Chapter 9

Strange Savior

First came the pain. A stabbing, throbbing pain that pulsed through my left wrist, sending spots of yellow to dance behind the lids of my tightly closed eyes. Ohhhh, not again... What happened? What ridiculous mess had I stumbled into this time? All I could say for certain just then was that my bloody wrist hurt. God, I hoped it wasn't broken... I had landed badly. Could've been much worse, but I had landed badly. Just how far had I fallen? I tried to open my eyes, blinked in confusion, and realized that they hadn't been closed in the first place. I cursed under my breath. I was in the darkness again. To be perfectly honest, this time I was not afraid...but very terribly annoyed. Well, this is original, isn't it? Were my life a story and this a book I was reading, I'd have dropped it in the trash immediately. The author's becoming far too cheap and predictable. Recycling plots and revisiting issues that have already been resolved!

"The protagonist needs a new challenge, please!" I muttered aloud through pain and irritation, mocking my imaginary author. "We've seen the dropping into darkness already and it's gotten old." Nobody answered me, though. Typical.

I pushed myself into a kneeling position, biting my tongue to stifle a loud groan at the pain not only in my wrist, but also in almost every inch of my battered body. Something told me that I would need a great deal of aspirin and a very long nap when all this was over.

I squinted in the gloom. Listened in the stillness. Despite the heat and closeness of the atmosphere in this new hell I'd found, I started shivering as I curled my injured arm against my chest, a deeply rooted unease beginning to stir beneath my annoyance. Something was wrong...something was terribly wrong. This...this could be neither cave nor grotto. Neither dungeon nor well nor dark, windowless room. This was quite simply night descended. Empty and utterly absent of stars or moon. The darkness here was so deep I could feel it on my skin, an impenetrable funeral shroud that pressed in from all directions, threatening to smother me in its ebon folds. I felt around with careful fingers. The ground beneath me was smooth...as if I was kneeling on polished obsidian. The air was still, thick, and heavy, choked with a nasty sulfurous odor that made it very difficult to breathe. My skin crawled as if I was being watched, and I knew full well that anything that could see me in this gloom would have to be some subterranean horror that I didn't want to fathom. I blinked and squinted, desperately trying to force my eyes to adjust to the black. Oh, no...this was not the dark of the Oubliette, which had been bad enough...but something else. Something more.

My heart leapt into my throat. There, in the blackness I could hear movement. Something...many things...slithering, scratching, advancing. It wasn't the Unders this time. My already fragile mind exploded into a dizzying whirl of panic. I wanted to scream. I wanted to run. Oh, I wanted to run... But my stupid legs refused to move. Fear unlike any I had ever known clenched itself around my heart. Blinding, paralyzing fear. Stronger even than that I had experienced in the well all those years ago, for in the well, though I had been terrified, at least I was not being hunted. I heard myself whimper like a child. Felt myself close my eyes against the darkness and wrap my good arm around my head, rocking back and forth and wishing myself away.

Get up, stupid girl! a voice screamed internally, echoing up from some great depth within. Get up and fight! The things were drawing nearer. I could hear them breathing. Grunting, hissing, panting. I nearly choked on their stench...like rotten eggs. Reaching back with my trembling right hand, I scrabbled for a grip on my sword hilt. It wasn't there. Hysteria choked me as a half strangled sob forced itself from my lips and I felt around blindly in the darkness, praying that the ancient blade hadn't fallen far from me... And then I froze. The hot, rancid breath of some unimaginable demon pressed in against my cheek, very nearly scalding my skin. Cold, clawed fingers ran themselves through my hair, caressed my face, stroked the back of my hand... I was going to die. My God, I was going to die.

And then there was a terrible shrieking and the hands were gone. The darkness was pierced by blinding silver light that radiated from somewhere above and behind me, pure and bright as day. By that light I could see the creatures, the indescribable, monstrous creatures fleeing, screeching, and retreating from the sudden brightness. Suddenly free of my terrible paralysis, I whipped around and squinted into the light, only to find that I could determine little of its source beyond the fact that it emanated from a small orb held aloft by a tall figure whose details I could not discern.

"Look at you, you naughty girl," tutted a familiar voice. "As soon as I take my eyes off you, you get into trouble."

The figure lowered the orb just enough to cast light across his features, and I never could have guessed I'd be so relieved to see that angular face.

"Well? Don't just linger there like a stunned deer," the Goblin King admonished. "Come along."

Without even thinking, I scrambled to my feet and staggered toward him.

"Steady now," he chuckled, catching me in his free arm as I all but crashed into him. "We'd best be away from here." He was right. I could hear the creatures again, hissing and snarling just beyond reach of that blessed pool of light, and I certainly did not want to be anywhere near the vicinity if they developed the courage to step back into it. "Hold tight, Lara," the king whispered.

I didn't object. Disregarding for now the fact that my opponent was acting as my rescuer, I wrapped my good arm around his stupid, skinny torso and held on as tightly as I dared. The air around us began to shift and compress, moving us through the darkness. I squeezed my eyes shut against a wave of vertigo and clung even tighter to the Goblin King, afraid that if I let go I'd be cast out into the nothingness. As if sensing my distress, he immediately drew me more securely to him, lending reassurance in the strength of his hold. The leather of the jacket he now wore was soft against my cheek, and oddly comforting, and I could hear the strong, rhythmic pulsing of a heart that (despite my prior convictions that he lacked one entirely) really did beat within that proud royal chest. I almost marveled at it. It was proof of life. He was real. He was real and he was steady and in that strange moment...he was safety.

