“If it’s not big enough for goblins to get through, what are we going to do?” Cory asked Blue.
“I’m trying to figure that out,” Blue replied, eyeing the vines. He studied them for a few minutes, letting some goblins pass him.
Cory was watching three goblins back out of the woven vines to try other approaches when Blue said, “I’ve got it. Hold on!”
In four strides, he reached the vines. Grabbing hold with both hands, he pulled himself and Cory up the front of the intricate weave, then climbed hand over hand to the top. “Let’s see if this is as sturdy as it looks,” he said, and started to step up and down, side to side as he crossed the gap from one tied vine to the next.
Although the vines shook beneath their combined weight, Blue soon reached the other side. He was climbing down when the goblins who had been watching him started to follow his example. Before he’d even touched the ground, goblins were swarming past him.
“You are so clever!” Cory said as he held her legs and hiked her higher onto his back.
“Hey, we didn’t avoid the obstacle and you didn’t touch the ground. It’s all good!” Blue said as he started walking.
They were enjoying the shade of the forest when they saw an opening up ahead. A crowd of goblins were arguing on the path. As Blue and Cory drew nearer, they discovered that they had reached a deep gorge that was far too wide to jump. Long vines dangled from tree branches growing out over the ravine, and the goblins were using them to swing across.
The goblins weren’t taking turns. Pushing and shoving, they fought to get to the vines first. If they got too close to the edge, other goblins pushed them over. The couples fell, screaming. Perched on Blue’s back, Cory could see into the ravine. She was relieved that none of the goblins had been badly hurt and were scurrying around, trying to find a way out.
When one foolish goblin tried to push Blue, the half-ogre growled and pushed him back. The goblin flew a dozen feet and landed on his back, squashing his partner. All the air was knocked out of the female goblin. When she could catch her breath, she screamed at the male until he stood up again.
A spotter had been watching everything. Stomping over, he pointed at the female and said, “She touched the ground! You two are out!”
The female slapped her partner and jumped off his back. No one but Cory watched as they ambled down the path, holding hands. When she turned around, she saw a goblin fight his way to the front and grab a vine. Kicking another goblin in the face to push himself off, he swung over the ravine and landed on the other side. Instead of letting go of the vine right away, however, he held it while his partner rubbed something on it. When he finally let go, Cory thought the vine looked shiny. By the time the vine swung back, Blue was positioned to grab it.
“Not that one!” Cory cried. “That goblin just put something on it.”
Blue stepped back. Another goblin grabbed the vine and jumped, but it slipped through his hands, and he and his partner fell, shrieking.
“That other goblin must have greased it,” said Blue. He looked around for a moment while the goblins fought to grab the very same, slippery vine. Finally, he grunted and started walking toward a tree set a little apart from the others. Although the orange markings led all the way to the tree, they were scuffed and partially obscured with leaves.
“You’re very observant,” Cory told him.
“I’m training to be a FLEA officer,” said Blue. “I have to be observant.”
Cory glanced back. A number of goblins were watching to see what Blue would do. When he grabbed the vine hanging from the tree, they started to run over.
“I just hope this vine is strong enough to hold us,” Blue said, and jumped.
Cory thought the rush of air was exhilarating, then they were on the ground again and letting the vine swing back to the other side.
“That was easy,” Blue said.
“I know you’re doing all the hard work, but I don’t know how much longer I can hold on,” Cory told him as he walked.
Blue slipped his arms under her knees and boosted her up. “Put your weight on my arms,” he said. “I can hold you like this until we reach the next obstacle.”
“Thank you,” Cory told him, and sagged with relief.
Although there were still plenty of goblins with them on the course, Cory didn’t think there were as many as before. Even now she saw some who had dropped out and were sitting on the side of the path. Occasionally she saw spotters pulling couples off the course when the female touched the ground. However, she had yet to see Micah and Quince, or Delphinium and Wilburton at any of the obstacles. She doubted very much that her grandparents were even taking part.
“This next one should be interesting,” Blue said as they reached another group of goblins.
Cory glanced at the ground. The orange markings led straight to a big, hollow log lying on its side. Goblins were going in one couple at a time, with spotters squatting beside the log to watch their progress inside. Some of the goblins waiting to go in were pushing the log back and forth, making it roll so that the goblins inside would fall over. Cory counted four couples removed from the course on the other end of the log.
“You obviously can’t ride on my back,” Blue said. “So you’ll have to ride on my front.”
“What do you mean?” asked Cory.
“I’m going to have a tough time fitting in that log as it is. With you on my back, we’d never make it. But if you’re under me hanging on, we might stand a chance.”
“I’m okay with it if you are,” Cory told him.
“Then keep holding on with your arms. Tuck your feet up and I’m going to swing you around so you’re facing me. Ready?”
“Ready!” said Cory.
Most of the goblins waiting to reach the log were watching them. When Blue pulled Cory around in front of him, she wrapped her legs around his waist. A few of the goblins tried it as well, dropping their mates in the attempt.
Blue strode to the log, pushing aside the goblins who tried to block his way. When he got down on his hands and knees and started to crawl, Cory tucked her face into his shoulder.
