Goblins in the Castle by Bruce Coville

Author:Bruce Coville
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“THIS WAY TO NILBOG”

“What was that ?” asked a familiar voice.

“Fauna!” I cried, turning around. “What did you do that for?”

“Do what for?” she asked, sounding hurt, and a little angry.

“Scare him away!”

“I didn’t do anything to scare anyone. I walked up, and that thing shouted and ran off. What was it? And don’t forget to apologize for yelling at me for nothing.”

I didn’t want to apologize. But Fauna was right; she hadn’t done anything wrong. “Sorry,” I muttered.

“Have you got something caught in your throat?”

“I’m sorry !” I shouted, wondering if all girls were this difficult to deal with.

“You’re forgiven. Now what was that thing?”

“A goblin,” I replied, enjoying the look of shock the word created on her face.

“The goblins are gone,” she said. “They’ve been gone for over a hundred years!”

“Well, they’re back now.”

“How could that be?” she asked, her hand dropping to the knife she wore at her side.

Despite what Granny Pinchbottom had told me, how the goblins had returned wasn’t something I particularly wanted to discuss. Actually, I didn’t want to discuss anything. I just wanted to get rid of Fauna so I could get on with my mission.

“It doesn’t matter how it happened. What matters is what happens next. If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a job to do.”

“I’ll help.”

“How can you say that? You don’t even know what I’m going to do.”

“It has to do with the goblins, doesn’t it?”

“Well, yes.”

“Then I’ll help. I don’t want them around here again.”

I started to say that I didn’t want help. But that wasn’t true. I needed all the help I could get. I just didn’t like having it shoved down my throat.

“Look, I don’t think you understand about the goblins,” I said. “They’re not as bad as you think—at least, they didn’t used to be. There’s no telling what they’re like now.”

“What are you talking about?”

My answer was lost in a sizzle of lightning that was followed by a roll of thunder so loud it made both of us jump.

“I don’t have time to stand here and talk,” I said. “I have to go to Nilbog.”

Her look of surprise reminded me of the morning Hulda had accidentally swallowed a fly. “You’re going to Nilbog?” she whispered. “What for ?”

“My friend has been stolen by the goblins.”

“I thought you said they weren’t so bad.”

“I was just telling you what Granny Pinchbottom told me!” I said in exasperation. “Listen, I have to get moving. It’s going to rain soon, and I don’t want to be standing here when it happens.” (Though I thought it would be fun to stand in the rain sometime; I had never done it before.)

“Well, let’s go,” she said, taking a deep breath and pushing her hair back over her shoulders.

“Didn’t you hear me? I’m going to Nilbog!”

“Didn’t you hear me? I’m coming with you.”

“Don’t you have to go home or something? Won’t your parents be upset?”

Her laugh was like falling water. “I don’t have any parents. I live alone.”

I thought about trying to outrun her. I didn’t think I could manage it while trying to read a map.

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