Five Portraits Read Online Free

heads-bashing.”
    â€œWhich would cost you the lives of the captives, making the raid in that respect pointless.”
    â€œSo it would, unfortunately. But goblin males, in contrast with their females, are surly brutes not much known for negotiation. We would be at war before we came to terms.”
    â€œUnless a basilisk served as intermediary.”
    This time the troll’s smile had humor. “Well now! That notion appeals to me. Let’s see what offers. This will require a dialogue with the captives. Shall we make a truce for this hour?”
    â€œGranted,” Pewter said.
    â€œGranted,” Astrid agreed. Trolls were dark and dangerous, but they did honor truces.
    Truman’s fists unclenched, and the henchmen’s hoods came off. They knew that machines and basilisks also honored truces.
    â€œMay I say, Astrid, that you are one extremely fetching creature in this form,” Truman said. “It is a pleasure to be near—but not too near—you.”
    â€œThank you.” At least he was polite about the idea the sight of her gave him.
    Truman squatted down to peer into the barred cave. “Goblins, we are in negotiation phase. Are there any troll captives in your home mound?”
    â€œThree,” Ginger said. “But we can’t say how long they will survive.”
    â€œThey were alive when you left?”
    â€œYes. But the female was stripped and tied down for the benefit of—you know.”
    â€œYes. We treat captives similarly. It is to mutual advantage for us to arrange an exchange.”
    â€œYes,” Ginger agreed faintly.
    The troll inspected the lock. “That’s one of ours, yes, keyed to Truculent. No one else can touch it without getting electrocuted. You have a way to deal with it?”
    â€œWe believe so,” Pewter said. “Assistance is on the way.”
    Truman turned to Astrid. “Now let’s go see the goblins. May I offer you a lift?”
    â€œThat is surely faster,” Astrid agreed.
    â€œClimb into my knapsack.”
    She got behind him and did so. Then he stood. “Remain here,” he told the henchmen. And to Astrid: “Trust, but verify.”
    â€œAgreed.”
    Then the troll forged into the brush, bashing out his own trail. In a remarkably brief time they reached the goblin mound.
    The goblins surged out, brandishing weapons. “Ho! Fresh meat!” their leader cried.
    â€œNot so,” Truman said. “I come to negotiate.”
    â€œNegotiate, negatiate,” the goblin said. “You were a fool to come into our power, poop for brains.”
    â€œI bring with me a basilisk.”
    â€œNice bluff, moron! We don’t see any—” He paused.
    Astrid had changed to her natural form, gazing out and around from the knapsack, not looking at anyone directly. The goblins shrank away, well knowing that form.
    â€œAs I was saying,” Truman said. “We have three goblin girls from your mound as captives. We will exchange them for your three troll captives. Do we have a deal?”
    â€œThe bleep!” the goblin chief swore.
    Astrid lowered her gaze. She looked at a tied sheep they were probably saving for the evening meal. It looked her way, and fell dead.
    â€œDo we have a deal?” Truman repeated.
    The goblins looked at the sheep. They quailed, realizing that this was no bluff. “Deal,” the chief said, disgruntled.
    â€œWe shall return in due course with the captives,” Truman said. “In the interim, you will bring out your captives and have them ready here. Then we will exchange.” He paused meaningfully. “Should anything go wrong, my companion might be annoyed. You wouldn’t like her when she’s annoyed.”
    The goblins quailed again. The last thing they wanted was an angry basilisk marauding through their mound.
    Truman turned and forged back through the brush. Astrid returned to her human form. “You have an