In a flash of light, Hex escaped from the dungeon in King Julius' castle.
With a click of his fingers, he'd travelled to a clearing in the Whispering Woods. Where once, a house of sweets stood. But now, all that remained were the concrete foundations he and Cathy had built.

The sorcerer took the crumpled envelope from his pocket. Inside was his magic skeleton key and a letter.

Pulling out the key, he read the attached label, and his heart sank. He was alone and there was nothing he could do to bring her back.

Still, it was safer this way. Cathy had returned to the human realm. Where she belonged. Far away from any devious dragons, greedy goblins, or wicked witches. In fact, anyone who would steal her for themselves. If they ever found out, she was a Gem Maker.

Hex unfolded the letter and read it for the second time.

L,

As requested, my network of spies has information about the disappearance of Rose.

On the night of her abduction, a goblin called Giggleton broke into Rune Hall.

Hearing the commotion downstairs, Rose concealed her child within a wardrobe.

Giggleton made his way up the stairs, armed with a sleeping potion so powerful Rose was at once rendered unconscious.

He then carried Rose from the house and into the grounds of Rune Hall, where his accomplice, a dragon called Rufus, waited.

I asked my informant if he had any further information on Rose's abductors.

I'm sorry to say her last known whereabouts was The Castle of Jewels.

Given everything, we know about Prince Horace and the witch Agnes, a rescue attempt is unlikely to be successful.

I am sorry I don't have better news.

S

Unable to control his temper, Hex raised his arms above his head and roared. The ground beneath his feet shuddered as thunder rumbled. Flashes of lightning tore through the sky and struck a tree in front of him, slicing it in two.

The smouldering tree crashed to the ground, and a loud, hysterical scream filled the air.

Hex lowered his arms. Had he maimed someone in his fury? The scream came closer and grew louder until Hex looked down.

At his feet, a large, brown toad stared up at him.

"Be quiet!" Hex ordered.

With that, it screamed even louder.

Hex swooped down, grabbed the toad, and, holding it tight, he looked closer. Something was very wrong, and Hex knew who was responsible.

"Now, this is the last time I'm telling you... Stop your screaming or I'll make you stop."

"Fine, I'll stop," the toad said with a wheeze. "Just please loosen your grip. I'm about to pass out."

"Very well." Hex eased the pressure. He allowed the toad to breathe, but not to wriggle free. He had to know who this toad was before Prince Horace had transformed him.

"Thank you," the toad said and gasped for air.

"Answer my questions and you'll live. Lie to me and transformation magic will be the least of your worries."

The toad blinked and said, "Ask me whatever you wish. I have nothing to hide—Not anymore."

"Who are you? Or should I say, who were you?"

"My name is Chester, I'm a goblin, and I was the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the whole of the Imp Empire."

"Really?"

"Yes. Really. I had power, wealth, and status. My home was exquisite, and my clothes were divine. I lived a charmed life." The toad's large, round eyes watered as he told his sorry tale. "But after a thousand years of balancing the books and budget announcements, I became bored."

"Continue," Hex ordered.

"I decided Prince Horace should compensate me for all my years of hard work. So, I increased the taxes. A little more on the grain tax. A smidge more on wealth taxes." The toad puffed, breathlessly.

"And then?"

"And then, I gave myself a pay rise—unofficially—without discussing it with the prince. Somehow Horace discovered I'd taken a little extra for myself and stashed the money with the trolls. I believed I'd been clever enough to hide my crime."

"Clearly not."

"No. When Horace found out what I had done, he almost combusted with rage. It took two days before the prince could bear to lay eyes on me. I was sure he'd sentence me to death in his Maze of Monsters." Chester cringed as he recalled. "But he was so livid with my behaviour, he punished me twice. First, he announced I was to be exiled from the Empire, never to return." The toad gulped. "Then came a punishment worse than death. Horace proclaimed before the entire court, I had behaved like a deceitful toad and therefore I should live out my days as one.

"The prince waved his hand and in a flash of yellow-gold light, I transformed into the toad you see before you. It has been over three months since they banished me from my beautiful home and all its luxuries. I didn't appreciate how fortunate my life had been. No longer do I dine on food fit for royalty, now I dine on flies. No longer do I sleep in soft cotton sheets with feather pillows, but I sleep on damp soil and mushy leaves. It's horrible." The toad sniffed loudly.

The sorcerer frowned and said, "Well, don't expect any sympathy from me. Greed brings nothing but misery. I should know." And in a kinder tone, Hex added, "Give it time. I'm sure you'll adjust."

"Have you ever eaten a fly?" Chester asked. He looked deeply sorry for himself.

"No."

"I thought not. Or you wouldn't say that."

Chester waited for more words of sympathy.

Instead, Hex tipped him upside down and studied his speckled belly, his dry, warty skin, his dark, bulbous eyes, and his wide mouth.

"Do you mind?" Chester asked as the blood rushed to his head.

"Not at all." Hex tried not to smile as he flipped Chester the right way up. But before he could stop it, a low laugh rumbled through his body.

Chester's eyes narrowed. "You're laughing at me? What, may I ask, is so funny about my horrific predicament?"

"I have to hand it to Horace. He certainly has mastered the art of transformation magic. You are the most disgusting toad I have ever seen." Hex let go of Chester and roared with laughter. His earlier anger dissipated. "I couldn't have done a better job myself. Genius! Absolute genius."

"I'm glad I amuse you," Chester said. He picked himself up and rubbed his back leg.

Hex stopped laughing. He had an idea.

"I'll make a deal with you, toad."

"Call me Chester," the toad said with a grimace.

"You know the castle like the back of your... erm... hand. So, if you get me inside, I'll turn you back into a goblin."

"Why do you wish to get inside the castle?" the shrewd toad asked.

"Why do you care? You're exiled for life. Whatever I do within the Castle of Jewels does not affect you." Hex could feel himself becoming aggravated, and it was never a good idea to aggravate him.

"You have a very valid point. I agree with your terms. What is your name, wizard?"

"My name is Hex, and I am no mere wizard. A word of advice," he hissed. "Annoy me, at your peril. I do not suffer fools gladly."

"Understood," Chester replied. "I guess you'll want to leave right away?"

"So, you're not as stupid as you look." With a sweep of his cloak, Hex headed off into the darkness. And Chester hopped behind.