Page 14 of The Goblin's Mine

Brock’s arms are flailing.

I take a step forward, reaching out.

Killian throws an arm across my chest, stopping me.

Brock shouts in terror.

And then time speeds up as he plummets over the edge of the crevice and into the blackness below. After a few seconds—longer than I expect, honestly—there’s a sickening crunch.

Oh, holy fuck. The porridge I ate hours ago threatens to come back up.

“Brock?” I call tentatively, but no surprise, he doesn’t answer. I try again. “Brock?”

Nothing.

Killian’s arm tightens around me, offering comfort. Because someone I knew…is dead.

Brock is dead.

I feel a little bit dizzy, which compounds the nausea. My knees give out and I start to sink, but Kill’s arm slows me so that I land gently on the ground.

Did that seriously just happen? I know Kill said he earned his nickname, but he didn’t technically kill Brock. Brock died because of his own stupidity. But if they hadn’t been fighting…

I shake my head. If they hadn’t been fighting, Brock would have physically dragged me out of these caves and done who knows what to me. Killian rescued me.

I don’t know how to feel. At the moment, I think I’m just numb.

I didn’t like the guy, and he certainly needed some counseling or rehab or something, but I didn’t want him dead. And I sure as hell don’t want to have to answer any questions about what might have happened to him. Although…him getting lost in these caves and succumbing to nature is a believable story. And it’s sort of true.

Killian, who sat when I did, leans forward.

“Are you okay?” he asks, worry in his glowing eyes. “Did that male hurt you? Were you attacked by more hobgoblins? What happened when we got separated? I’m so sorry I didn’t stay with you!” He sounds frantic.

My need to comfort him snaps me out of my morbid thoughts. I reach down and give his hand a squeeze. “Kill, take a breath. I’m okay. All I did was run away when we got separated, and the bleeding from the hobgoblins has stopped. I knew that I’d either find my way back to the surface or you would track me down. As for Brock, he didn’t really hurt me. I can’t believe that just happened, though.” I stare over the edge again.

“Good riddance.” Killian bundles me in his arms and scoops me up. “If it’s okay with you, I want to bring you back to my quarters. I’ll clean your wounds and find you something to eat. I just…need to hold on to you for a while. I was so worried.” Hebrushes my hair back from my face, his large palm warm against my skin.

I have no idea what’s come over him, but I’m into it. I could use a little cuddling after everything we just went through. I nod. “I’d like that.”

CHAPTER SIX

KILLIAN

Once she’s safelyin my quarters, I take the time to inspect every inch of her. I treat her wounds, which are thankfully superficial, and force her to rest, setting her carefully on my bed. There’s only one torch lit in here, so it’s dim. She should be able to sleep.

Finally, she laughs. “Killian, I’m fine. Why are you fretting?”

“How can you ask that? You were attacked twice.”

“And you treated every little scratch. I’m okay. So why are you being so…I don’t know, intense?”

I take a deep breath.

I need to tell her. She has to know. And then she can decide what she wants to do about it.

“Because.” I stand and pull off my shirt, pointing to the mate mark. “Remember when you asked me about this?”

“Sure.” She nods.