The Seven Year King (The Faerie Ring #3) (9 page)

As the market came into view, a tantalizing melody filled the air, pulling Tiki forward. She had heard the enchanting music of the faerie court before: the mournful cry of the bagpipes, the lofty notes of a harp and the laughing trill of a panpipe—but this music was different. It murmured in her ear like she imagined a lover might: breathy promises of a clarinet, the seductive strums of a guitar, the yearning notes of a pianoforte—yet there were no musicians in sight.

“Can you hear the music?” Tiki whispered, tightening her grip on Rieker’s fingers.

Rieker stared at the glowing lights. “Yes.”

As they drew closer, a succulent smell filled the air and Tiki’s mouth began to water. A hunger started in her stomach and grew into a burning craving with each step. She scarcely noticed the ugly, small men who hawked their wares in sing-song voices, their calls blending with the melody of the instruments.

“Git yer fruiiit…special and sweet,” one beak-nosed goblin sang, “just one bite, you’ll never want meat.”

“Three a lock, such a small price to pay,” cried another, “hurry now, we’ll be gone by day.”

“A lock?” Tiki repeated, pulling Rieker to a stop. “What type of lock, do you s’pose?”

A little man lifted a glowing orange melon from the pile and held it out, balanced in his long fingers. “Take a taste, sweet, see for yourself if the price is fair…”

Though the market was filled with bright light, his body was oddly encased in shadows, making his eyes appear to glow with a malevolent light. His back wore a slight hunch, giving the impression he might spring at them at any time.

Tiki reached out, but Rieker stayed her hand.

“What is the price?”

A smile tweaked the corners of the little man’s mouth and he squinted in a shrewd expression. “All I ask for is a simple lock of hair—surely you can spare a strand or two…”

Tiki hesitated, torn between her desire for the fruit and trying to remember why they were there. She took a deep breath, trying to concentrate.

“Yes, I’ve a lock right here I can give you.” Rieker reached into his pocket and pulled out a small glass jar with a cork shoved in the top. Inside, black strands of hair glistened in the moonlight.

Tiki closed her eyes and the music stopped. Startled, she blinked her eyes open and the haunting melody filled her head again, tugging at her like greedy hands. She closed her eyes again and the music was gone, as if the entire Goblin Market was nothing more than an illusion. Her urgent need to find Fiona came rushing back along with a sense of panic. How much time had they wasted drooling over the fruit?

Without opening her eyes, she tugged at Rieker’s arm. “Close your eyes.”

Rieker ignored her. “Here are four strands—” he held out several small chunks of the black hair— “for four pieces of fruit.”

The goblin let out a low hiss. “Take it away! I won’t touch such a thing.”

Tiki jerked her eyes open. “What are you talking about?”

The firelight reflected off the sharp pointed teeth that protruded from the bottom jaw of the goblin as he snarled at them. “Who do you think you’re dealing with? We do not trade for the hair of the
liche
.”

Chapter Twelve

“
T
he liche?”
Tiki repeated in surprise, peering closer at what Rieker held.

“Remember?” He held the small glass container up for Tiki to see. “Leo gave it to me a few weeks ago. Said he pulled it from the head of his attacker. I must have left it in the pocket of my jacket.” He turned to the goblin, his voice turning petulant. “I don’t understand why you won’t…”

Tiki grabbed Rieker’s arm and forced him toward her. “Close your eyes.”

“What?” His brow scrunched in consternation. “But Teek…”

“Close your eyes,” Tiki commanded.

With a sigh Rieker accommodated her and closed his eyes. After a second, his lids jerked open again to stare at Tiki in surprise. “The music…”

“Close them,” she said. “Remember why we’re here.” Tiki closed her own eyes and focused on what she knew to be true. She was here to find Fiona. She needed to find a way to rescue Dain. To keep her family safe. Another voice whispered in the back of her head:
you are the queen of the Seelie Court with responsibilities to many people now.
Tiki opened her eyes and faced the goblin, who watched them with a wary gaze.

“How is it you have the hair of the
liche
?” he asked, holding his hand up as if to ward them off. Long, tapered nails were filed to razor-sharp points on each finger. “Rumour says the
liche
returned to hunt in the Wychwood. Have you killed him?” There was a note of hope in his gravelly voice.

“No, but we are trying to stop him before he kills again,” Tiki said. “We’re looking for a young girl, about fifteen human years. She came here tonight seeking information about a magical cup that is said to be held by your people.” The music swelled on the night air, the fluttering call of a flute wrapping them in the magical notes. Tiki closed her eyes again to regain her focus. Each time she opened them, the music and smells seemed fainter. In the distance, the cries of the other goblins echoed through the night.

“Be on time, be on time, you’ll never find fruit so fine.”

“Ho ho, hi, hi, taste the fruit, you’ll want to buy.”

The goblin stroked his pointed chin. “A magical cup, you say?”

“One that can cure the ills of those who drink from it.” Rieker said.

“Oh,” the goblin said with sudden understanding. He returned the melon to the stack and seemed to dismiss them, surveying the market for other potential buyers. “Three a lock….” he called out.

Tiki frowned, confused by his perplexing behavior. “Do you know of the cup?” she persisted, taking a step closer. “Have you seen the girl?”

The goblin turned a cold stare on them. “I haven’t seen your friend, and everyone knows of the cup. It’s one of the Four Treasures, but you won’t find it among this lot.”

“Why not?” Rieker asked.

“Because the Redcaps have it.” He motioned at them with his long fingers. “Now, move along.”

