Hex whirled around to face the goblin; the heavy crystal ball bumped against his back.

"Giggleton, you cretin," Hex said, his magic sparking at his fingertips.

Shadows drifted from the fireplace and spread across the floor, gathering in corners.

"Call them off." Giggleton pointed to the darkness with his long-crooked finger. "Or say goodbye to your friend."

Hex frowned in confusion. Giggleton must have lost his senses, for Hex had not one friend. He had no need for such things. He rolled his sleeves up to his elbows and raised his hands to the sky.

Giggleton gasped in terror. Before Hex could zap him, he shot out into the entrance hall and ran.

As the goblin burst through the huge wooden doors and staggered outside into the sunlight, he shouted, "Rufus, bring the toad."

Hex strolled from the fortress and stopped dead at the sight before him.

They had tied Chester up with twine and he bobbed up and down from the dragon's massive claw, like a yo-yo.

"Hex..." The chancellor unravelled and dropped towards the floor with his eyes closed, braced for impact. "Please." He shot back up again. "Help me."

Hex didn't bother to disguise his amusement, and he laughed loudly.

"What is so funny, sir?" Giggleton asked. Laughter wasn't the reaction he'd expected.

Chester screamed as he fell and flew back up in an aerial display to rival any circus act.

"What's funny is that you actually believe I could be friends with a disgusting toad like Chester."

Chester was too dizzy to be offended.

The goblin shook his head in disbelief. "Nice try, Hex. But if you don't hand me back my crystal ball, it'll be curtains for Chester. Do you know what happens to toads in intense heat?" Giggleton pressed his thin lips together and made a loud popping noise.

"Do you know what happens to goblins who annoy sorcerers?" Hex said with a wry smile.

Giggleton shuffled backwards. "Look, sir, I don't want any trouble. I only want my crystal ball back."

Hex's expression turned solemn. "Now... imagine what would happen if a goblin kidnapped the wife of a sorcerer." The wind blew fiercely.

Chester twirled around and around on the end of his string. He swung backwards and forwards, so fast his stomach churned. Until he threw up. All over Rufus. The dragon yelped in disgust and flung his nasty yo-yo into the weeds.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Giggleton said, nervously glancing to his left and at a gap in the trees.

"Confess, and I'll be merciful."

"I have nothing to confess. You are mistaken."

Hex sighed.

"Very well. Have it your way." With a flick of his fingers, there was a sudden flash of yellow-gold light.

At first, Giggleton twitched. Then he tingled. And then the forest expanded. The trees were enormous. The door to the fortress was vast. And Hex grew to the size of a troll.

The gigantic sorcerer stepped closer to Giggleton and, bending down, he hissed, "How do you like being a slug?"

"Oooh, nooo," squeaked Giggleton as he slowly slithered towards his home. Leaving a slippery, silver trail behind him.

Hex raised his foot above the slug. One splat and it would be over.

Giggleton froze in the shadow of a large boot. His eyes wobbled on their stalks as he looked up.

Surely Hex wouldn't squish him?

"Goodbye, Giggleton," Hex said.

Chester hopped out of the weeds. Just as Hex was about to step on the tan coloured slug.

"Oh, how yummy?" the toad squealed with delight. "After all that exercise, I'm starving." In a flash of pink, the toad's long, sticky tongue shot from his wide mouth, and he swallowed Giggleton whole.

Rufus whimpered; his bloodshot eyes wide with shock. And before Hex could place yet another spell on him, he flapped his humongous wings and shot into the sky.