Underground

VI

Harry fell to his knees, feeling the world rapidly change around him. His hands hastily grabbed at the bedsheet that had been whisked away with him, concealing the last of his dignity from those foul goblins that prodded and teased him through the bars.

He was furious. The Goblin King had readily explained what had happened and why he was there. Harry had been wished away. He had 13 hours until he would be transformed into one of those mindless, repulsive creatures that snorted, dribbled and walked around like drunk toddlers on drugs.

And Harry fully blamed you for this misfortune. He may have cheated, but he felt undeserving of this punishment.

"The game has changed," the Goblin King announced with a clap of his hands, bringing Harry back to reality as he scrambled to his feet. He looked around, eyes wild and his face flustered. Harry looked at the Goblin King with absolute distaste, with malice that could only be outdone by a woman scorned. "Another wish has been made, and this one appeals to me... greatly."

Harry scoffed, sneering at the Goblin King. He didn't care for the status that this man held. If he was about to be turned into a goblin, then so be it, but he would never bow to his boots the way the others so willingly did.

The Goblin King smiled wickedly at the disgust on Harry's face. The human man was finally displaying his true colours, and that satisfied him deeply. He waved his hand around, and suddenly the bed sheets transformed into peasant clothing. Scuffed trousers, scruffy tunic tucked lazily into his trousers and workers boots.

"What's changed?" Harry asked, grumbling loudly as he fiddled with the buttons on his shirt. The top of his chest was still showing, and while the goblins had seen more of him, he wanted to maintain himself as much as possible. "What could possibly have made you change your mind?"

"I did."

Harry felt his heart stop beating in that very instant. He spun around, eyes wide in shock. You stood just a way behind him, before the throne with your hands clasped in front of you. You appeared unscathed, uninjured and perfectly well.

Harry stepped towards you, a smile breaking out across his face. "You came for me!" He cried out, sounding relieved and overjoyed. You visibly cringed as he pulled you into a tight embrace, his arms trapping your hands to your sides so you couldn't push him away. "I knew you still loved me. I knew you hadn't given up on us like that. I'm sorry for everything I did, I'll truly be a better fiancé to you—"

"I didn't coming to save you."

Harry paused his ramblings. He released you and looked down, now seeing the resentment flaring in your bright eyes. You stared at him with such hatred, it was practically seething like smoke from your ears.

"You..." Harry stammered, now stepping back as confusion warped his mind. "Then, why are you here? What's going on?" He didn't turn to face the Goblin King, who had been watching the entire scene unfold with a firm glare.

The Goblin King didn't dare to interject. He was leaving this up to you to explain. It would be more entertaining to watch. It would be more impactful coming from you. And the Goblin King couldn't wait to watch Harry explode with the rage he had been brewing on. The Goblin King had watched Harry closely, noting how he blamed you for everything that had happened to him—all his misfortunes, his mistakes, his infidelity, him being whisked away... it was only a matter of time before all of that rage came to the surface.

A matter of minutes.

You held yourself with false confidence. On the outside you were bold and brave, but on the inside you were slowly starting to crack. You felt the guilt creeping in upon hearing Harry's relief. Did he truly deserve to navigate the labyrinth as punishment?

"I completed the Goblin Kings Labyrinth," you explained after a brief pause, allowing the silence to alleviate the tension. "I fought my way to the castle beyond the Goblin City, to strike a new deal with the Goblin King." Your gaze momentarily flickered to the Goblin King, who continued to watch with a confident, reassuring smile. It gave you the courage to continue. "And in that deal, I traded our places. You will run the labyrinth."

Harry's face twisted red with rage, his face flushing hot as the pent up anger finally surfaced. His hand wrapped around your throat, and he bellowed down in a frighteningly angry voice, "you evil bitch!"

The Goblin King was by your side in a flash. He pulled out his crop from underneath his cloak, and he struck it down against Harry's head. Harry stumbled back, blood dripping from a new gash on his forehead. He released you in an instant. Your hand moved up to hold your throat tenderly; you were so focused on the way that Harry collapsed, you hadn't even realised the concerned stare that the Goblin King shot you.

"Such a pity," the Goblin King tutted. He moved his foot and kicked Harry's leg, causing your ex fiancé to crumble to the ground in a pathetic heap. Harry clutched his bleeding head, his eyes full of tears as he stared up at you and the Goblin King. "Your only way of returning home will be through [Name]. You have 13 hours to complete my labyrinth and confront me. If you fail, I'll make sure you spend your eternity guarding the Bog of Stench."

The Goblin King waved his hand, and Harry disappeared in an instant.

But you couldn't forget the look of betrayal on his face. The absolute hurt in his eyes. You hoped that he was finally feeling the same way you had earlier that day. Did his heart shatter into millions of pieces? Did he feel as though his stomach might curl in on itself? You hoped he was now mourning for the love he had lost. For the love he had relinquished the moment he started a relationship with Casey.

Surprisingly, you didn't feel any emotion towards sending Harry to the labyrinth. You didn't feel relieved that you had done it; you didn't feel guilty that you had condemned him to 13 hours of figuring out puzzles and traps.

The Goblin King was now standing in front of you. His hands cupped your face and gently tilted your head back, so he could look directly into your eyes. You watched as his own eyes flickered around yours, as if searching for something. Satisfied, he smiled almost lovingly at you. "You did well, my dear. I didn't think he'd have been so stupid to touch you like that."

Your heart fluttered at the compliment. "I've seen him angry before, but I've never been on the receiving end of it," you confessed, letting slip of your slight fear of Harry's outburst. You couldn't forget the anger burning in his eyes; the betrayal that would forever imprint on your soul. "I thought he was going to hurt me."

The Goblin King tsked, then shook his head. Carefully, he wrapped his arms around you in an embrace. Unlike when Harry had made you feel so trapped, the Goblin King was making you feel safe. You flustered at the feeling, and tried your hardest to push aside your wild thoughts.

"Nobody shall ever hurt you again, my dear," the Goblin King declared, a sincerity in his voice. You listened to the way his heart beat so steadily. "That pathetic excuse for a human will be an insignificant fragment of your past at the end of these 13 hours."

You nodded into his chest, feeling reassured and validated by your emotions.

"For now, my dear, you should rest. These 13 hours have been quite exhausting, I should imagine?" The Goblin King suggested, his breath tickling your ear. You shuddered in his arms, a pleasant sensation gathering in your stomach.

"I'd like that," you muttered, loud enough for the King to hear.

The Goblin King grinned.

"Then rest you shall."