Winning His Kingdom

By Alledria Hurt

With Lester lost at sea, Melina blames herself, yet she cannot do anything less than continue on. Someone has to win the fight for reality and she doesn't want it to be Cassandra. As she races against time to find a way to stop the Kumon, Lester must find his way out of the belly of a beast. Will they be able to come together in time to make a stand against those who would see an end of everything they hold dear?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alledria Hurt
• Release date: Jun 19, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463950562

Alledria Hurt

Born in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, Alledria Hurt has traveled Europe and the United States. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and her Master of Arts in Liberal and Professional Studies degree from Armstrong Atlantic State University. When she’s not writing, she prefers video games, reading, and long walks with her dog, Xerxes. She currently lives in Savannah, GA with her family.

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Winning His Kingdom

Alledria Hurt

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2019 Alledria Hurt

All rights reserved.

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Table of Contents

Escaping the Serpent

On the Island of Knowledge

Birth of Fire and Smoke

As in life so in Death

Back to the Island of Knowledge

The Hinterlands

Going the Goblin Way

The Waiting Village

The Realm of Death

Fire and Smoke seek Chance

The Realm of Time

The Ending Spiral

Other Books by Alledria Hurt

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Escaping the Serpent

Time always had meaning, even when you had no way to mark it. Lester settled for the easy fix. He marked how often he slept. Sitting on a piece of wood from the broken galleon, he considered how exactly he would escape. It seemed a foregone conclusion that he would escape, but he had to figure out how.

The guts of the beast were warm enough that he didn't shiver, but knowing he was only a few moments from death every time it opened his mouth made him shiver anyway. The goblin, Cornelius, had been with him when he first went to sleep, but had gone his own way after that. By the end of his second sleep, he was hungry and blood tea, regardless of whether it was fish blood or ox blood, did not entice him. He needed real food. Grumpy, he dragged himself to his small host.

Is there anything to eat here? he asked.

Cornelius did not immediately answer his question. From the look of his long eyes, he was asleep. He sat in a chair that was more of a basket, with his extended fingers clasped together, faintly rocking.

Cornelius, Lester said reaching out. The goblin came awake under his hand, before it made contact.

What?

Is there any food?

There's the leftover fish from where I made my tea, but not much more than that, I'm afraid. Can't speak for how good they are either. They've been smoked and a bit tough after they've been fully bled. Though they make a good snack.

The Goblin sprang from his basket and half-hopped-rolled over to what were a set of cobbled together barrels. He snatched the top off one and stuck his long face into it.

Yes, yes, some good.

How do all these fish even get in here?

Whenever it opens its mouth, a small flood comes in, Cornelius said as he rummaged through the fish bodies, selecting a few of the browned specimens. Puts the fire out and leads to a dreadful amount of rearranging, but gives us something to eat, since you've not figured a way out yet.

Lester humpfed, but said nothing further. He wasn't about to start a row against the man with the fish. His stomach was touching his backbone.

The goblin dropped a few fish on what looked like a forgotten segment of plate and handed it to Lester.

Why are you being so nice to me if goblins are such fearsome creatures?

Even a monster likes company now and again. Besides, I wasn't much of a fearsome goblin. I'm a trifle small, I hate to admit. Cornelius had once more dropped his long arms into the fish barrel, his back to Lester. Yet it was impossible to not hear the hitch in the creature's voice. Didn't have much chance of making too much of an impression on the warren, but I did the Warden a good turn, so he kept me as Keeper of the Keys, gave me some status. And then I went and fouled it all up by getting swallowed by yon beastie.

What did you do for the Warden?

Found his keys.

The son of Death had keys? Lester asked.

He's the Warden of the Realm. Of course he has keys, my boy. The Goblin continued his rooting without looking Lester.

I don't know anything about the Realm of Death, Cornelius. Lester found himself a seat close to the barrel, and crunching on the bones. Or any of the realms really.

Well, you know you're on the edge of the realm of Knowledge, don't you?

We were going to see her when we were attacked by the sea serpent.

Going to see the Melasan? Cornelius's face lengthened and widened momentarily as if he were blowing into a balloon. He had apparently forgotten their earlier conversation about the very same subject. What business could you have with the Immortal of Knowledge?

We were going to see her about the Rings? Lester showed Cornelius the ring on his hand, it's intertwined hearts caught the light and threw tiny shadows.

By the Master, a Ring bearer! Cornelius threw himself flat, his food hitting the floor in a splatter of mess on the wood. Forgive my impertinence, please. I never meant any disrespect.

Cornelius, what?