It was dark inside the log except for the light coming from the other end. While Cory concentrated on holding on, she heard Blue grunt every time he scraped his back on the log or looked up and hit his head. She could also hear goblins shouting as they tried to roll the log, but weren’t able to with Blue’s weight inside. Although Cory was certain she was going to touch the ground when Blue had to crouch lower to get out, she didn’t, and the spotter gave them a thumbs-up when they finally emerged from the log.
“How are you doing?” Cory asked, their faces so close that their noses were touching.
“I’m fine,” he said. “Although I think I picked up some ants in there.”
“You did!” said Cory, brushing one off his chin.
Blue carried Cory in his arms then because neither one was in a hurry to switch back. She knew they’d have to, however, when she saw what lay ahead. The trees ended just a little farther on, and the ground looked wet and marshy. Although the path ended, the orange markings led straight to a series of bare poles set a yard apart. Goblins were holding on to the poles, trying to get from one to the next. Only a few were able to get past the first pole, and the rest fell off at the second. Apparently, the ground below the poles wasn’t solid. It was quicksand and the spotters had to pull out the ones who had fallen.
“Do you think you can do this?” Cory asked Blue. “It looks as if it would be nearly impossible even if you weren’t carrying me.”
“I used to go rock climbing with Macks,” Blue told her. “I think I can handle this, but I’m going to need my hands. Keep your arms around my neck and I’ll shift you behind me.”
“My arms are either going to be very strong after this, or limp noodles,” Cory said as he moved her onto his back.
“I’ll love you either way!” Blue said with a laugh.
When most of the goblins there had attemp
ted the obstacle and were resting before they tried again, Blue walked up to take his turn. The goblin who had gone before him wasn’t able to move on to the second pole, but he was also reluctant to get off. He refused to get down even when other goblins started throwing globs of mud at him. When the spotter finally told him that he had to get down, the goblin slipped off and stomped away, arguing with the female on his back.
After shifting Cory to a more comfortable position, Blue grabbed hold of the first pole and swung himself up. Using his arms to propel him and his legs to grab the next pole, he swung from one to another, almost making it look easy. When he reached the last pole, he jumped down, landing just past the edge of the quicksand.
A lot of the goblins who had been watching Blue seemed to think they could do what he had done. Blue was walking away when the first one fell. Before they were out of sight, the spotters had to haul another three out of the quicksand.
“How many more obstacles are there?” said Cory. “I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry!”
“I know,” Blue told her. “I can hear your stomach rumbling. There’s the next obstacle up ahead. It’s a river and I think we have to cross some rapids. I won’t need my hands for this. Rest your weight on my arms again.”
“Thank you so much!” Cory said as he tucked his arms under her knees. “Thank you for being so sweet and strong and smart and wonderful!”
“Thank you for not weighing much at all!” Blue replied. “It makes it so easy!”
The crowd of goblins had dwindled to a small fraction of the number that had started. With no goblins blocking her view, Cory could see the rows of rocks that led from one side of the river to the other, but the rocks were wet and slippery, and the few goblins who were there were taking their time crossing. Because the rocks were so far apart, the goblins had to jump from one to the next. Intent on getting themselves across, none of them were doing anything to stop the others.
“Here goes!” Blue said, picking an unoccupied row.
His first step was tentative, but his stride was long enough that he didn’t need to jump. Moving slowly, he nearly fell once when his foot slipped and he didn’t quite have his balance, but he caught himself and made it across.
Cory crowed with delight as he stepped onto the riverbank. “I think I can see the finish line! We’re almost there!”
“And I can actually smell food cooking,” said Blue. “Look out lunch, here we come! There’s just one more obstacle. It’s over there in those trees.”
“I know you can rock climb, but how good are you with trees?” Cory asked as they drew closer.
There was a path again and the orange markings led to a tall tree right beside it. A rope that must have been at least fifty feet long connected the tree to another farther down the path.
“I’ve climbed plenty of trees,” said Blue. “Although it’s been a while.”
“This means you have to use your arms again,” Cory remarked. “I don’t want to complain, but my arms are getting really, really tired.”
“We’re almost there, darlin’,” Blue told her. “Hold on just a little while longer.”
A crowd had gathered by the finish line to watch as Blue started climbing the tree. It was a tall tree, but it had good sturdy branches and he was able to climb it without any problems. However, the rope wasn’t nearly as thick as the vines that the goblins had used earlier.
“I’m not sure about this,” said Blue. “This may not hold us.”
“Do you want to quit now?” Cory asked him.
“After all we’ve done? There’s no way I’m quitting now,” said Blue. “Hold on, this may be our wildest ride yet!”
Cory hardly breathed as Blue started across the rope, pulling himself forward hand over hand. She looked down only once. Although they weren’t nearly as high as they’d been when crossing the ravine, she hadn’t been as afraid then as she was now. She had seen what Blue meant about the rope. It might have been sturdy enough for goblins, but she would never have chosen it to support a human-size person, let alone a half-ogre.
