CHAPTER#93

"Maybe, but no matter. Tink find husband anywhere. When first meet, Tink give special bite. Can always feel husband, no matter where. Good rats help Tink, chew hole in wall, bring husband back, then smash Fox Lady into rug." She smacked her club on the ground for emphasis. "Tink make brilliant plan."

"Really? Do you think you can find him in another world?"

Tink nodded sagely, then tapped her nose. "Goblin always have to know where husband go. Need to keep husband out of trouble."

Amazing. Beth didn't know if Tink was telling the truth, but she definitely seemed sure of herself. If she was right, then they could find Mike and bring him back, though she wasn't certain what good that would do. An enemy that could turn you to stone was a hard sell, and if not for her own problems, she was tempted to leave.

"Tink, I have another question for you." Beth knelt in front of the goblin. "This bite. Could you do it to anyone?"

She shrugged. "Maybe, but Tink don't know.. Goblin only give special bite for special reason."

"Amazing." The speck of an idea was forming, but she would need to talk to Reggie first and see if it was possible.

Asterion appeared in the opening, startling her enough that she let out a yelp. He chuckled, then motioned for them to exit the cave.

"She is no longer pursuing you," he said, guiding them away from the cave. "She has yet to come inside the Labyrinth."

"That's strange. I thought she was here to kill us or something."

"Maybe not." Reggie rubbed his chin, his whiskers shaking. His crown had gone missing during their escape, but he still had his toy glasses. "During her engagement with Abella, she seemed more interested in diplomacy."

"Really?" Now that was something she wished she had known earlier. "Did she say anything else?"

"Nothing I could hear. She summoned a snow storm and then fought the gargoyle quite brilliantly, I'm afraid." Reggie shivered, rubbing at his cheeks. "I hope my people are okay."

"We'll make sure of it, just you wait." She hoped it was a promise she could keep.

They eventually arrived in the center of the Labyrinth, and they entered the magical pagoda where Ratu lived. Inside, there was plenty of room for everybody to sit at a large table. Asterion excused himself to go set some alarms in case they were chased, and Beth sat down with Tink, Reggie and the other rats. Jenny was propped up on the table next to Carmina, but showed no evidence that she was even paying attention.

"So where do we go from here?" She felt like it was a great question to ask. "How much time is left on the sundial?"

"Maybe twelve hours," Reggie answered. "Though I don't know for sure. He spoke with me not too long before he left."

"Okay Tink, then problem one is that we need to get Mike back before the dial turns back. Do you think you can find him that fast?"

Tink shrugged. "All depend on rat. Rat hole take time, and Tink won't know until Tink look in right hole."

"I see." She turned back to Reggie. "How quick can you open a hole?"

"There are others hidden throughout the Labyrinth doing work for mistress Ratu. If we can round them up, then maybe an hour."

"Really, an hour?" That was far too long.

Reggie shrank. "If you want it big enough for a human to pass through, then yes."

"No need big hole. Tink just need hole big enough for seeing." The goblin held up her fingers in the shape of an O. "Tink take good look, know if husband there."

"How long would that take?"

Reggie mulled it over. "Maybe a few minutes. A hole that big can only be chewed open by one rat, so we could open many holes at once, but we have to be careful."

"Why?"

"If you open too many holes next to each other, the portals won't work properly and might accidentally open into each other, which can cause instability and eventually collapse the room we started in."

"Meaning?"

Reggie clapped his hands together dramatically. "Rat pancake."

"Okay, then we will exercise caution. Have your subjects rounded up and brought here."

He nodded, throwing a look at his subordinates. They gave little rat salutes and hopped down off their chairs, disappearing into the shadows of the pagoda. Beth could hear their tiny feet scratching on the stone as they left.

"So now we just need to open a bunch of random holes in reality and hope for the best." Beth rolled her eyes. Given enough time, their plan was guaranteed, but she had the distinct feeling that they were gonna need a healthy dose of luck as well. Even if they found Mike, they still had the woman upstairs to deal with.

No. She would face her problems one at a time. Focusing too much on the future would make her unable to deal with the present. Thinking of the demon latched to her soul, she knew she had to tell the others now. To put it off would put them in harm's way, and once their current issue was dealt with, there would be little time to figure out how to save her. And who knew, maybe they would have an answer for her.

"Hey Tink? Reggie? I have a problem." She told them the whole story, fighting back tears as the reality of her situation was allowed to fully sink in. When she was done, she was met with a stunned silence. Several moments passed them by before Tink hopped off her stool and threw her arms around Beth's waist.

"No worry. Husband fix this too."

Beth wiped a tear from her cheek.

"I certainly hope so," she replied.

-

When the centaurs came for him, they were pretty rough. Grabbing him by the arms, they lifted him just enough that his toes could barely touch the ground, so he hop-walked between them, casting a glance at the small lump of grass by the wall where Ratu was hiding.