Free The Quest (The Hidden Realm Book 5) by A. Giannetti

which he had entered the palace grounds, keeping to the shadows wherever possible. No one saw him leave, for the only watchmen were the door guards that he had slain.
    Heart beating wildly, nerves stretched to the breaking point, Merula stole through the city, following the same path that he had taken before. When he reached his residence, he took Anthea to the tack room in his stables where he was less likely to be seen. His stallion nickered softly when he entered, but there was no one else about to observe him.
    “It would be better to take her outside the walls of the city,” thought Merula uneasily to himself as he set Anthea on the floor at his feet. “Out of an abundance of caution, I would sooner not let the Goblin into my home.” He gave the matter deep thought before abandoning it. Unlike the palace, the walls of the city and its gates were well guarded. He could not exit Niveaus carrying Anthea’s bundled form without arousing suspicion.
    “Even if they do not stop me, the guards will report my burden later when it is known that Anthea is missing,” he reasoned to himself. Reluctantly, he reached for his silver chain, exposing the ruby that depended from it. At the touch of his fingers, it gleamed briefly like a fiery coal. Moments later, an oval shaped portal opened up before him, and a tall Uruc dressed in black leather armor stepped out of it.
    “She is not to be harmed,” commanded Merula sternly as the Goblin stooped to take Anthea‘s unconscious body into his arms.
    “My master will keep his bargain,” replied the Uruc soothingly. “No hurt will come to her while she is in his charge.” Lifting Anthea effortlessly, he stepped lightly back through the portal with his burden.
    “It is done then, for better or worse,” thought Merula uneasily to himself as the portal vanished. “I must trust that the Goblin will keep his bargain. If he does not, I will not rest until I see his life’s blood flow from his body,” he silently promised himself, his eyes glittering in the darkness from the intensity of his emotions.”

 
    IN THE CLUTCHES OF THE GOBLIN KING
     
    Torquatus sprang eagerly erect from his black chair when Valgus emerged from the portal into his throne room carrying Anthea. When the captain of his guard laid her at his feet and removed the blanket that covered her, his eyes glowed with a hungry light as he surveyed her still form.
    “She has Dymiter’s talisman just as I suspected!” he thought exultantly to himself as an exposed bit of gleaming chain at her throat drew his gaze like a magnet, for foremost in his mind was the thought of frustrating the prophecy of Dymiter. A fierce frown spread across his pale features, however, when he opened his third eye, for it revealed a silvery film of light, invisible to Valgus, which covered Anthea’s body like a gleaming cloak.
    “The shield spell must emanate from the amulet, triggered perhaps by her situation, for the woman sleeps too deeply to use magic herself,” he thought to himself. Beneath the translucent shroud that covered Anthea, Torquatus’s mage sight now revealed an illusion spell on her left hand which concealed something resembling a fiery coal that pulsed at regular intervals.
    “A hidden charm,” thought Torquatus to himself, his eyes narrowing. “I will discover its purpose after I take Dymiter’s amulet.” Wary of the magical shield which covered Anthea, Torquatus made no effort to reach for the object he so desired. “I will let Valgus test its powers rather than endanger myself,” he thought to himself.
    “Take her necklace and hand it to me,” he commanded the captain of his guard. Unaware of the shield spell which protected Anthea’s sleeping form, the Uruc reached at once with a long hand for the silver chain lying in the hollow of her throat, but his fingers were unable to close around it, instead scrabbling about as if they had encountered a slippery coating of ice.
    “I cannot touch the cursed