Chapter 1

I was already awake before my eyes opened.

Four presences. I knew them by the weight of their steps, the spacing between each footfall. I looked up. Back then I would always look, it was as if knowing which ones had come this time would make it hurt a little less.

But it never did.

I backed up to where the cave walls pressed in on all sides then curled up small and waited. That was the only move I had: make yourself small, take it, wait for them to finish.

The first hit landed on my head. Claws scraped across my back. Teeth pierced my skin. I squeezed my eyes shut and let their fists and feet pound into me, listening to their breath grow louder and faster. Then it stopped.

Was it over? I strained my ears to see if they have left. When I finally opened my eyes, they weren't looking at me anymore, they were sniffing the air. Then I smelled it too. Food. My mouth started to water. My stomach let out a loud, traitorous growl. One of them heard it and looked down. Our eyes met. He smiled a wicked sinister grin and kicked me square in the nose. My head flew backward and warm liquid ran down my face. I curled back up and held still, terrified the beating would start again.

Their footsteps moved away. I counted what had to be about twenty breaths before I dared move.

Everything ached as I pulled myself upright. Across the cave, a group of green bodies shoved and clawed at each other around the food. My stomach growled again. I stumbled forward and tried to push in, but was immediately shoved back out. I tried again. The goblin in front of me turned and raked his claws across my face. I fell back screaming, holding my face and rolling side to side on the ground. The pain began to dull and I felt something break change inside me. I stopped screaming. My eyes went dull. I pulled back and sat up, watching as my peers clawed and pushed each other for the day's meal. I no longer felt hungry. I no longer felt anything.

I had the same green skin. Same pointed ears, claws, and teeth—and yet I was so much weaker than all of them. I'd always known that weakness was why they punished me. Here, only the strong survived. But what what I supposed to do? I was weak.