Blind Eye

  Maxwell was taken to the healer’s chambers to rest while the king decided what there next course of action would be.

  The news of Buros’s death had spread all throughout Dulciena. Rumors of a witch commanding the goblins to attack had run rampant. Some people even took up arms to defend their homes and families.

  If the king was trying to prevent news of the goblin attacks from spreading before, he was now regretting that decision.

  Subjects from all corners of the kingdom were questioning why they hadn’t heard about the goblin attacks? Others sent word to friends and family living in other kingdoms to warn them and in some cases, ask for shelter so that they might flee Dulciena.

  Everything was going exactly as Maxwell had planned. He’d brought the king’s story to life. He’d done battle and lost one of his oldest friends to the vile creatures that had been terrorizing the kingdom.

  Now all he needed was to sit and wait. He had years of practice. The cell may have been his prison but it did teach him the value of patience.

  “How are you feeling today?”

  A short girl with glasses had pulled up a chair and sat down at his bedside. Her hair was a mess and she looked as if she’d just rolled out of bed.

  “Excuse me, but aren’t you the girl from the other day? You’re a member of royal family aren’t you?”

  “That’s right, King Midas is my cousin. My name is Pamela Lagore, and I’m also the royal healer.”

  “So you’re the one I should be thanking for saving my life.”

  “You should really be thanking your cute little friend, she’s the one who requested my help.”

  “I should really be thanking myself considering I planned for her to request your help” thought Maxwell.

  “She’s a good friend, I’m lucky to have her by my side.”

  “Glad you feel that way.”

  Maxwell looked down to see the same albino cat he’d first met in the forest.

  “Anyone ever teach you it’s not polite to eavesdrop?”

  Rei changed back to her human form. “You mind giving us some privacy, Pam?”

  Pamela nodded before leaving Maxwell and Rei alone in her chambers.

  “How long have you two known each other?”

  “You mean Pamela? I met her the same time as you did.”

  “And you’re already calling her Pam?”

  “I’m sorry Maxwell.”

  “Sorry for what? I don’t care what you call her.”

  Rei punched his arm. 

  “Ow! what was that for?”

  “I was talking about what happened to you and Buros. I should have been there. Maybe if I had, Buros wouldn’t have…”

  “Don’t think that way. Buros was the hero of Dulciena, he died defending his kingdom. No hero could ask for a better death than that.”

  “I know, I know but I just feel so guilty. I didn’t trust him. I didn’t believe in the goblins.”

  “Neither did I, they were just as the king had described. Stronger than anything I’ve ever seen.”

  “How many were there?”

  “I don’t remember. They came at us so fast.”

  “You said you’re not from this world, no offense but how do you know they were goblins and not some other creature?”

  “I was thinking the same thing when I first saw them but it was Buros himself who told me what they were.”

  “I guess that settles it then. We have to make them pay for Buros and all the other lives they’ve taken.”

  “That we can agree on.”

  “So what’s our next move?”

  “I think it’s best we pay a visit to Elizabeth.”

  “You don’t seriously believe she’s a witch do you?”

  “No, but it’s our only lead on where these things came from. Worst case she can help us find their nest.”

  “King Midas will love that, the whole kingdom’s gone to hell.”

  “They’re just scared. Buros was their hero. If someone like him can be killed in the streets, what’s stopping it from happening to them?”

  “Except it was already happening to them, you saw the bodies when we first got here. These attacks have been going on way before Buros’s death.”

  “It was happening to the less fortunate. The kind of people who could be seen as the filth of the kingdom.”

  “How could you say that?! Those people had just as much of a right to live as anyone else. They are all subjects of Dulciena.”

  “I agree, but clearly no one else sees it that way. If they had they would already raised hell after the very first drop of blood was spilled. Instead they ignored the bloodshed.”

  “You don’t know that. Buros said the goblins never made it to the capital.”

  “You think this kingdom is so big that they wouldn’t have heard something? You think they wouldn’t notice the undertakers and their mountains of corpses? No, they noticed everything and chose to do nothing.”

  Rei was speechless, she left the healer’s chambers without saying another word.

  Maxwell returned to waiting. “Shouldn’t be too long now” he thought.

  Whatever had been attacking Dulciena before he’d arrived was of no concern to Maxwell. It was merely a convenient scapegoat.

  If the king was going to use the story of goblins to mask his own wicked deeds then why couldn’t he do the same?

  The doors to the healer’s chambers flew open as King Midas marched inside. “Maximus, we must discuss our next course of action at once!”

  “Your majesty, I’ve been expecting you.”