Lester started to stand and the rabbit-like goblin waved him back to his seat with one paw.

Please, don't. I didn't know you were one of the chosen. The goblin recovered his plate, miraculously unbroken, and left the food in a pile where it was. The Beastie will clear that away for us. He retrieved a few more fish for himself and once more settled to eat. So you were going to the Melesan to explain the Ring Bearers to you?

I suppose, Melina didn't really explain things to me. She knew a lot more about what was going on than I did. She's the Bearer of Death.

DEATH?

Yes? His voice dropped into uncertain.

The goblin hopped up and turned in circles making a shrill trill.

The Lord's house, Cornelius said. She's a Chosen one of his.

Yeah, I guess so. Lester crunched another fish and tried not to say any of the things currently pinging through his mind about Melina. Looking down, he checked for the thread. It continued to pulse red, leading off into the darkened wall at the edge of the creature's belly. Wherever she was, she was still ok. He had a good idea he would know if that changed.

After his moment of excitement, Cornelius drew close, so close Lester drew back from the scent. He clawed Lester's hand up to where he could see the ring clearly with his nearsighted vision.

Connection, the Goblin said finally. When he let go, Lester snatched his hand back and rubbed it cautiously. There were nail marks in his skin, but he tried not to complain. It wouldn't help anything. The ring of threads, connections between creatures, he continued, finding his way back to his seat.

The walls contracted and up above a roar started.

GRAB SOMETHING!

Cornelius flung himself to the broken mast, latched on, and rolled into a ball. Lester dropped face down and grabbed the remainder of a railing. The water descended in a torrent, dousing their fire and washing away unconnected pieces of the ship. Lester held his breath, and tried not to feel things making contact with his face and body as debris washed past.

Long moments later, the water trickled then ceased. Lester raised his head and looked around as best he could in the murky darkness. He heard Cornelius moving around, hard nails scrabbling against semi-soft wood.

Always lose the fire, the goblin lamented. Dratted beastie.

Lester stayed quiet, refusing to move. He couldn't see enough to help and didn't want to get in the way.

More bumping and things being shifted then a spark leapt in the dark. It was followed by a scraping sound and another spark leaping through the air.

Lester, Cornelius called him, holding up a tiny sphere of fire above his head, the height of Lester's waist. It repeated his name and Lester finally pulled himself to a sitting position.

Yeah?

There you are. It swiveled toward him, eyes reflecting the light like mirrors. I think we lost the fish.

The recoil started at the base of his spine and walked his stomach up into his throat, but Lester fought it down.

That's okay, I don't think I want more. He covered his mouth with still wet hands and had to struggle his gorge back a second time.

The fire globe bobbled and floated following the goblin as it inspected the edges of its space.

Slowly losing the ship too, it said before hunching down in one spot. Seems the Beast is gonna finish eating me.

There's got to be a way for us to get out of here.

I told you, even if we get out, we're at the bottom of the ocean. It'll just burp us up into the sea and we'll drown. Cornelius shook his head and dragged one hand along the wood, curling long ribbons under his nails.

So we've got to get it to come to land. Lester sat down and crossed his legs. No, not it, her. This is a girl, right?

How would I know that, my boy? If it's a she, she wouldn't so much be my type. The fireball guttered once and Cornelius blew on it frantically to bring it back to life.

Lester slapped his legs. It is a she, Gergot told me as much. Females keep territory. Males roam. And that island we landed on had younger ones on it. So it's gotta be inside of her territory.

And what good does that do us, my boy? So there's an island nearby. Still can't get this beast to rise.

Lester drew back, hiding his face even though the dark was deep enough to hide the fear he felt.

From his own chest, the red thread pulsed with his heartbeat. He closed his hand over it and pulled gently. It felt caught on something, probably his family on the other end. How were Mom and Dad handling him not coming back? Were they worried? Mom and Dad. His mother appeared in his vision. She would be pacing the floor, silently cursing letting him get into this much trouble. If only she knew what kind of trouble he was in.

Mother, Lester said the word, testing it on his tongue. If it's a she, then those little ones are hers, maybe...

He crawled to the edge of the ship, finding it with his hands. Hanging over the side, he could feel the distance grow beneath him and down in the depths, he saw it, the faintest flash of red.

She's a mother.

What are you blathering about? Cornelius asked, bumbling over the same edge. What are you looking at? The gemstone of the goblin's eyes showed in the dark.

I'm looking at her threads, Lester said before sitting back. I have to get closer though.

You don't want to go down there, you'll be eaten by the Beastie's juices. That's why I've stayed up here on the little bit of the ship that's left.

