“And then?”
His forehead wrinkled as he frowned. “I heard something.”
We were getting somewhere.
“Do you remember what that was?”
He touched his ear. “It was something I’d heard before. Or maybe not.”
Ok, that was a little less helpful.
“The dark.” He latched on to my arm, dragging me closer. “It had eyes. Many, many eyes.”
“Do you know who did this?” I asked again. I didn’t know what to do with the dark having many eyes. Was that a metaphor for something? Was there more than one attacker?
His eyes shifted back and forth. They landed on me, terror building in their depths.
“I must go,” he moaned.
“Go? Go where?”
“I must go. He will be displeased.”
He started patting his head and rocking back and forth.
“Who will be displeased?” He moaned louder and started hitting himself harder. “Rick? Who will be displeased?”
“Now. I must go now. The dark will come back. The eyes will come back.”
“What eyes? Who? Give me something, Rick.
He threw his head back and wailed.
“He will devour me.” He came to his feet, baring razor sharp teeth. His eyes filled with madness and rage.
He was seriously freaking me out. I’d never associated the little hobgoblin with something dangerous before, but right now he had the look of a cornered animal ready to tear apart the predator threatening it. Somehow I had the feeling I was supposed to be that predator.
He leapt, sharp claws catching my jacket as I rolled to the side. He landed on a box in the corner.
I watched him for any sign of movement as I backed towards the only door in the room. If I could make it there, I could lock him in and get Dahlia. She had more of a history with him. Maybe she could talk some of the crazy out of him.
“Rick, I think it would be best if you stayed here.”
“He calls. I must go,” he seethed, his face twisting with fear and madness.
I took another step toward the door. How fast was a hobgoblin? I was fast, but was I fast enough? His display earlier didn’t give me a lot of confidence.
“We can figure this out together.”
“Lies. There is no safety, no light. Only him and darkness and death. He comes and the world will tremble before him.” His voice rose to ear splitting levels.
He crouched. I turned and fled, leaping for the door. It slammed shut behind me. A thump hit it and then a voice rose in rage.
“So it is as I thought,” Dahlia said from where she’d pulled the door shut.
I leaned against the wall and gave her an exasperated look.
“Thanks for the assist. Too bad you didn’t come in earlier.”
