Bound (A Faery Story 1)

gorgeously arrogant. “Lead on, goblin. I want to get this over with.

I’ve got better things to do with my day.”

* * * *

Three hours later, the chief of the goblin clan burped and slapped

Cian on the shoulder. He was incredibly drunk. “Tell that brother of

yours we’re ready to negotiate.” It came out in a low growl. The

goblin’s eyes were watery, but serious. His hand reached out and

tugged on Cian’s shirt. “But I have to ask you to leave your queen at

home. She is unreasonable.”

Bound

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Cian wanted to laugh, but was diplomatic enough to keep his face

straight. He looked into the goblin chief’s eyes and tried to convey a

kingly presence. “I can’t promise you anything. The queen is

formidable, as you have seen. I can only promise that you will get

your ten dozen cookies tomorrow.”

“I’ll have them ready, damn it,” Meg said irritably.

She clutched the two pounds of coffee grounds she’d gotten for

her basket of cookies. She was jittery because she had sat with the

goblin chieftain, matching him shot for shot until the goblin had

finally fallen out of his chair.

Cian had been amazed at how much she could drink. Somewhere

in there, the goblin chief had asked for her hand in marriage. Cian had

been forced to pull a knife to persuade the chief that he wasn’t willing

to give up his claim on his wife.

“Make sure you do.” The goblin chief looked longingly at the

empty basket.

The cookies had gone quickly. After the first had been tried,

negotiations had begun at a swift pace. Meg had been hard-nosed.

Cian had actually felt a little bad for the goblins. He could have told