Darnak: Decent fellow. Healed Jig’s wounds. Still, he hadn’t stopped either of the humans from trying to kill Jig. He had refused to kill Riana after she triggered the Necromancer’s trap, but he hadn’t tried to stop Barius from doing so. In the end, he was still the prince’s man. Jig felt a twinge of guilt about Darnak. But, Darnak hadn’t put his neck on the line when Ryslind betrayed Jig, so why should Jig risk himself for Darnak?

Riana: Dragged into this mess against her will, the same as Jig. Offered him the chance to escape, back in the beginning. He frowned. The others could stay here and die, but his conscience nagged him when he thought about leaving Riana behind. Sure, she hadn’t been terribly nice to him all the time, but she had at least begun to treat him like an equal. Besides, Jig owed her something for that finger.

Still, she was one elf. Was she really worth risking his life for?

Shadowstar’s voice whispered to him. I expect better from you.

“A lot of good it will do if I’m dead,” Jig muttered. He glanced around. Ryslind was still toying with Barius. Darnak had turned his pleas from Ryslind to the dragon, who eyed the dwarf much as a tunnel cat might contemplate a plump mouse. Riana stood with her hands on her hips, watching Jig impatiently.

“Oh, hell.” He pushed himself up and grabbed the javelin. If you want me to try this noble stuff, you’d better help me out. The god didn’t answer. Jig shrugged. If this didn’t work, he would have ample opportunity to complain in just a few minutes.

As he pulled back to throw, his movement attracted Ryslind’s attention. The wizard opened his mouth to shout a warning. He needn’t have bothered. His link to Straum carried the message faster than words.

Jig thought he could feel another hand over his own as he threw, one which guided his aim down and to the left. The javelin became a silver line, tracing a path from his hand to Straum’s enormous eye.

Straum blinked.

The point hit the scaled eyelid and lodged there, quivering, as Straum snarled in fury.

Ryslind pointed at Jig and clenched a fist. Invisible fingers clamped around Jig’s body, so tight he couldn’t breathe.

“Wait.” Straum’s voice held no trace of pain, even with a javelin pinning his eye closed. “Hold him. I want to see this brave goblin who somehow survived my attack. I want to see how long his courage lasts.” To the motionless dragonchild, he said, “Help me.”