Free The Moons of Mirrodin by Will McDermott

never fit in. We all outcasts, but they
choose
to live apart, all for stupid story nobody believes.”
    “What story was that?” asked Glissa.
    “Not important,” said Slobad. “Goblin named Krark claim to find other world inside Mirrodin. All craziness. Slobad never fit in. They okay to me, but never get too close. They religious. Still believe in curse. One day, priests find cult and attack. Slobad decides to leave, huh? Leave family and wander world. Live near Tangle for a time, but elves don’t trust anyone. Slobad run from there and wander Glimmervoid.”
    “That’s when you met the healers?” asked Glissa. She finished her meal and tossed the bones away from their camp.
    Slobad nodded. “And Raksha, young leonin warrior, Kha. Slobad given to Raksha as toy, huh? Training dummy. We fight allthe time. Raksha always win. Slobad always hurt. But healers fix me up, huh? So Raksha train again.”
    “That sounds horrible,” said Glissa. “You really want to go back to these people?”
    “Raksha good to Slobad. He always make sure I healed properly, huh? Then nim begin attacking more. Raksha sent into real battles. Fighting always follow Slobad, huh? Part of curse. Other leonin not so good to Slobad. Not welcome when Raksha out of city. I leave again before healers kick me out, huh? I find leveler cave and decide to live alone. Battles can’t come to me there. Nobody dare come close.”
    Except me, thought Glissa. But I don’t believe in destiny, no matter what Chunth said. Bad things happen because people make them happen. To Slobad, she said, “You’ve lived alone ever since, eating these … what do you call them?”
    “Glimmer rats,” said Slobad through a full mouth. He hadn’t eaten during his story and seemed to be trying to catch up now.
    Glissa watched Slobad stuff another rat into his mouth and chomp down. She could hear the creature’s bones breaking as he chewed. The goblin didn’t even bother to spit out the metal bits. Were his eating habits the result of living alone? Or perhaps all goblins ate that way.
    “I’m sorry I’ve upset your life, Slobad, but I appreciate all you’ve done for me. Maybe you can go back to the leveler cave after my leg is healed.”
    “Maybe,” said Slobad, his mouth still full. After he swallowed, he continued, “Nothing there for me, huh? Just place to be. Not home. No one to talk to. Slobad start talking to himself. Very bad. Long time since I go to Taj Nar, huh?”
    “Taj Nar?” asked Glissa.
    Slobad offered her the last rat, but Glissa waved it off. He stuck the rat’s head into his mouth and bit it off. “Taj Nar is great leonin city. Where Raksha rule. He is leader now, huh? Kha.”
    “Are you sure he’ll help me?” asked Glissa.
    Slobad nodded, chewing the rest of the rat. “Raksha owe Slobad. Most leonin not like outsiders much, huh? A lot like elves that way. Raksha different. He like Slobad. Slobad work for him many times. Fix city walls. Make sacred torch. Raksha owe Slobad. He will help.”
    “Well, I’m not like other elves,” said Glissa with a smile, the first smile she had given since the trolls kidnapped her. “And I like you, too, Slobad.”
    “I know,” said Slobad. “That why I help you. Slobad not have many friends but always helps the ones he finds.”
    Glissa began to wonder if maybe there was something to Chunth’s speech after all. How else could she explain finding Slobad—the one person in the world lonelier than she—just when she needed him? The leonin were the first stop. If she was going to find the person who killed her family, she would need a guide in this strange world outside the Tangle.
    *   *   *   *   *
    The next two rotations were a blur to Glissa. She and Slobad trudged through the Glimmervoid. Slobad pointed out mounds to her that he said were leonin homes, but Glissa couldn’t tell the difference between them and the rest of the landscape. Never once did they see any leonin, but Glissa