don’t have her stuck away in some little magical pocket in this room? I know your kind is clever for that, distorting the appearance of a place with your illusions to hide your mares and foals…”
At the shake of my head, he looks almost sick, his green face paling unnaturally as his hands clench and unclench on the arms of his chair.
“Oh… No good,” he groans. “This is no good at all. She was supposed to be with you now that you have found her. I thought you were just tarrying here to do some human shopping until you are ready to depart. This was just supposed to be a courtesy call to give you a friendly heads-up. Are you telling me that you left your mate alone?” he bellows in horror.
I scowl at him impatiently.
“Don’t be ridiculous. She’s not alone. She has her kin with her.”
The goblin leans over his chair, his breath coming out in large, wheezy gulps. “Has her family—oh, blessed ancient ones!” He turns his head to the side and looks up at me at an angle, eyes pleading. “Please tell me that you at least set wards.”
Puzzled, I cock my head. “Wards? I know the barrier wards of the grotto but have never done any others. Are you speaking of something like that?”
The male immediately buries his face in his hands, a low, pained moan coming from him.
“Do you not learn anything before you venture out to find mates? Did you not study at all what magic you’d need to know to safely acquire your mate in this world?” he demands, his head snapping up as he glares at me fiercely.
His expression both worries and angers me. He’s speaking to me as if I’m a foal… but no, I did not research such matters. I counted on my centuries of experience in Lehamenin to be sufficient. My tail twitches as I rise to my feet, anxiety racing through me, leaving me as breathless as I would be racing the entire distance of my territory at top speed. My chest heaves, and my hands clench.
“What are you trying to say?” I demand, my voice unsteady. “I was doing a kindness to my mate—giving her time to come to me before we left together. I have it all worked out. She is at home, safe and surrounded with her family until then, just as she’s always been. I was careful to not lead anyone to her…”
Grimsal slowly straightens and rises to his feet, facing me. For once, his expression is entirely sober, and his eyes flash with contempt.
“You idiot,” he hisses. “Did you not consider why your kind take your females so abruptly to your grottos? The moment your mare has a portion of your magic, it fills her blood. There are those that will track her. They will find her,” he growls as he paces toward me. I lower my horn in defense, but my body is shaking with dread as I force myself to listen. “I came to warn you to leave. The fairies have caught scent of her blood. I caught wind of their hunt as they left their forests. They will come for her.”
With a panicked shout, I spin away from him, rushing for the door. My fetch-form pushes at my magic, demanding to be released, but I have to wait until I’m out of the building. Then I can race across the expanse of this city for her.
I’m shaking with violent tremors in the elevator, only half-aware of the goblin at my side. All I can think of is her as we smoothly descend. Despite the tranquil movement of the elevator, I am shifting restlessly, my skin prickling with energy. I know my horn must be glowing because I can see a soft sheen of illumination on the metal walls around me. I try to hold in my panic, so I retain control of my shift. I haven’t lost control of a shift since I was less than a century old. The need to transform into my fetch-form is almost undeniable with the threat to my mate’s safety.
The moment the doors open, I burst through them, Grimsal darting close behind with his small translocation puffs of magic. It is fortunate that the lobby is small, though. The moment I step outside, heat ripples over me as the searing pain of the contorting magic sweeps over in wave after violent wave. People come to an abrupt stop on the street. Cars scream as