Chapter 28

CHAPTER 28

I t was obvious that Mary was less skilled than Nellie. She had only trained for a short while with Maggie and still didn't fully understand the powers that the goblin body gave her. But it wasn't going to stop her from trying with everything she had. She was fueled by her outrage and desire to protect her friends, her love, and herself.

No matter what, she wasn't going to stop fighting this goblin sorceress. She was not going to give up that easily.

Nellie changed shape in front of her. It startled Mary because she was no longer looking at her own body. She wished that meant that Nellie had given up her body but of course, it didn't. Mary was still in goblin form.

Nellie shifted into a large bird flying back and forth dodging everything that Mary threw at her. Then she landed and shifted again this time to a fox running in a zig-zag pattern. It was clear to Mary that Nellie was having fun with this. It wasn't an equal fight but how could it be.

It frustrated her greatly because she was done being the victim. She had been the victim of bank robbers in her former life and now she was Nellie's victim. And she was done with it. That ended today. Right now.

That memory of the bank robbery lit another fire inside of Mary. She thought about that day and how she'd had her life taken from her. Suddenly she saw Nellie not as a scary goblin sorceress but as a bully. The same as the bank robbers trying to take something from her, her life.

With that she suddenly gained a lot of momentum. Mary used her new powers to pick up a log and launch it at Nellie. She barely dodged it, but Mary wasn't done. She picked up a boulder and swung it at her. She picked up everything movable on the ground and flung it all at Nellie. Unnerved, Nellie transitioned back to Mary's body.

Her eyes grew angry as though she was done playing around. She fought back hitting Mary with a bolt of energy, but Mary was able to block it.

Nellie grew frustrated. “I will end you!”

“Come and try,” Mary taunted her.

Mary noticed Gray Mick sneaking to attack Hamish and flung him to the side with a brush of her arm. It was enough of a distraction that Hamish was able to jump on top of Gray Mick and stab him with his iron dagger. Gray Mick screamed as he died on the ground beneath Hamish's dagger.

“Nooo!” Nellie shouted seeing her muscle killed before her eyes.

Mary used all her power to fling another log on top of Nellie and restrain her once and for all.

Nellie cried out as the log pinned her to the ground. Hamish strode over and aimed his sword at her. "Release this spell over Mary," he demanded.

“Do what you will. I will not lift the spell.” Nellie cackled.

“Yes. Do it. Give me back what is mine. I have defeated you!” Mary said.

“No. I will not. I will come back stronger.” Nellie said.

“Do you think I don’t know how to get my body back? All I have to do is take your life and it will be returned to me,” Mary said stepping closer to the trapped Nellie.

Nellie’s eyes grew wide with shock and fear.

It made Mary feel good to put the fear in her finally.

“Stop. Don’t harm her!” Maggie shouted and moved over to Mary and Hamish.

Hamish stood at Mary's side his sword still pointed at the sorceress. "She deserves death."

“Killing one of the last Noble goblins will start a war."

“Aye, a war. That is why I am here,” Nellie said. “I am Nellie Sharpfingers one of the last goblin Nobles. My brother Grimtooth was killed by the Grants. I want revenge and I shall have it!”

“That is why you tried to poison the castle,” Hamish said.

“Aye. Do you think you can defeat me? I am all powerful. I decided to disrupt the process of bringing new brides for the Grants at the burgh. I used my followers to distract the Sidhe. That is how I stole Mary’s identity and form immediately after it was healed. I will not stop. I will have revenge for my brother!”

“You will stop," Mary demanded.

“You cannot kill her." Maggie said quietly. "Let me take her to the Fae as a captive, where she will remain,” Maggie said. "The Seelie court will make sure she pays for what she has done."

Mary looked at Hamish. Letting Nellie go meant that she would remain in goblin form forever. It's not what she wanted. However she knew that if she started a war between the goblin Nobles and the Grant Clan, it would cause trouble for herself with the people she had grown to love and admire here. She didn't want to see any more of them hurt because of her.

She had to choose right then and there. To be rid of the goblin and get her human form back but not be with Hamish or let the goblin go with Maggie and continue to turn into a goblin at night but still have Hamish and her life.

Mary thought long and hard. She wanted nothing more than to push the log further down on Nellie and be rid of her forever crushing her to death. But something inside of her knew that she could not do it. She was not a murderer and she had come to find the castle a comforting place. Not only was it safe for her, but she had friends there, women who were like her. She did not want to have to run away and live out in the wilds of Scotland on her own without Hamish.

“All right, Maggie. I will let her live if you do as you said and take her to the Seelie court.”

“That is the best decision, for we do not want war with the Unseelie,” Maggie said.

Maggie motioned for Darter. He was wearing a glove and in his hand was a pair of manacles. He handed it to Maggie and she put the iron cuffs on Nellie. Nellie screamed in pain, but it was the only thing that would keep her from using her magic. Mary lifted the log off of her using her powers and Maggie escorted Nellie to the shore line where they would go down to the burgh.

Mary walked over to the guards who were still unconscious on the road. She laid her hands on their heads and closed her eyes. She thought about healing and once she did so, they injuries were healed and they awoke. She moved to the horses and did the same because she couldn't stand to see an animal in pain.

“I guess having these goblin powers at night isn't all bad. Look what you have been able to do with these guards. You possibly saved their lives and the lives of these horses,” Hamish said.

“Yes, but I miss being myself,” she said.

“Maybe you will be in time. Hope is not lost. Perhaps once Nellie is a prisoner, her power will fade and you will become you again,” he said. "Or perhaps the coven will finally find a way to fully break the spell."

“I hope so,” She said.

The sun started to peek over the horizon. Dawn was approaching. Mary could feel the shift coming on. She changed back into human form as the daylight touched the land and she stood once again in only her shift. Hamish grinned and ushered her into Maggie's cottage where he found her a cloak to wear. He drew her into his arms and hugged and kissed her.

For now, Mary would have to find comfort in this small ability to be herself in the day and the comfort that she would be allowed to live her life at the castle, having captured the goblin Noble, Nellie Sharpfingers.