The goblin saw Chandra approaching them and froze. It turned its head and saw its companion lying prone on the ground.
The goblin gave a shrill little cry-then turned and fled.
“Stay back!” Gideon ordered as Chandra dashed across the ground.
“It’s getting away!”
“Get down!” Gideon raised an arm to make wide, rapid circles over his head.
Chandra saw something glint brightly in the moonlight as it spun over Gideon’s head, making a menacing whooshing sound. She realized it was that daggertail of his, unfurled and swirling above them with deadly speed.
Remembering that the thing had three very long, sharp blades, Chandra threw herself to the ground and covered her head. Without his magic guiding the weapon’s steely tendrils, who knew whether Gideon’s aim was any good.
She heard the whooshing sound change to a long steel sigh as Gideon unleashed the whip. She peeked between her fingers and saw that he had released the entire weapon, letting it sail through the dark night, handle and all. The goblin was speedy and had already covered some distance, but it couldn’t outrun the flying weapon.
As Chandra rose to her knees, gaze fixed intently on the fleeing goblin, Gideon set off at a run. Chandra saw something glint briefly in the moonlight, then she saw the goblin fall down. She rose to her feet and ran after him, too.
When she reached Gideon’s side, the goblin was lying on the ground, grunting and snarling as it struggled in the sharp tangle of flexible blades that were constraining its short legs.
“I shouldn’t have doubted your aim,” Chandra said to Gideon, breathing hard from her exertions.
“Lucky shot,” Gideon said. “To be honest, I could scarcely see him.”
“Chandra!” the goblin said in a familiar-sounding voice. “Don’t kill!”
She sighed. “Hello, Jurl. We meet again.”
Gideon seized the handle of the whip and jerked it sharply. Jurl’s eyes bulged and he made a horrible groaning sound from the pain inflicted on his trapped limbs.
Chandra asked Gideon, “How did you know they were watching us?”
“The one that attacked you was casting a shadow on the stone wall near you. I realized it when he moved.”
She hadn’t seen the realization dawn on Gideon’s face. She should remember that he was good at hiding things.
Gideon gave Jurl a light tap with his foot. “But I didn’t know there was one behind me, too. They move quietly, don’t they?”
“Don’t kick!” Jurl said.
“Explain why you just attacked us,” Gideon said to the goblin.”
“Chandra go away soon.”
Gideon glanced at Chandra, then said, “You attacked her because she was leaving?”
“Because no time.”
“I think he means,” Chandra said, “he attacked now because I had told him I was leaving very soon.”
“Yes!” Jurl was apparently pleased with her interpretation. “No time.”
“Why attack her at all?” Gideon asked the goblin.
“Take to Prince Velrav.”
“What?” Chandra scowled. “You were going to turn me over to Velrav? To feed the hunger?”
“Yes.”
“Now I see why you were so helpful, Jurl. You wanted me for yourself.”
“Yes,” Jurl confirmed.
“To think I was beginning to like you,” she muttered.
“So you’re one of Velrav’s takers?” Gideon asked Jurl.
“Yes.”
“I see,” Gideon said. “Why?”
“Take gift to Velrav. Velrav give something.”
“Ah. And if you took a beautiful fire mage to Velrav,” Gideon said, “you’d get something good, wouldn’t you?”
“Yes.” Jurl looked as crestfallen as a writhing, captive goblin could look. “But not now.” He looked at Gideon and added, “Don’t kill.”
“Why not?” Gideon gave the handle of his weapon another sharp tug.
Jurl gasped. “Give me life. I give you.”
“Give us what?”
“Tell me what,” Jurl said. “I get.” “What I want,” Gideon said, “is someone who can answer all my questions.”
“Questions?” Jurl repeated.
“My questions about Velrav. About Diraden. About why morning never comes.”
Jurl thought it over, then suggested, “Wise woman?”
“Yes,” Gideon agreed. “I want to speak to a wise woman.”
“Village wise woman,” Jurl said eagerly. “Know things.”
“How far?” Gideon asked
“Not far. I bring you.”
Gideon said to the goblin, “I’m going to remove the sural from your legs.”
“What?”
“The weapon.”
“Good!”
“And then I’m going to use it to tie your hands behind your back.”
“Bad”
“If you resist or try to get away while I’m doing this,” Gideon said, “I will catch you again, but I won’t be nice.”
“You could end up like your friend, Jurl. You don’t want that, do you?” Chandra prodded.
“Not friend,” Jurl said dismissively.
“Then why did you bring him along?” she asked. “Wouldn’t you have to share with him whatever Velrav gave you?”
“Need help now,” Jurl said. “Kill later.”
“No honor among goblins,” Chandra muttered.
“I guess the prospect of attacking a woman alone was too daunting,” Gideon said dryly.
“Intimidated by my beauty, no doubt,” she said, recalling Gideon’s earlier comment.
“Maybe so.” There was no mockery in his voice. He was looking down at the goblin as he began untangling his weapon from its legs. His expression was hidden in shadows. Chandra stared at him in bemusement. Until he said, “Hold the rock where he can see it.”
Gideon finished removing the sural from Jurl’s legs. “Roll over.”
Jurl said, “Don’t tie hands.”
“Roll over,” Chandra said, “or you’ll die right now, exactly the way your friend died.”
“Not frien-”
“Shut up and do as you’re told,” she snapped.
With blatant reluctance, Jurl rolled over and allowed Gideon to seize his arms and start binding his hands together with the flexible blades of the sural.
When the goblin cried out in pain and protested, Gideon advised him to stop resisting. “This will hurt less if you cooperate.”
When Gideon was satisfied that the restraint was secure enough, he rose to his feet, holding the handle of the sural. The lengths of steel that stretched between the handle and the goblin’s bound wrists served as a sort of leash.
