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to his full height, put his hands in the small of his back and straightened his spine with a crick . “Oh, that’s better,” he groaned. “That cape is such an uncomfortable way to travel.”
    Ben looked back at Mr Nuttendudge. The goblin was down on one knee, his head lowered. “A thousand welcomes, Lord Scarrabus,” he said. “My worthless existence is made all the more bearable by your presence.”
    “As you were, goblin,” Scarrabus sighed.
    “You betrayed us,” snapped Ben.
    Mr Nuttendudge blinked his wide eyes.

    “Of course. The servant of Scarrabus and I are old friends. I arranged all this while you made your escape from my house. You’d only just met me. Whatever made you think I’d be trustworthy?” He opened and closed his big hands like they were flashing lights. “Stranger danger, stranger danger! Never trust a goblin you don’t know.” He thought about this for a moment. “Or one you do know. We’re not to be trusted generally.”
    “Good work, Mr Nutty … thing.”
    “Nuttendudge.”
    “Whatever,” said Scarrabus. “Bringing the children here was a stroke of genius.”
    “Why?” asked Ben.
    Scarrabus smirked.
    “Because back at my castle I was merely going to imprison you,” he said. “Here, I can use you.”
    “Use us?” asked Paradise.
    “Use us f-for what?” Wesley stuttered.
    “To tear open the dimensions. To rip asunder the very fabric of reality. To allow me access to your insignificant little world where everyone you have ever known will – at last – bear witness to a true Feast of Scarrabus.”
    “Yes! Yes!” sniggered Mr Nuttendudge.
    Ben looked at the grinning Scarrabus and saw madness flash behind the demon-lord’s eyes.
    “It’s going to be Hell on Earth!”

Chapter Fourteen
    For a few long moments, nobody spoke. The silence was eventually broken by Lord Scarrabus letting out a surprisingly high-pitched giggle.
    “Sorry, I can’t do it. Your faces! You should see your faces!”
    “What?” said Ben. “What are you on about?”
    “I’m not actually going to do those things, obviously,” said Scarrabus.
    “You’re not?” said Paradise and Mr Nuttendudge at the same time.
    “Why?” asked Ben, confused.
    Inside the circle, Wesley threw up his hands in despair. “Well, don’t make him think about it,” he groaned. “He might change his mind again.”
    “Relax,” laughed Scarrabus. “I was winding you up. I’m teasing. I’m not really going to tear open dimensions or that stuff. I wouldn’t know where to start.”
    “I would,” said Mr Nuttendudge under his breath. His wide eyes darted to Ben’s gauntlet.
    “But, but … you’re evil,” said Ben. “Aren’t you?”
    Scarrabus shrugged. “Well, I’m definitely mean. Aren’t I?” He turned to the Moon-Faced Ghoul-Thing, who continued to stare eerily back. “Yeah, I’m definitely pretty mean, but I’m not evil as such. I was never going to hurt you really. This was all just a prank. It’s what the feast is about. You leave a treat or you get tricked.” Scarrabus laughed. “And I tricked you good!”
    “A prank?” snapped Paradise. “You call this a prank?”
    “I wasn’t the one who jumped out of the window on the back of a dragon, love,” Scarrabus reminded her. “If it had been up to me you’d have been home ages ago. Why do you think I had your clothes brought through? If I was going to keep you prisonerwould I really have tried to make you more comfortable?”
    He gestured towards the ghoul-thing. “Now, come on, let’s get you home. You’ve had enough adventure for one night.”
    “I second that,” said Wesley.
    The Moon-Faced Ghoul-Thing didn’t move.
    “Come on, open the cape,” Scarrabus commanded. “Send them back.”
    “Please,” added Wesley.
    The ghoul-thing’s eyes darkened. Its cloak stayed firmly closed.
    “Ah yes, how silly of me. Now I remember,” sniggered Mr Nuttendudge. “This was the second part of my plan. My friend here is sick of