Scorched Skies (51 page)

“That's not it,” Jason said. “It's gold, with emeralds, like I said.”

“So picky!” The goblin pulled more shiny objects out of more pockets. “I don't seem to have such a thing.  I do apologize, young sir.”

“Where is it?”

“I must have added it to my stash-hole at home.  Are you sure you wouldn't prefer a nice diamond bracelet instead?”

“I want that necklace,” Jason said.

“Understood, understood,” the goblin said. “Allow me to make an offer.  You return home the way you came, and never speak of what you saw here.  Tomorrow night, I will return this necklace to your home.”

“No.  I want it now.”

“That's not possible!” the goblin said. “I cannot take you with me into Sidhe City.  The Queen would have me killed for leading a human here.  And you too, for entering her realm uninvited.”

“I'm not letting you go,” Jason said. “I'm not stupid.  I know you'll never come back.”

“I am insulted, young sir.”

“Just take me to where her necklace is.  I'll leave as soon as I have Erin's necklace in my hand, okay?”

“It would be better if you waited here,” the goblin said. “Hide behind those trees.  I'll be right back.”

“You're not getting away from me,” Jason said.

The goblin sighed and slumped his shoulders.  He looked ahead on the road, in the direction where he'd been walking.

“Slouch,” the goblin said.

“What did you call me?”

“I'm telling you to slouch.  Make yourself shorter.  Snarl up your lips and try not to look so...human.  You don't want everyone in the city staring at you.”

“I shouldn't look
human
?  Where are we, really?”

“Your kind call this the Otherworld.”

Jason gave him a blank stare.  “What are you talking about?”

“Annwn.  Tïr na n
Ǒ
g.  Faerie.  Am I jingling anything loose yet?” the goblin asked.

“Fairies?  Like little people with wings?  That
’
s crazy...” Jason thought of the small woman with the translucent wings who'd just driven past. “Are you serious?”

“Obviously, you know nothing of fairies,” the goblin snorted. “Or you would show more fear.”

“We're talking about little people with little wings, right?  Like in Peter Pan?”  He pointed ahead. “You're saying that girl was a
fairy
?”

“The most fearsome creatures in the realm,” the goblin said. “It's why they get to name the realm, you see?”

“Whatever.” Jason shook his head.  He couldn't imagine little pixies with colorful wings as dangerous.  The goblin was obviously just trying to scare him. “Let's get going.  I need to get back home.”

“More than you know,” the goblin said. He began walking, and Jason stayed close beside him in case he tried to run.

“What's your name?” Jason asked. “Do goblins have names?”

“We have names!” the goblin snapped. “I am called Grizlemor the Cranky.  And you?”

“Jason.”

“Just Jason?”

“Jason the Guy Who Wants That Necklace Back.”

The goblin sighed again. “When we reach the city, look no one in the eye.  Say nothing.  Just keep behind me and try not to draw attention to yourself.”

The road led them to a great mound of a city, where the buildings were made of stone and  live trees with sprawling roots and limbs.  The city was arranged in terraces rising up the hillside.  High above them, the top of the hill was encircled by a towering wall built of golden hexagonal bricks. 

“What's that?” Jason asked, pointing to the huge wall.

“Don't point!” Grizlemor slapped Jason's hand down. “It's rude.  That is the Queen's palace.  We want to stay far from there.  Don't even look in that direction.”

“Okay, calm down,” Jason said. “You really are cranky.”

They walked under a high stone archway carved with the images of flowers and animals.  As they stepped into the city, the cobblestone road beneath their feet turned into a street of brightly colored crushed pebbles.

Big swarms of fireflies lit up the city in red, golds, oranges, blues and purples.  The stone and living-tree buildings all had round, curving shapes
—
he didn't see a square corner or a straight line anywhere.

Though it was nighttime, the fairy creatures crowded the city streets, and Jason saw long pastel hair and colorful transparent wings everywhere he looked.  The fairies were selling flowers, jewels, rugs, shoes, pottery...all of it strangely small, designed for these people who stood no more than three to four feet high.  Cheerful music played everywhere, strings and flutes and bells.

(
end of excerpt
)

***

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J.L. Bryan
studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on the English Renaissance and the Romantic period. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He enjoys remixing elements of paranormal, supernatural, fantasy, horror and science fiction into new kinds of stories. He is the author of The Paranormals trilogy (
Jenny Pox
,
Tommy Nightmare
, and
Alexander Death
) and other works.
Fairy Metal Thunder
is the first book in his new Songs of Magic series. He lives in Atlanta with his wife Christina, one baby, two dogs, and two cats. His website is
http://jlbryanbooks.com
.