When they reached the goblin encampment, they stopped cold. Its destruction was nearly total. Of the dozen crude shelters, only two remained upright, one leaning dangerously, ready to collapse at any moment. Goblin corpses lay strewn across the ground, their bodies mangled in ways that matched the grim trail they'd followed.

  In the center of the devastation sat a single goblin, wrists and ankles bound. She watched them approach, uncertainty flickering behind her forced smile. She raised her bound wrists, clearly hoping to be freed.

  “Hello,” she said, voice shaking despite her attempt at confidence.

  Will, Maya, and Jack advanced cautiously, scanning the ruins and tree line. This could easily be a trap.

  “Don’t worry—it’s gone. I'm the only one left,” she assured them, though her voice trembled.

  “What’s gone?” Will asked sharply. “Which way did it go?”

  “I...I didn’t see,” she admitted. “I was tied up and hid in a tent until everything quieted. But it smelled foul, like a Hill Troll. It headed west, toward those hills.”

  Will glanced at Maya, whose skeptical expression mirrored his own.

  “Wait,” Jack interjected, squinting thoughtfully. “Do I know you?”

  She offered a hesitant smile. “We haven’t formally met. I’m Rahna—I was a bridesmaid at your wedding.”

  Will and Maya exchanged confused looks.

  Jack’s eyes widened. “Oh, the goblin bridesmaid.”

  She brightened slightly. “Yes! Red dress, black buttons. You complimented my dress. Well, someone did—I'm pretty sure it was you.”

  Jack frowned, trying to recall. “Right...I’m Jack. Have you seen my wife? Or a wolf—large, black, yellow eyes?”

  Rahna shook her head. “Sorry, I haven’t seen her. No wolves either.”

  Will cleared his throat, drawing Jack’s attention. “Care to fill us in?”

  Jack sighed. “Right. Kleo and I ran into this Dark Witch—she kissed me, Kleo got mad, and then the witch tried to marry me. Rahna here was the bridesmaid.”

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Oh,” Maya said flatly.

  Will shook his head. “That didn’t help—but fine. I'm cutting her loose.”

  As Will freed Rahna from her bindings, Maya examined the ground closely.

  “Why were you tied up?” Will asked.

  “A minor clan lord held me captive to trade up with Volgar the Spider. That's him over there—the one without testicles.”

  Will winced. “Ouch.”

  “Yeah… that’s not the worst part.”

  “I don’t need to know.”

  Maya returned, showing concern. “It's consistent with what we saw on the trail. Brutal, efficient. No human footprints, no wolf tracks. I don't think Kleo or Bitter were here. And whatever did this, it's no Hill Troll.”

  Jack started to protest, but Will held up a hand, his gaze fixed on the woods. "No need to worry, Jack. They're right here."

  They turned to see Kleo emerging from the trees, Bitter padding at her side.

  "Jack!" she called, running to him and embracing him tightly. "Thank the goddess, you're all right. I couldn't sleep, so Bitter and I went for a walk, and when we returned, you were gone. We found the trail of carnage and started tracking you."

  Jack hugged her tightly. "I thought a Hill Troll had taken you. We've been following dead goblins for an hour."

  "Same," Kleo replied dryly, then turned her gaze to Rahna. "Who's this?"

  “Oh—Rahna, the goblin bridesmaid from the wedding. Strange coincidence.”

  Kleo smiled warmly. “I thought you looked familiar. I liked your dress. And what have you done with your hair? It looks fantastic!”

  Rahna brightened genuinely this time. “Oh...thanks. I get a lot of compliments on that dress.”

  Kleo scanned the ruined camp again, her eyes narrowing. “Hill Troll?”

  Jack shrugged. “Maya doesn't think so, but now that I know you’re safe, I don’t care what it was.”

  Kleo turned back to Rahna. "I just remembered—when I searched the fortress, I found a pendant that might be yours. It's back at our camp. You're welcome to come back with us and take a look."

  Rahna feigned surprise, her ‘acting’ a bit over the top.

  "Really? I did lose a pendant. My mother gave it to me. It's irreplaceable. I would love to have it back if it's the same one."

  "All right. We'll walk with Bitter. So he can get to know you."

  As they stepped ahead, Kleo produced the pendant from a pocket and slipped it to the goblin.

  “Look familiar?” she whispered.

  The goblin held it close to her face, then her chest. She wanted to say thank you, but the return of the pendant and everything it meant to her caused her to well up. She stared ahead, trying to hold it in. Goblins don’t cry. She nodded her head, jaw quivering.

  Jack caught up with them, sensing something was amiss.

  “Everything ok?”

  Kleo smiled at him. “Everything’s perfect. It’s been a long night. I just need you to get me back to bed—so I can sleep.”

  Jack yawned. “Yep. That I can do.”

  Will and Maya fell back, letting the others take the lead.

  Maya leaned close to Will. "Things are not what they seem with Kleo."

  Will grimaced. "I hadn’t noticed." It was sarcasm.

  "What about the wedding story?"

  "Seems plausible—that lich was pretty weird."

  “True. True.”

  She turned and caught Will's arm, ensuring Jack was well out of earshot before speaking.

  "She transformed."

  "That’s my read. Is she a were-creature?"

  "Worse—she’s a demon.”