The Goblin Bride (Beneath Sands Book 1)

dried blood had mostly flaked off from the leak at her nose and the cut on her head. Or at least she didn’t feel it anymore.
“I haven’t exactly had a chance to bathe. I apologize if my state of dress insults you.” Was the only sarcastic reply she could summon.
“Oh my dear I didn’t mean that! I’m appalled that Ruric has not had the good taste to bring you to the baths.” She just caught the glare the old man sent in the direction of the goblin.
Strange to think that a mere human could be admonishing a goblin such as this one. Jane decided she liked the man for having the guts to do such a thing, even if he did seem to be a little too observant for her liking.
She cleared her throat. “Micah, I’m certain that he would be bringing me in that direction if you would finish what you have to say.”
Being polite had never been a strong trait of hers. Jane had grown up in a place where people who were polite got walked on. The harder she was, the better she would be treated in the end. Having someone else caring and tending for her was foreign to all that she knew. Jane didn’t know how to react to any of this other than being uncomfortable with it all.
The man blinked at her through those glasses that magnified his eyes. “Well then.”
Jane had seen that expression many times before. It was the usual response to her.
A low rumble from beside them had her flinching away from the goblin before she realized that this was a laugh. Deep as a growl, it came straight from the bottom of his barrel chest and vibrated in his throat.
It was the strangest laugh she had ever heard before.
“Strong.” He said, hooking a thumb at her.
She didn’t care for that. Whatever proud tone he had going on could end right then and there.
As if he sensed she was about to get pushy, Micah quickly started talking. “You are now in what we call Below. Every now and then humans are harvested for workers and other odd jobs. We were lucky enough to find you among them before anything happened to you my dear!”
“Lucky. Right.” She muttered, tossing the globe back and forth in her hands.
“Females are very rare here, so you should be safe most places that you go. We do suggest that you stick close to Ruric until the ceremony of course. There are others that don’t necessarily agree with the queen’s choice. You’ll be fine as long as you stick with him. He’s a good choice!”
She was shocked into silence. None of what he had said made sense to her, but it was making her think that she was in over her head.
“Ceremony?”
He was already turning on his heel and walking towards the mouth of the cave. “You’ll be fine! Ruric take her to bathe boy, the girl could use it.”
“Excuse me! You can’t just start saying things like that and then leave without explaining!”
But he did exactly that. She wasn’t about to chase after him without being able to see. She had hit the ground already today. Making a fool of herself once was enough.
“I need to go home, Ruric.” She said to the dark, wondering if it would be considered rude to ask for more light.
But he didn’t respond. As she had expected, he continued to stare at her with those fathomless eyes before he started to move. He was gentle as he cupped his hand beneath her elbow and started pulling her towards the mouth of the cave.
Ruric led her through the tunnels, trying to see what she must be seeing. It was difficult for him to understand these creatures. They were so weak compared to goblins, so incapable of doing even the smallest things because they could not see as the goblins could. How did anything survive without being able to see at least a little bit in darkness?
She stumbled along beside him. Frequently he had to stop, carefully placing his hands underneath her elbows so that she could brace herself and he could lift her.
Even goblin women didn’t have to be taken care of like this. They were more delicate than their male counterparts, but they did not need to be coddled. The few times Ruric had met a female goblin, he had been well aware they thought him of a lower status. They were harder than the legends spoke of them. They had to be now. Every female that was born was sent to another tribe to rule them. Each female had a heavy weight upon her shoulders from the day she took her first breath.
This woman was nothing like one of them. She held herself like one of his warriors. Broad shouldered and wide legged, she sometimes reminded him of the other men in the mines. Surely women weren’t like her above ground. They were meant to be softer. Were not females created to be the opposite of males?
Yet he found himself admiring this one, for all that she was still covered in dirt and blood. She held herself with strength and honor. At times. He hid a grin as she cursed and kicked at a rock that had made her stumble. Perhaps not quite like a queen, but close enough to one.
He guided her to a bathing cave that had been around since he was very young. They had carved the room straight from the cliff itself. Water ran naturally from a stream above ground and gave a steady supply to those below.
Natural hot springs were diverted throughout the caves and pumped to others when needed. After so many years of living down here, the goblins had figured out how to make it comfortable for themselves.
He helped her towards one of the deeper pools and gestured at the water with his clawed hand. “Clean.”
Surely she would know what he meant by that. As much as he didn’t like Micah,