Wolfhand didn’t mince words when he brought her into the cottage. He led her to the second floor where the hooded stranger waited at a table.

  “Take the cloak off,” he ordered her. The hood hesitated, then pulled it back.

  Ratface found herself looking at an elf. She was old but not so old that time had started touching her properly. Ratface hadn’t seen that many elves but she’d seen enough to know that the older ones gave off a vibe. Usually they wafted with power, forcing goblins to their knees. Yet this woman didn’t give off any power. She had blonde hair and a rounder face than most elves Ratface had seen. She didn’t dress like an elf either, more like a villager.

  She turned to Wolfhand.

  “Hypocrite,” she said. That he’d got so shifty about her own elf seemed ridiculous. The wolf stalked around her to stand next to the elf.

  “This one’s different,” he said.

  “This one can speak for herself,” said the elf. She shot him a wry look and he gave her a small smile back. Interesting. That was more affection than she’d expect between a goblin and an elf.

  “I heard you mention the last spell?” the elf asked Ratface. Ratface crossed her arms. They hadn’t even offered her a seat.

  “I don’t talk to strangers,” she said. She expected the elf to lose their temper at her, but they surprised her by bowing her head in recognition.

  “You may call me Vin. Now about the spell?”

  “I have heard of it.”

  “And the other goblin spell?”

  “I was there,” said Ratface. Vin looked at her with interest. Her eyes glowed faintly as she did so.

  “I think you were a little more than there,” she whispered, “not many elves are as blessed as I am so they can’t see what has changed, but I see a goblin remade.”

  Wolfhand stood in front of Vin protectively. Ratface didn’t know why until she realised she was clutching at her knife. She eased her hand off of it. Even if she was to attack, she had no doubt the old goblin would win.

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  “I do not mean to harm you Ratface. I am not some elf working to capture you, though there are many, I’m here on my own quest. Tell me, how did the magic change you?”

  “Who’s to say it changed me at all? Why should I tell you about me?”

  “Because if you help me, I can send you to one of your villages.”

  Ratface sunk into the seat in front of her. A small twitch of Vin’s face was the only indication she knew she’d won.

  “I can see magic.”

  The room went still at the revelation. Ratface frowned. She should have been more secretive but the temptation of finding one of her village children was too tempting. The elf clapped in surprise at that.

  “But that’s perfect. Do you know why we’re here?”

  Ratface hummed at that. Her initial assumption was that they were preparing to raid the local town, but the fact that there was an elf changed things.

  “You’re here for something in Halvin’s rest,” said Ratface.

  “I’m here to finally put him to rest,” said Vin.

  Ratface thought back to the Empty that she’d attacked. She’d hit it in the head, and it had just gotten back up. She doubted that this place’s champion would be any easier to be brought down.

  “How?”

  “His prayer is still being heard. Until that ceases, he’ll continue to rise.”

  So, there was something keeping him here, but what would it be? To hold in this broken place, it’d either have to be big or at least sturdy. Kept defended.

  “The grave in the centre of the town,” said Ratface.

  “No grave but altar. It would have hurt me to disarm it, and the goblins wouldn’t be able to see what they were doing. Yet you, you are the best of both of us,” said Vin. She held out her hand to Ratface. “Help me, and I’ll tell you where one of your lost children is.”

  It’s not like she really had a choice. Ratface took her hand.

  After that, things moved quickly. The goblins moved out as one, jumping from rooftop to rooftop as they got closer to the centre. They were quick and in a moment they were surrounding the place. Noise was cut off from around them and the ground itself seemed untethered from the earth. Ratface was interested to see that the altar was also part of a graveyard. Whatever was worshiped here was something tied to the dead. The Empty surrounded the place. They didn’t see the goblins on the roof, in fact they seemed asleep. Ratface bet if they were to touch the dark surround the place that’d change. Halvin didn’t seem to be here but there was still more empty than they could deal with.

  “We can’t fight through that,” whispered Ratface to Wolfhand. The other goblin grinned.

  “Wait for the distraction.”

  She didn’t have to wait long. A part of the sky erupted in light towards the edge of the town. The place Ratface had watched the adventurer run to.

  The Empty woke up at the light and hissed. As one they rushed towards the sound of the light. Ratface watched it all chilled.

  “You brought the adventurers here as bait,” she said.

  “I did, it was the only way,” said Vin.

  “My friends are there.”

  Wolfpaw patted her on the shoulder.

  “Then hurry, little rat, before you’re out of time.”

  Ratface was moving off the roof before he even finished.