"Were you one of the ones who subjugated humans? Used them as slaves?” Eldora pursed her lips, looking pointedly at Harry. "At least that's what I've been told. I’m going to gloss over the farms that I’ve also heard about."
Reynard snorted. “Shall I mention some of the human practices of that time, sweetness? Or shall I gloss over them? I have some fun customs just on the tip of my tongue.”
Bran’s expression shifted to what I could only call regal. "No. I broke with the council of advisors on that, and argued with our king. Humans have as much of a right to this world as we do, and given time to develop, could create wonders.”
He caught himself, glancing sideways. It sounded like he’d been retreading an old argument. Finally, in a clipped tone, he said, “When our king was assassinated, I helped police our people. The new king ordered our clans to cease the raping and pillaging. Nor did the kingdom I lived in ever condone the eating."Eating? Oh dear heavens. He moved on quickly. "So, some of your guild wants to let out some of my kinsmen. On your terms."
Eldora nodded briskly. "That's the long and short of it. Those who are allowed to come here must work with the guildmembers to keep the violent monsters in Dream."
Bran and Reynard exchanged a look, then Bran nodded almost imperceptibly at me.
"Fine," I said. "We'll consider your words. I'll be in touch."
There was a lot to unpack from what she’d just said, and I’d just gotten the distinct impression Bran didn’t speak for Reynard or his people. And that Reynard had evolved a plan in the moments he and Bran had glanced at each other.
As regally as I could, I stood and walked toward Bran's car, with him and his friends following.
I felt like the frikkin' Queen and her guards. Except I wasn't a queen, and my guards were monsters.
13
ANDROMEDA
"Is it true?"I demanded as soon as we were in the car. "Are you really that old?"
Yes, I was repeating a fact he’d already confirmed. The shock had bitten deep into me.
Bran's hands tightened on the steering wheel. "Yes."
"How old?"
"Two-thousand, give or take a century." He glanced at me out of the corner of his eyes. "Maybe two-thousand, two-hundred, and forty or so.
I leaned back in my seat, trying to wrap my head around it. Two thousand years was such a long time. Almost unfathomable.
"The rest of it, while it was true, it wasn't the norm. Most goblins weren't running around raping and pillaging. And we never enslaved humans." He sounded offended by the very idea. "We had human servants sometimes, but they were paid. Or indentured."
I frowned. "Indentured was nearly as bad. You said you were there when they were banished?"
"Yes." His knuckles were white on the steering wheel. "As I said, I was one of the ones who fought against it, but there was nothing I could do in the end. The humans won and banishment was the sentence for all of us. We were sent to Dream."
"It’s all ancient history. We should think about the now." Reynard spoke from the back seat, one of his feet tapping an annoying tattoo on the back of mine. "Where do we go from here?"
I needed a minute to breathe. "If you could, drop me at my place. I need some time to think first, in my own space. Plus, I need to check on my sister and email my friend."
Bran sighed and glanced at me. "I don't like the idea of leaving you alone. Not now."
Hmph. I'd expected him to say something like that. "I was thinking about that. Goblins need shadows to come out of Dream, right?"
He nodded. "They do. It's part of how we create our portals."
"I'll turn on every light in my house. How about then? I’m willing for you to be there, too, I just need some quiet time to consider."
After looking at Reynard in the mirror, he sighed. "Will you let Christian go with you instead?"
Turning, I found the big goblin grinning at me. "I'll keep you safe."
That was better than the entire entourage. "If he'll stay in the living room and let me do my thing, yes."
