Chapter 7

Chapter Seven IN WHICH There Is an Unexpected Betrayal Mallory looked down at herself in disgust. "I hate dresses. What happened? Why did I wake up in a glass box?" Jared shook his head. "We're not really sure—I guess the dwarves grabbed you somehow. Do you remember anything?" "I was packing up my things after the match." She shrugged. "Some kid said that you were in trouble."

"Shhh," Simon said, pointing into the quarry. "Get down." They knelt in the grass and peered over the edge. A horde of goblins poured out of the caves. They skittered and rolled, gnashing their teeth and barking before fanning out and sniffing the air. Behind them was a massive monster with dead branches for hair. It wore the dark, tattered remains of clothes from another time, and big, curving horns rose up from his brow. From the cave entrance the Korting and his dwarven courtiers appeared. Behind them came more goblins, who were pulling a cart filled with

shining weapons. With that last group a prisoner stumbled along ahead of them. The prisoner was the size of an adult human, a sack covering the person's head, both wrists and ankles bound with dirty cloth. Something about the person seemed familiar. The goblins pushed the prisoner out into the quarry, poking the figure with sharp sticks, far from where the monster stood. "Who is that?" Mallory whispered, squinting. "I can't see," said Jared. "Why would they need a prisoner?" The Korting cleared his throat nervously as a hush fell over the crowd. "Great Lord Mulgarath, we thank you for the honor of allowing us to serve you." Mulgarath stopped. The ogre's great horned head loomed over the rest of the creatures as he turned back to the dwarves with a sneer.

Jared swallowed hard. Mulgarath. The word had never meant much to him before, but now he was afraid. Even though he knew the monster couldn't see him, he felt those dark eyes sweep over the throng and wanted to duck down lower. "Are these all the weapons I asked for?" Mulgarath's ringing tones echoed through the quarry. He pointed to the cart. "Yes, of course," said the dwarf lord. "A show of our loyalty, our dedication to your new regime. You will find no finer blades, no better craftsmanship. I would stake my life on it!"

"Would you?" asked the ogre. He drew Jared's fake field guide from a large pocket. "And this— would you also stake your life that this is the book I asked you to obtain?" The dwarf lord hesitated. "I... I did as you asked...." The ogre held up a battered book with a laugh. Jared realized it was the same laugh that the Not- Jared had made in the hallway at school. Jared gasped and Mallory elbowed him hard. "You have been duped, dwarf lord. No matter. I have Arthur Spiderwick's Guide," Mulgarath said. "The final thing I need to begin my reign." The dwarf bowed low. "You are great indeed," the Korting said. "A worthy master." "I may be a worthy master, but I am not at all sure that you make worthy servants." He raised his hand, and his goblins stopped their scuffling and scrabbling. "Kill them!"

"Kill them!"