this. That woman isn't worth it."

"Kathy will be my handfasted mate, and there's nothing you will ever do to stop it. I won't have you near her or the baby."

"
She
attacked
me.
Why won't you listen? I'm one of your own people. That woman's kind all but destroyed us. She'd say anything to have you, but you should be with me. I'm the one who ... Tearach! Wait, don't go. Tearach!"

He slowly walked out of the cabin and never looked back. As badly as he felt for Mabb, and as ashamed as he was of her behavior, her shouts fell on deaf ears. If there weren't so few of his kind left, Mabb would have already been subjected to a worse punishment than banishing. But he was now convinced she actually believed Kathy had attacked her. It was probably the only way the woman's mind could reconcile the beating she'd received from an outsider. He finally understood Kathy's attitude. She'd seen some ill intent in Mabb that he and others hadn't. Until now.

Mabb was so far into another reality that she posed a real threat. Word had come to Shayla that the Goblin woman was trying to convince others that Kathy shouldn't keep the baby or remain safely within the Order. According to the Sorceress, Mabb even told her guards how she planned to kill the outsider and tried to enlist their help to do it. That no one was listening didn't seem to stop Mabb's malicious plotting. She didn't even realize that reports of her schemes and odd behavior had finally reached the Sorceress’ ears, as well as his. Mabb should have been aware something was very wrong when no one, including the Sorceress, visited her. But her mind was gone. Hatred had destroyed the better part of it. Just as it had almost destroyed his.

Despite it all, Tearach could still summon a small amount of sympathy. Upholding his former bitter beliefs was partly responsible for the way Mabb had acted. Because of this, he felt serious remorse for his own behavior and contrition for Mabb and her predicament. And he knew it was good she was being sent away instead of being killed. But Herne only knew what would have happened if Kathy hadn't fought like a wild animal. Their baby might never have been found, and the woman he loved might have died. He picked up speed and ran most of the way to the castle. Kathy was going to listen to him if he had to tie her into a chair and sit on her.

He ran through the castle door, up the stairs and down the hall to where he knew Kathy's room was located. He was just in time to see Owen leaving her quarters. Something in his blood began to boil. He had been through enough. All he wanted was to be with his woman and child, to live as normal a life as they could, under the conditions that existed within the Order.

"Is there something wrong with Kathy or the baby?” he angrily asked, his eyes narrowing. Owen had no business in her room unless there was a very good reason. Tearach recognized the feeling tormenting him as jealously. Its pettiness wasn't worthy of him, but the emotion was still there.

"No. In fact, I'd say they're both in excellent health. I just gave them an exam and can't find a single thing wrong with either of them."

Tearach's hands clenched. When he spoke, his voice conveyed frustration, anger and impatience. “Maybe I should have made it clear that Kathy wasn't to be examined without my being present."

Owen looked him over. “Don't use that cocky tone of voice with me, Goblin. If you're looking for a fight, you just might get one. And in case you haven't heard, Kathy is quite capable of making her own decisions."

"That's right,” Kathy replied as she opened door and stared at both of them.

"I have to talk to you,” Tearach said as he turned to face her. “Alone."

Owen put his hands on his hips and glared at him. “Shall I call the guards and have him hauled off, Kathy? We can always take him back down to the dungeon."

She rolled her eyes and let out a long breath. “No, Owen. Please, just leave us alone."

Owen glanced at them both. “All right. But just give a shout if you need anything."

Tearach refused to move and Owen was forced to shoulder his way around him. Kathy pursed her lips and moved back into her room.

Tearach followed, closing the door behind him. “Why didn't you have someone come get me?"

"For what?” Kathy feigned innocence.

"You know what I'm talking about,” Tearach muttered between clenched teeth.

"If you're talking about Owen and my exam, I told you that I'd do it at my convenience. There was no need to pull you away from work. Besides, you don't tell me what to do.” Kathy leaned against a bedpost and stared at him.

Tearach pushed his hair back in exasperation. “Is that the way things are going to be? Each of us defying the other just to make a point? Expounding on our rights instead of talking about how we feel?"

Kathy sighed heavily and walked toward a window. “What do you want, Tearach? You didn't come here to argue about Owen. You know he's just a friend."

"Do I?"

She turned quickly around. “You're not jealous, are you?"

He walked toward her. “What if I am? What if I'm a big, insecure, green idiot who doesn't want another man looking at you? Ever."

She tried, unsuccessfully, not to smile. “Well ... if it's a jealousy thing, you don't have any reason to worry. I'm not interested in him that way. And green would be the right color for that emotion."