They were more than halfway across and Cory was just beginning to think that they might make it all the way when the rope suddenly snapped. Blue held on tightly to the end in his hand as they swung toward the other tree, hitting a branch and bouncing off another until they slammed into the trunk. The tree shivered and leaves fell around them, but Blue didn’t let go.
“Blue, you have to let go now!” Cory told him. “Step onto that branch and grab hold of that other one. The ground is right there!”
“Huh?” Blue said, dazed. “Oh, right. Sorry.”
Placing his feet securely on the bottom branch, Blue got his balance and looked down. His knuckles were white when he finally opened his hand. “We’re almost there, Cory,” he said, and shinnied down the tree.
A loud cheer went up from the crowd, and they gathered around as Blue and Cory approached the finish line.
“You can get down now, miss,” a goblin shouted.
“Did you hear that, Cory?” asked Blue. “You can get down off my back.”
He stopped and waited, but Cory wasn’t ready. “Not yet,” she said. “I’m not touching the ground until we’ve crossed the finish line! Telling me to get down might be another goblin trick. Look, there are some goblins coming up behind us. Hurry and get across the line.”
“Why should we hurry?” he asked. “The rope broke, so they can’t do that obstacle.”
“Exactly!” said Cory. “They can come straight here!”
“Oh, right!” Blue said, and broke into a run.
Goblins are fast, but a half-ogre with his girlfriend on his back can still be even faster. Blue crossed the finish line before the goblins, which made them stomp their feet and howl. Cory slid off Blue’s back and groaned from the ache in her arms. She was rubbing them when her mother and new stepfather walked up wearing first-place ribbons.
“You won?” said Cory. “How is that possible? We never saw you on the course after the first few minutes. When did you get here?”
Delphinium shrugged. “This was our wedding. Apparently, the bride and groom always win. We started, but we quit when someone reminded Wilburton that we didn’t have to run the course.”
“We came in second!” Deidre announced as she joined them. She held up her red ribbon and laughed.
“How long have you been here?” Cory asked her as Clayton walked up.
“A few hours, I think,” her grandfather said.
“How is that possible?” asked Blue. “We didn’t see you on the course either.”
“Should we show them, dear?” Deidre asked her husband.
When he nodded, they both turned tiny and Deidre flew into Clayton’s arms.
“We flew the course,” Clayton said after turning back. “It took us only a few minutes to go through every obstacle. It was actually a lot of fun!”
“You mean you cheated!” said Cory.
“Not at all!” her grandmother replied. “We followed every one of the goblin rules!”
“You and Blue came in third,” Delphinium said, handing them each a yellow ribbon. “You also won the consolation prize. It seems they got more fish than they needed to hit Wilburton’s feet, so there are plenty left over.”
“Our prize is a sack of fish that has probably been left out in the sun all day? Thanks, but no thanks,” Cory told her.
“Then you and I will keep them, dearest,” Wilburton told his wife. “Rotting fish can be delicious if we cook them just right.”
“I think I’ll pass on that one,” Delphinium said, making a face.
A gong sounded and a goblin shouted, “Food!”
Suddenly, all the goblins who had been waiting with the bride and groom started running to some tables set up just down the path. As Cory and Blue followed, she saw that they had gone nearly full circle and were back by the lake where they had started. Big tables had been set up around the edge of the lake, and each table had one sort of food. A huge t
able held meat dishes, from roasts to sausages to platters of grilled meat patties. Another table was laid with fish, and a third with fowl. An enormous cake rested in the center of a dessert table, with all sorts of pastries around it. Cory almost laughed when she saw that a tiny table held three small bowls of vegetables.
“We told them we needed some vegetables for the bride’s family,” said Delphinium. “I suppose we should have been more specific when we talked to the caterers.”
“You had this catered?” Cory asked her mother. “We’ve never hired a caterer before.”
“My bride is worth it!” Wilburton said, and kissed Delphinium on the lips.
When they didn’t stop kissing, Cory looked away. “Look!” she said, spotting the members of Zephyr. “The band is here.”
Grabbing Blue’s hand, Cory started walking. “I suppose I’ll get used to seeing them kiss, but I can’t stomach it yet.”
They were working their way through the crowd when Cory almost ran into a young human-looking woman with her hair in six or seven braids who was carrying another platter of meat. “Excuse me,” said the young woman. When she looked at Cory, her eyes grew wide and she grinned.
“That must have been a fan,” Blue said as he and Cory continued walking.
“That must have been a caterer,” said Cory.
“There’s our girl!” Olot said when he saw her. “We heard that you’d been abducted. Blue and I were getting a search party organized when he got a note from your mother.”
“Oh, Cory! Are you okay? Everyone was so worried!” Daisy said, and gave her a big hug.
“Is everything all right?” asked Chancy. “I know Delphinium said it was, but I’ve met your mother and I know what she’s like.”
“Everything is fine,” said Cory. “Except Mother made me write a new song and wants us to play it today.”
Olot nodded. “We heard all about it. A girl goblin named Scoota gave us the copies you’d made and we’ve already practiced it a couple of times. It has quite an impact, so we thought we’d play it at the end.”
“What do you mean by impact?” asked Blue.