She wiped her nose and eyes. “I’ve picked a lock or two in my time. They thought that might be useful. They wanted me to look for traps as well, but I’ve no more chance of spotting a trap than you would. Barius is furious that I didn’t warn him about the hobgoblins’ pit. They think that because I’m a thief, I’m a good hand at traps and knives and sneaking around in the darkness. Maybe some thieves do all of that, but I just cut purses and break into the occasional inn room. And it’s a rare merchant who plants a trap on his purse.”

Darnak’s steady snores broke suddenly as the dwarf rolled over. He mumbled, “Earthmaker take you all, villains,” kicked his leg twice, and began to snore again.

“Go,” Riana said. “You saved my life. I owe you. And it will be good to thwart them in this one small thing.”

Jig wondered if he was still dreaming. Before tonight, Riana had spoken only a handful of words. He understood how those elves in her homeland might have assumed something was wrong with her. He had begun to think the same thing. Could that quiet, withdrawn, angry girl be the same Riana who sat here telling him about her past and offering him his freedom all in the same sitting?

Freedom. The word had a bittersweet taste as he thought about what his freedom could mean. Only hours before, he had wanted nothing but to return to his lair. Riana had handed him his chance. All he had to do was take it. Grab Smudge and run. His bare feet would make no noise to wake the others, and if he was careful, he could probably make it past the hobgoblins.

He could go home. But to what end? To live as a coward among cowards? To watch his people die time and again, and for nothing?

Worse, one goblin from Porak’s patrol had escaped. If he made it back to the lair, he would have spread the tale of Jig’s cowardice. He might even have blamed Jig for Porak’s death. If so, they would kill him as soon as he returned to goblin territory. Because killing Porak made Jig a goblin to be reckoned with. Others would want to prove themselves by killing Jig, preferably as painfully as they could.

A hollowness came over him as he realized he had no place to return to. His home was no longer safe. He was as lost as Riana.

“I can’t go back,” he whispered, more to himself than to the elf.

“You can.” She looked about frantically. “They only let me stand watch because elves need less sleep than dwarves or humans, and they were exhausted from all the fighting. You won’t have another chance to get away.”

Jig shook his head.