So that's it's stomach? Lester blinked.

We're in its throat. That's its stomach. It's heart is somewhere beyond it. Serpents keep their hearts low. Best place in a fight.

Okay. Lester rubbed his eyes. I've got to get down there so I can pull on its heart strings to get it to rise.

Say that for me again, my boy, I don't think I quite caught it. Cornelius was so close his smell made Lester's eyes water despite the stink all around them.

Okay, like you said, I have the ring of Connection. Lester held up his ring. It lets me see and touch strings that come from your heart. He didn't mention not seeing one coming from the Goblin, but had to wonder if maybe it was because he'd never met anyone Cornelius thought was important. So this thing is a mother, so she has connections to her young. If I can use that to get her moving, maybe I can get her to surface.

You say, maybe, my boy. Aren't you certain?

No, Lester shook his head. I'm not sure of anything, but I don't want to die Sea Serpent Chow without at least trying to get out of this alive. He also didn't mention how much he really wanted to be in his mother's arms pretending none of this had ever happened. That was not going to make things better, so he pushed the thought away. We've got to get closer though. He paused. If any of this is going to work.

Cornelius went back to the edge and looked over again, his ball of fire bobbing along like a trained bubble.

I don't see what you're seeing, my boy, but I have to trust you and your ring to be right. 'Sides, I'm getting a bit tired of living day after day, been a couple hundred years I think, waiting for this thing to finish eating me.

Rocking back and forth, the goblin looked as much like a ball as the fire above him.

Well, how do we get this thing to go down there, then?

Not sure. It's pretty well lodged. Cornelius rolled away from the edge and to the other where it seemed to stick in the fluctuating wall of the creature's throat. Though I suppose we could break off the boards, break enough and it'll drop. Creature's been doing that on its own for years.

Okay.

Lester had followed the goblin and stood only a few feet from the wall. He ran his fingers across it, snatching back when it shocked him with sudden burning.

Why hasn't this eaten the boards?

Don't know. Hasn't much mattered. I've been safe and now we're giving up a safe place to try some kind of harebrained scheme. With a hop, the Goblin brought its weight down on the board and it splintered a bit. This may take some time, it said.

We could try burning it?

Burning?

The Goblin was still evaluating the idea when Lester batted the fire globe down to the floor. It struck beside the splintered board, inches from the Goblin's feet, and the wood, despite being still somewhat wet, caught. The fire flickered and licked along the boards, creeping up the throat of the creature and above, the roar of incoming water started.

Uh-oh.

The torrent tore down on them, flattening them to the ship with its weight. Lester tried desperately to breathe, but felt like he was stepped on by a giant. The wood of the ship splintered further with this new weight on the holding side and it listed. The boy rolled, in spite of the water. Then a loud crack, muffled only slightly by the water, split the air. It tilted further. The slide became deeper, Lester's body made contact with the railing. Choking, he sought a breath that wouldn't come. The sea water stung his eyes and crawled through his clothes, sandpapering his skin.

Then the world dropped.

The water bore the ship down into the creature's stomach.

Pauline and Patricia sat in the library face-to-face. Identical sighs littered the air. They remain that way until the library door opens and Christina saunters in.

You wanted something, Auntie? She treated the pair as one person, as several members of the family often did. With a flip of her blond hair, she stares them down.

Are you going to stand by and let Melina get away without paying for her crime? They spoke together. As one, they turned toward their niece. It doesn't matter that she's been taken in by your other aunt, she is still a murderer.

They weren't subtle and the jab found its expected mark. Though all she did was clench her teeth, it was obvious, Christina felt something for her supposed cousin. Then she shook her head.

She'll kill me.

She can only manage that if she has the ring. Without the ring, you're her match, easily.

The pair moved, turning in their chairs and steepling their fingers.

Steal the ring from her and not only will she not have it to drawn on, but you'll have its power for yourself.

The clenched teeth turned into a nervous smirk as Christina considered the possibility.

My father tried to kill all of us, Patrick's crimes were no longer a secret, granted, it hadn't changed how Christina felt about her Father. So why are you helping me?

Because however dangerous Patrick was, Melina is worse. She's infused with the ability of an immortal, and she has always felt unhappy here. Especially with you. It shouldn't take her long to decide none of us should survive. Better to get rid of her now.

And why don't you do it yourself then?

Maybe Christina was brighter than they thought.

She's expecting us, undoubtedly. The pair grew expressions of almost fear. She will kill us if we try. She thinks you're too frightened to stop her, so she won't be expecting you.

Christina flipped her blond hair