Page 13 of Wicked Little Tricks

Braxton always said I was too softhearted for my own good.

Keeping to the trees, I darted between the massive trunks toward the goblin. As I neared him, his tether twisted in the breeze, spinning him around in my direction. His round eyes flew even wider, and he let out a little squeak.

I lifted a finger to my lips, warning him to be quiet. I took my pocket knife out of my coat and observed the leather strap holding him. It was stiff with age, andthick. I tested my blade against it, and it didn’t even leave a nick. So it was thick, old, and possibly enchanted. I wasn’t going to be able to cut it. At least the knots had been made by much bigger fingers than mine. I started undoing them, pulling the end of the stiff leather cord out through each one.

I was so absorbed in my work that I got startled when a loudthunksounded nearby. I looked up to see one of the trolls emerging from the doorway. He had slammed his hand back against the wooden siding, his murderous, bloodshot eyes on me.

I pulled the final knot free, and the little goblin fell into my arms.

“Run!” he squeaked.

He didn’t have to tell me twice. I dartedoff in the other direction, followed by the stampede of heavy bare troll feet slapping through the mud.

I clutched the trembling goblin against my chest, lowered my head, and ran as fast as I could, trying to avoid the smaller branches threatening to slice open my cheeks.

“To your left!” the goblin in my arms rasped.

Having no better options, I obeyed.

“Down that narrow path!”

The trolls thundered after us, snapping smaller trees that got in their way as they followed me down the narrow path. I dared a glance back, but the foliage was too thick. I could only see leaves shaking higher up in the trees not far enough back.

We reached a small pond, and I searched for another direction to go.

“Into the water!”

The nearing stampede gave me no choice to argue. I splashed into the water, diving below the surface just as the ground started trembling around us. The little goblin pulled free from my arms and swam away.

I looked up through the shining water above as I sunk deeper. Great, just great. The trolls might not be smart enough to figure out where I went, but I also couldn’t breathe. I was just about to resign myself to my imminent fate in their cookpot when the little blue goblin swam in front of my face. He pointed upward, not toward the surface, but toward a large shadow on the water near the pond’s edge.

Keeping my movements minimal, I swam up toward it, realizing it was a massive lily pad. Following the goblin’s silent instructions, I poked my head up in the middle, just enough to get a little bit of air. The toes of my boots sunk into the mud below me. I was barely tall enough to stand and keep my nose above the water. My breath was ragged as I tried to steady myself and keep my movements from alerting the trolls to my presence.

The little goblin put his paws near my neck, pushing his face up near mine, gasping for breath.

I could feel him trembling again, but he had shown bravery in sticking with me and not just running off. He was certainly faster than I was, something I hadn’t thought of when I went to free him. He could have just taken off and left me to the trolls.

Tense moments passed by. I couldn’t hear anything beyond the lily pad. Either the trolls weren’t moving around, or they had passed us by. Either way, we both stayed quiet and as still as we could, long enough that the chilly water started to make my hands and feet go numb.

Finally, just when I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, the little goblin met my eyes in our dim cave beneath the lily pad and gave me a nod.

I nodded back, then lifted my hands to start peeling the lily pad off of us. I had just barely pushed on its slick, heavy surface when something wrapped around the collar of my coat. Before I knew it, I was being hauled out of the water, and the little goblin with me.

My mind raced. Trolls weren’t supposed to be this smart! I thrashed my legs, spinning my body enough in the unrelenting grip to see my captor. Not a troll, but a high goblin.

His skin was deep brown, and his hair as black as pitch, falling just to his shoulders. His features were square and strong, with a proud tilt to his nose. And he washuge, almost as large as a troll. He had to be at least 6’6” to easily hold me dangling with my feet just off the ground, my jacket bunching painfully beneath my armpits.

He lowered his dark brown eyes to my messenger bag, then back up to my face streaming with water. “Night runner?“

I nodded as much as I was able with the little goblin clinging around my neck.

His eyes flicked down to my bag again. “I do hope that’s waterproof.” He glanced at the admittedly fetid pond. “Andsmellproof. Who are you looking for?”

I could sense magic emanating from him. I had no idea who he was, but he was powerful. Definitely a high goblin. “I have a delivery for Mistral. Can you please put me down?”

He lifted a thick brow, making no move to release me. “Mistral? I should throw you in the dungeon.” He started walking us away from the pond.

“I can walk!“

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