If killing a star back was bad luck, the Goblin was about to have a lot of it. Sir Carter wrapped the rope around his legs first, and then around his wrists. The goblin did not seem to realize that he was being tied up until Carter was finishing off the knot at his wrists. He snored the whole time, mumbling now and then when the knight shifted him, but it took him a long time to rouse himself.

“What what what?” the goblin grumbled. It was probably the closest thing to English that he had been would have been able to come up with. He mumbled and grumbled some more, but nobody could quite make out what he was trying to say.

“I would ask you what you are doing here,” sir Carter began, “but I don’t suppose I would get a decent answer out of you.”

The Goblin looked up at him, his expression changing to one of surprise, and he snarled.

“Carter watched him with a certain amount of disinterest. Do not think that you can intimidate me, goblin. I am not the least bit worried about anything that you have to say.”

The goblin grumbled some more.

“Are there goblins all over Summerlay?” Cerys asked. “ Remember, James, we met one our first day here?”

James nodded to her. “Yes, they are pretty much everywhere. There are plenty of them to go around.”

“And they like to cause a lot of trouble!” Sir Carter added. Then he looked down at the goblin. “Didn’t you learn the gates are meant to keep you out?”

He’s probably a little enough to squeeze between the bars,” Lord Ridley told him.

“That does not mean that he should try,” Sir Carter replied.

“You really don’t like goblins do you?” Peter asked him.

“Why should I?” Sir Carter retorted.

Peter shrugged. “You just seem to have a lot against them is all.”

Sir Carter narrowed his eyes as he glared at the young teenager. “Is a kid like you trying to tell me that I should make friends with it?”

Peter shook his head. “Do what you want.”