Soon, though not soon enough, all went still. I waited for my faintness to ease and for my heart to steady itself before carefully opening my eyes. We were outside now. Outside, above the Oubliette, and standing in the blessed sunshine of the Labyrinth. An almost dizzying sense of relief played gently through my ragged mind as I allowed my senses to drink in the pleasant sights, sounds, and smells of the courtyard in which we now found ourselves. Clear sky...smooth stone...thriving greenery. A gentle babbling of water filled my ears, emanating from an elegant, three-tiered fountain at the courtyard's center.

I was so relieved to be out of the darkness that I very nearly forgot that I was still clinging absurdly to the man who had caused all my torment. After too long a moment, I looked up into the face of the Goblin King. He just stood there in seemingly casual contentment, his stupid arms draped comfortably around my shoulders. A sly grin tugged at his lips when he looked down to meet my gaze, his face so close I could count his dark eyelashes. Horrified, I shoved roughly away from him, causing him to laugh.

"Is that any way to treat your rescuer?"

I was still trembling terribly, but oh, that sun... It felt like years since I'd seen it. "I...I was doing just fine until you showed up! I can take care of myself."

The king shook his head and clicked his tongue. "Oh yes, you were doing just fine. You certainly looked like you had things under control... If not for me, sweetling, you would be suffering a fate far worse than death right now."

There was no point in arguing. He was right. "What was that?"

The king's expression darkened. "A place that no living being is meant to enter. A place that even I dare not go, if I can avoid it..."

I raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised by his honesty. "Then why keep it in your Labyrinth in the first place? And why bother coming in after me?" Careful... Don't make him regret it. Yet.

"That is not part of my Labyrinth," he said with disdain. "It is a small channel into another world, another dimension, if you will. Inhabited by creatures of the darkest sort. I will not name them. And you! Clumsy thing, you stumbled right into it! Of all the places you could have ended up... Though, I suppose I really ought to thank you for discovering the opening. Now I can seal that particular rift and be done with it," he sighed dramatically. "Being king is such taxing work."

Despite his outward display of sarcastic nonchalance, there was a haunted distance in his eyes and it left me with an eerie sort of understanding that he had been deeply troubled by his journey into the darkness, more so than he would ever let on. And if such a place could trouble a being like him… I frowned and attempted to flex the fingers of my left hand. Searing pain shot through my wrist and caused me to inhale sharply. Dammit all to hell, it had to be broken... "You didn't answer my second question," I hissed through gritted teeth.

He ignored my protest entirely, his eyes narrowing as they followed my injured wrist. "You are in pain."

"It's nothing. Why didn't you leave me down there?" What the hell are you doing?! Don't give him any ideas! You don't want to go back! But pain and anger fueled my words...and pain and anger can make you stupid.

"Let me see your wrist."

I glared at him.

"Your wrist, Lara! Don't be a fool." He reached toward me with a gloved hand.

I clutched my arm protectively against my chest and twisted away from him. "Why would you help me?!"

The king gave an exasperated chuckle. "Don't make me regret it! In all fairness, as that was not part of my Labyrinth, I could not in good conscience let you die there. What can I say? I'm such a softie..." He darted forward then, quicker than I could have hoped to avoid, and seized my injured wrist roughly in his right hand. I gave a yelp and attempted to wrench away, but before I could do so I felt a distinct pop in my carpal bones. A wild tingling then shot through to my fingertips and the pain vanished. The Goblin King released me with a smirk.

I stared at my hand and flexed my fingers experimentally. No pain. No stiffness. All was back in order. He had healed me. Why? He had no reason to do that... With a furrowed brow, I turned to scrutinize the king, careful to keep my surprise in check, though I did feel a sudden (and most unwelcome) wave of something akin to...to what? Oh, God, not admiration! Not gratitude! Toward him? Oh no, Lara. No, no, no. That's taking things much too far. He may have saved your life, but he's still your enemy! He stole your niece and nephew. He's your enemy, Lara. You hate him... You hate him and you think his hair is stupid.

I curled my fingers into a tight fist. "I still intend to run."

His eyes hardened, but only slightly. "I had expected as much... I'll have you know, however, that my generosity does not come without a price." With a flick of his wrist, he conjured my timer in thin air and twirled his finger three times. The clock's delicate hands sped up, moving dramatically ahead and counting off three hours of my precious time. The king looked at me and tilted his head to one side.

I frowned, chilled by a sudden dread, but nodded my agreement. "Fair enough."

He smiled and began to turn away. "Tick-tock, Lara."

"Your Majesty, wait!"

He turned to face me once more, angular eyebrow arched in curiosity.

Just say it... Go on, spit it out! "Thank you," I said, curt and to the point. I almost flinched at the harshness of my own words... Did I always sound so cruel?

Something strange passed behind the king's eyes then, almost as if he'd been caught off guard. His lips parted and it looked for a moment as if he wanted to say something, but instead he smirked. "Is that all? No heartfelt displays of gratitude? No flowers? Chocolates? Not even a card? A kiss, at least..."

I scowled. "Don't push it, bud."

The Goblin King laughed and faded into nothingness.