Tearach ignored the last part of her statement. “I trust you, Kathy. It's him I'm worried about.” He walked toward her until she backed into a wall. When she could go no further, he placed his palms against the wall, on either side of her head.

Kathy didn't resist. Her gaze met Tearach's, and his dark eyes were mesmerizing. “Why did you come?"

"To stop this insanity.” He slowly smiled and brushed his lips across her forehead.

Kathy couldn't be angry with him when he smiled like that. She grinned at his blunt statement. “And, um, what insanity would that be?"

"You know,” he responded. “This business where you keep yourself locked away, and I have to pray to Herne just to get a glimpse of you.” He slowly lowered his head, but Kathy ducked under his arms and walked away.

"I hear what you're saying, but that's not going to do it. You can try using that magnificent charm, but that isn't what I want from you."

He slowly turned away from the wall, determined that she would know how serious he was. “I'm sorry, Kathy. Sorry I didn't completely accept your word about what happened."

"Go on,” she urged. She raised one eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.

She wasn't going to make it easy. “I apologize for letting Mabb get between us. You were right. Her current state of mind makes her a definite danger. I should have listened to you the night the fight occurred and stayed by your side. “But you were wrong about one thing. The rest of the Goblins aren't like Mabb. Since the incident, all they've done is express their remorse and disgust over her actions. I know you didn't come to this place willingly, but no one wants to hurt you or the baby. There'll be no more of Mabb's plotting or manipulations. The Sorceress is sending her away, with my full approval. And part of what happened is my fault. Mabb's anger toward outsiders is a reflection of the way I once felt. If I'd been a better leader, maybe she'd have been more tolerant. But I'll say it again. Mabb was on her own when she came to the cottage. No one wants to take Tearyn away or hurt her.” He paused and pointed out the window. “There are people in the woods out there who don't even know you yet, and they'd give their lives to protect you, the baby and anyone else in the Order."

Kathy took a deep breath, sat on the bed and gathered her thoughts. It meant a great deal that Tearach was admitting he no longer felt the same about all outsiders. At the moment, his logic created more peace in her heart. “I was scared, Tearach."

He sat next to her and took her hand in his. “Tell me,” he softly coaxed. He lifted her hair from her shoulders and let it fall back in soft waves.

"All I could think of ... Tearyn means more to me than my own life. I'll never let anyone hurt her. And I began to think of what might happen to her later. We might not be there. Someone might..."

When she stopped, he nodded encouragingly. “Go on."

She looked down at the floor. “Someday, someone might hold it against her that she's half outsider. She might grow up with that being thrown in her face day after day. And what if someone wants to take it further? You know, do something to get even with the world by taking out their anger on her? No one can predict anyone else's actions. Not you or the Sorceress. I just don't want to live being so frightened for her. Even the outside world is a threat. What if she can never change into a human form the way you can? What if someone
sees
her? Mabb's attack suddenly got me to thinking about a lot of things. I was really scared of all the possible outcomes. Not just what one crazy woman might do.” She paused. “Reality is sort of hitting me in the face, and I don't know what to do about it."

He placed his arm over her shoulders. As far as her own safety was concerned, Kathy feared nothing. But when it came to Tearyn's safety, her emotions and logic had been thrown into turmoil. “Kathy, I can't ever remember anyone in the Order taking their anger out on a child. It just isn't done. We love
all
our children. Mabb's behavior is an aberration. The Sorceress is only letting her live because there are so few Goblins left. Mabb's state of mind isn't stable. She's no longer responsible. As far as the rest of the Order is concerned, I just can't fathom anyone doing anything but loving our little girl and protecting her.” He pushed back a strand of her hair. “Think of Timmon and Merry. They'll always be her friends, and so will the other children. You don't see or hear them mentioning their differences, do you?” When she shook her head, he went on. “There'll be a great many Goblin children born in the future. They won't always have pure blood. It'll have to be that way for the Goblins to survive."

She gazed deeply into his dark eyes. “Does that bother you?"

"At one time, it might have, but not anymore. Maybe ... maybe this is the way it was supposed to be. Not the deaths at Exmoor,” he denied. “There can never be an excuse for that. But the mixing of blood and powers may be our only chance to survive a great many difficulties. Not just for the Goblins, but for the entire Order. The Sorceress was right all along. And who knows what might happen in the years to come? If Tearyn can be one of those to help break down the walls between our world and yours, it might be that our little girl and the Order's other children will be able to go anywhere they want, without having to change to human form.” He paused to kiss her hand. “Wouldn't that be something?"