He awoke again, back in the cell. A quick check showed that somebody had relived him of all his lock picks and, of course, his weapons. They’d even managed to find all of the hidden ones.

“Why? Why couldn’t something go right? All I would need is just one dagger, just one lock-pick.” He sighed.

“It okay Aidan. Me no have way out either.”

Aidan looked up at the little goblin, who was back in the cell with him and sighed. “Great. Just like always. I’m a liability in need of rescue. Some great hero I am.”

“It okay.” The little goblin sat down next to the dispirited aerian and patted his arm. “Not everyone be big hero. Some people need to be little heroes, do small good things, not big.”

“Yeah, but I don’t even manage that most of the time.”

“Seymore know what you say. Seymore not exactly hero either. But Clan come save us, everything be all good.”

“I know, they’ll rescue us, or at least try their best. I just am sick of being so useless.” He put his head in his hands and sighed again.

“Look, Seymore have thing to tell you. Me know me sound stupid, but me no stupid. Me think smart thoughts, thy just come out not smart. Is good sometimes, people not know me smart, me get underestimated. But is sometimes not good, friends forget me not stupid. But me tell you. Long time ago me no goblin, me no talk stupid. Me great warrior. You see big black man leading fight? You see other Lavasida, other Lon fighting? Big man fighting is other Seymore. Me know, me see, me remember what me used to look like.”

“I don’t understand,” said Aidan. “You used to be human?”

“Yes. Long time ago, me human. Like you human long time ago, yes?”

“Yeah, I used to be human.”

“So, me come here, me see Prudy. You remember me Prudy? She so wonderful. Maybe not pretty like humans pretty, but she pretty to me. She pretty inside. So me make big choice. Me say ‘make me goblin so I be with Prudy.’ So there big spell, make me into goblin. I give up being hero. Goblins no are heroes. But you see other me fighting? He hero. I hear, they say he king. This place no Tara Queen. Seymore King instead. That kind of hero me give up being, and me lose Prudy too. Drago kill her. So now me nothing. But is okay. Me choose, me live with choice. You no hero either, but you have Flame, she pretty, love you very much, all is good. She need to save you, is okay too. Prudy do lots for me that me no do myself.” He stopped and shook his head. “Mo no say it very good. I just trying to say that you no need to be sad for needing Flame come rescue you. You still have Flame come rescue you, so you still better off than lots.”

“I understand, Seymore. And I’m sorry for throwing such a pity party. You’re right. I’ve got more than a lot of people. I just wonder what I’m doing in the Clan. I never seem to accomplish much.”

“Me know. Me not do much big good either. But me still want to help friends when me can.”

“So I guess we just sit here and wait.”

“Maybe. Maybe we find something to do too. Maybe Drago come talk to us, maybe we get chance rescue ourselves, yes?”

“Maybe.”

For a long time it was silent in the dark, and then Seymore began to snore. Aidan smiled. How can he sleep in here? I’m entirely too nervous to rest at all. But to his own surprise he found himself yawning. He stretched out on the cold floor and even though it was hard and uncomfortable he was soon asleep.

There was no way to tell time in the dark cell, so Aidan didn’t know if it was day or night when he awoke. It was pitch black and perfectly silent. Aidan wondered if there really was anybody else down in the dank dungeon.

“Do you think they’re all… dead?” asked Aidan. “I mean Drago’s had the others for a couple of weeks now if that gypsy lady was right.”

“It possible, but me no think so. If gypsy right then we have chance to save some of others, she say that. And she say that this place have allies for us. This true, there whole other Clan here. Maybe your Flame come save you with other Flame with her. Then you have two Flames.”

“Heh. That would be interesting.”

If Flame Song was on her way to rescue Aidan with her double by her side, however, they were taking their time, for Aidan slept and woke again several times with no sign of rescue. He examined every inch of the little cell in that time. He couldn’t even fully spread his wings inside of the cell without touching diagonally opposite corners. It was claustrophobic. The walls and ceiling were solid stone, and the floor was stone too, under a layer of dirt and grime. The door was iron, thick and heavy. The lock was fairly crude, designed for strength rather than sophistication. He had opened it in five minutes with one of his picks, with a slender dagger or long pin it might have taken half an hour. But lacking any of these things he was trapped.

He paced the length of the cell a thousand times, scarce able to take three full steps in a line. Seymore didn’t mind the close darkness, but Aidan was meant for the sky. There were moments when the walls seemed to be pressing in on him and he could hardly stand it. He was very grateful for Seymore. If the little goblin hadn’t been there to distract him from his claustrophobia he didn’t know what he would have done. Gone nuts, probably, he thought. I hate not being able to fly.