The Redcaps. In that instant Tiki remembered Dain telling her of the vicious goblins who dyed their caps red in their victim’s blood. She tried to remember what else he had said about them.

Rieker pulled her away from the goblin interrupting her thoughts. “Let’s see if we can find out more from another one.”

“I’ve heard of the Redcaps before,” Tiki said. “There’s something…”

“I have, too.” Rieker eyed the row of golden carts strung across the plaza. “Dain has mentioned them.” His lips tightened at the mention of his brother. “Said not only are they vicious, but greedy and clever. If they have the cup, they won’t just give it up. They’ll expect a trade at the least.”

“What would we trade?”

“That’s my point. We’ve got nothing to trade.”

Tiki frowned. “How else would we get it?”

Rieker raised his eyebrows. “We might have to steal it.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Tiki muttered. “Do you see Fiona anywhere?” She continued past the line of carts ignoring the cajoling cries of the goblins. “She wasn’t that far ahead of us—she must be here somewhere.”

There were a few people bargaining with the otherworldly vendors while others appeared to be pleading as they negotiated for the magical fruit.

“Why do they want it so bad?” Tiki whispered as she watched one man drop to his knees before the crooked little goblin, begging for a shiny red apple.

“When mortals eat faerie food, they develop a craving—like a scratch that can’t be itched—they forever want more. Mortal food doesn’t satisfy their need and they’ll waste away to nothing, always longing for a bit more.”

Memories of faeries tales she’d been told as a child, as well as some of the stories she’d read to Toots, Clara and Fiona with borrowed books from Mr. Potts, ran through Tiki’s mind. All were laced with warnings to never eat fey food or suffer an insatiable desire for more.

“You don’t think Fiona would have…”

A harsh whisper sounded in the darkness behind her. Tiki jerked around and peered blindly into the shadows, blinking to help her eyes adjust to the change in light. A shadow darted up to her and Tiki jumped back in surprise.

“It’s me, Teek.” Fiona’s small frame was like a wraith among the shadows. Her wavy hair was tucked inside her cap and she wore oversized garments like Tiki, hiding the fact that she was a girl. “What are you two doing here?”

Tiki threw her arms around the other girl and hugged her tight. “Fiona,” she said in a ragged voice, “don’t you ever scare me like that again.” She pushed away from the other girl, still holding her shoulders. “You haven’t eaten any of the fruit, have you?”

Fiona shook her head. “Do you take me for daft?” She linked her arm through Tiki’s and pulled her into the shadows that surrounded the market. “I climbed the hollow columns—remember? I told you about them before—and hid in the roof of the arcade until I could figure out who to talk to about the…” she stopped abruptly and bit the corner of her lip.

“The cup,” Tiki finished for her. “I know why you’re here, Fi, but why would you come by yourself? Why couldn’t you wait for me and Rieker to help you?”

“I didn’t know when you’d be back…” Fiona wrung her hands together, glancing nervously over Tiki’s shoulder toward the goblins who continued to hawk their fruit to other passersby who had wandered into the market. “Johnny needs our help. He sacrificed himself to save
me
and now I need to help him…” Her voice began to rise.

“Shh….” Tiki said, rubbing Fiona’s arms. “I understand and we’re here to help.” She tilted her head and gazed at Rieker with a puzzled look. “Can you still hear the music?”

“You can barely hear it when you’re in the dark.” Fiona said in a matter-of-fact voice. “It’s only when you’re out in those strange lights that you can hear it.” She motioned toward the wash of illumination that made the golden carts and their spectacular loads glow as though imbued with magical powers.

She gave Tiki a guilty look. “I learned that by accident. When I arrived here I was drawn to the carts of fruit just like that pied piper in the story you read us, Teek, but one of those horrible little men tried to grab me and I still had enough sense to run. Once I was out of the light and back in the shadows I realized the music was dangerous.”

“Very observant of you, Fi,” Tiki murmured. There had been many times over the last few years that Fiona had amazed Tiki with her street smarts. Though Tiki had been educated in conjunction with the middle-class up-bringing she’d known before the deaths of her parents, Fiona’s education had been earned in the course of survival. Even without the benefit of ‘book learning’, Tiki was hard-pressed to ever find a time when she felt she knew more than Fiona. Often, it was the other way around. It had been Fiona who had taught her how to survive by picking pockets and had brought her home to live with Shamus in the abandoned clockmaker’s shop they’d found at Charing Cross.

“What are we going to do, Teek?” Fiona shivered, stepping closer. “I’m afraid to even talk to those creatures…” She curled her nose in distaste. “Let alone try to track down some magical vessel or whatever Larkin called it.”

“This might not be the best place to start,” Tiki said. A soft whooshing noise filled the air around them, making the night seem to shimmer. Callan and the two other Macanna who had identified themselves as her bodyguards earlier flickered into view.

“Majesty.” Callan’s tone was a mix of relief and reproach. “For your own good as queen, you shouldn’t leave without telling us.” He scowled at Rieker, his thick dark brows pulling low over his green eyes. “We are the best trained to protect you now.” His gaze slowly perused her outfit but his face remained impassive.

“I’m sorry, Callan,” Tiki said, hoping the man wouldn’t question why she was dressed like a boy and out in the middle of the night. “I only planned to be gone a short time…”

“Teek.” Fiona’s brow scrunched in a perplexed look. “Who are you talking to?” She looked around in confusion.

“
Any
amount of time is too long,” Callan interrupted. “And to be around
goblins
…” he spat the word out as if he could think of nothing more distasteful to say.