“We’ll get him back,” I said quietly. “Don’t worry.”
She pulled away and looked at me, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Sometimes I forget how strong you are. Much stronger than your mother.”
I smiled faintly. “That’s because I’m twice your size.”
She managed a little laugh and hugged me again.
“All right, he’s waiting downstairs,” she said, climbing off the bed. “Promise me you’ll stay inside.”
“We’ll be safe,” I said, not wanting to break a promise when I wasn’t sure I was going to see her again. The thought brought fresh tears to my eyes, but I held them in check. She was right. I needed to be strong. “I’m going to pack my bag.”
When I had stuffed a change of clothes into a duffle bag, I went downstairs and saw Uncle Laine waiting with Stache by the front door. I noticed that Laine was standing a little bit away from my dad and not really looking at him. He obviously felt guilty and probably wanted to explain to my parents what had happened to their son. I knew the feeling.
Stache gave me a hug. “You’re sure you don’t want to stay here?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Uncle Laine is right. I could use a change of scenery. Everything here just makes me think of Tom.”
He nodded. “All right, Laurabell. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
I hugged them both again and followed my uncle outside to his beaten-down truck. Climbing up into the passenger seat, I waved goodbye as we pulled out of the driveway and then roughly wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. I’d done enough crying. It was time to be the Monster Crusher.
“Are you ready?” Laine asked softly, looking out the window at the setting sun.
“Yeah,” I said. “Did you find the monster’s tunnel?”
He nodded. “It wasn’t too hard, really. Saw goblins waiting before I got within fifteen metres of it. They didn’t spot me, so they won’t expect us.”
“Where are we meeting the others?”
“They’re going to meet us at the side of the road, directly north of where we’re going. We’ll just walk in a straight line south.” He looked over at me, and his big brown eyes softened. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“Telling you guys to move here. I put you in this situation. I never thought any of this would happen. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”
“It’s not your fault,” I said. “I made the choice to open the panel. I made the choice to keep coming back. I wanted to be something special.”
“And you are,” he replied. “I’m very proud of you.”
“What about Sandy and the kids?” I asked. “Do they know what’s going on?”
Laine shook his head. “I sent them to your grandma’s on Friday. Didn’t want them around, no matter what happens in Riverfield tonight. Sandy was a bit confused, but I told her I was just worried about these kidnappers and wanted them to stay out of town. It’s for the best.”
“I wish I’d sent Tom out of town too,” I murmured.
We drove in silence the rest of the way. A few minutes later Laine pulled onto a small side street at the south edge of town, right by the woods. The sun was already falling below the trees, and the first shadows stretched out over the truck, welcoming us to the forest. Laine grabbed two hooded cloaks from the back of his truck, along with a huge broadsword and a knife. He also handed me the worn leather hauberk.
“Put this on,” he said. “There will be plenty more claws and teeth where we’re going.”
I stepped out of the truck and slid it on. I had just wrapped the cloak over my shoulders when Eldon and the others appeared in the shadows. Laren stepped forward and handled me the bundled Iron Hammer, as well as the small silver knife and leather sheath to tie to my ankle again.
“I had to leave a few Swords to guard Raven’s End,” Eldon said. “Just in case. But that means there are only six of us. We will have to move quickly and quietly.”
I strapped the sheath to my left ankle, pulling it tight and then tucking it under my jeans. Then I unwrapped the hammer and propped it up on my shoulder. I didn’t need the sheath. This time I was keeping the hammer ready.
“Stay close,” Eldon said. “We don’t want to be seen before we get there.”
We set off into the woods, Laine and I joining Eldon at the front, while Allison, Steven, and Laren took up the rear guard. We walked for about ten minutes, trying to move as silently as possible through the ever-darkening woods.
Finally Laine slowed down. “It’s close.”
We slowly moved forward, watching for shapes in the darkness.
I followed Uncle Laine, sticking close behind him. As we walked, I noticed that he was wearing the same cloak he’d had on last night when Tom was taken. The rips and tears were still visible. He was lucky they didn’t go any deeper—there was no blood surrounding the tears. The goblins’ swords must have just missed piercing his skin.
“There,” Uncle Laine said, pointing ahead.
We all froze, and through the darkness, I saw two wiry shapes standing in the shadows. Despite the gloom, I could see just a bit of light reflecting off their swords.
Goblins.
Eldon nodded at Allison, and she stepped up beside him, drawing her bow. He did the same, moving with a deadly silence that almost made me shudder. The two of them were killers through and through. Maybe we had a chance after all.
“Now,” Eldon whispered.
Two arrows sailed through the night like bats, and both found their mark. The goblins toppled to the ground, arrows in their hearts. Eldon nodded. “The monsters don’t know we’ve found their main tunnel, so they’ll be assuming we’re coming through our own. But we should prepare for a trap regardless. Laura, you go in last. Laine, stay with her until she’s through, just in case there are goblins nearby
