Fablehaven: The Complete Series, page 69
Grandpa picked up a knickknack from his desk, a tiny, humanlike skull encased in a crystal hemisphere, and absently passed it back and forth between his hands. “I know you’ve learned a lot from Coulter and the others. You are more capable than you once were to safely negotiate certain areas of Fablehaven. I can understand why that would increase the temptation to ignore boundaries. But these are dangerous times, and there are many perils within these gated woods. Journeying as far from the yard as you did, to an unfamiliar location, relying on the judgment of Newel and Doren, shows a disturbing lack of common sense on your part.
“If I ever choose to expand the areas of Fablehaven where you’re allowed to venture alone, I’ll have to make you aware of many forbidden but intriguing regions that must be avoided. Seth, how can I ever trust you to keep the more complicated rules if you stubbornly refuse to follow the simple ones? Your repeated failure to keep the basic rules is the main reason I haven’t given you more freedom to explore the preserve on your own.”
“Oh,” Seth said awkwardly. “I guess that makes sense. Why didn’t you tell me staying in the yard was a test?”
“For one thing, it might have made the rule seem even less important.” Grandpa set down the flat-bottomed crystal with the skull inside. “None of this is a game. I created the rule for a reason. Bad things really can happen if you wander the woods unaccompanied, even when you think you know what you’re doing. Seth, you sometimes act as if you think growing up means the rules don’t apply anymore. On the contrary—a big part of growing up is learning self-control. You work on that, and then we can talk about expanding your privileges.”
“Can I earn time off for good behavior?”
Grandpa shrugged. “You never know what might happen if that miracle occurs.”
* * *
A petite fairy with short hair as red as a ripe strawberry alighted on the edge of a marble birdbath and peered into the water, her translucent dragonfly wings almost invisible in the sunlight. Her crimson slip of a dress shone like rubies. She twirled and peered over her shoulder at her reflection, pouting her lips and tilting her head at different angles.
A yellow fairy with black highlights marking her dazzling butterfly wings stood preening nearby. She had pale skin and long, honey-blonde tresses. The yellow fairy tittered, a sound like miniscule bells tinkling.
“Am I missing something?” the red fairy asked with false innocence.
“I was trying to imagine my reflection with ugly, colorless wings,” the yellow fairy replied.
“Funny coincidence,” the red fairy remarked, smoothing a hand over her hair. “I was just picturing myself with big, gaudy wings that distracted from my beauty.”
The yellow fairy arched an eyebrow. “Why not pretend you have wide, elegant wings that augment rather than detract?”
“I tried, but all that came to mind was a horrid backdrop of clumsy yellow curtains.”
Kendra could not resist smiling.
She had developed a new habit of pretending to take a nap outside near a birdbath or a flower bed and listening to the fairies gossip. The fairies did not often speak to her if she tried to initiate a conversation. After leading the fairies into battle and becoming fairykind, Kendra had grown too popular for her own good. All of the fairies were jealous.
Among the happy consequences of the gift the fairies had bestowed was Kendra’s ability to understand the language they spoke, along with several other related magical tongues. They all effortlessly sounded like English to her. She enjoyed using the talent to eavesdrop.
“Look at Kendra sprawling on that bench,” the yellow fairy muttered in a confidential tone, “lounging around like she owns the yard.”
Kendra fought back laughter. She loved when the fairies discussed her. The only conversations she liked more were when they bad-mouthed Seth.
“I have no problem with her,” the redhead chimed in her tiny voice. “In fact, she made me this bracelet.” She held up her arm to display the trinket, thin as a spider’s thread.
“It’s too small for her awkward fingers to have made it,” the yellow fairy objected.
Kendra knew the yellow fairy was right. She had never made a bracelet, let alone for a fairy. It was funny—even though the fairies rarely spoke to Kendra, they often debated over whom she favored the most.
“She has many special talents,” the red fairy insisted. “You’d be astonished by the gifts Kendra offers to her closest friends. Those of us who fought alongside her to imprison Bahumat share a special bond. Do you recall that day? I believe you were an imp at the time.”
The yellow fairy kicked water at the red fairy and stuck out her tongue.
“Please, darling,” the red fairy said, “let’s not stoop to impish behavior.”
“We who spent time as imps know secrets that you don’t,” the yellow fairy said slyly.
“I’m sure you’re an expert about warts and crooked limbs,” the red fairy agreed.
“Darkness affords different opportunities than light.”
“Like a ghastly reflection?”
“What if we could be dark and beautiful?” the yellow fairy whispered. Kendra had to strain to hear.
“I pay no heed to such rumors,” the red fairy replied haughtily, flitting away.
Kendra held very still until, through her cracked eyelids, she saw the yellow fairy take flight. The exchange had ended on a strange note. The restored fairies did not often refer to their time as imps. Those who had been imps normally seemed ashamed. The red fairy had dealt the other a low blow. What had the yellow fairy meant about being dark and beautiful, and why had the red fairy ended the conversation so abruptly?
Kendra arose and walked toward the house. The sun was plunging toward the horizon. Upstairs, her suitcase was packed. Tomorrow she would be driven to Hartford, and then fly to New York to meet a connecting flight to Atlanta.
The thought of meeting with the Knights of the Dawn filled her with worry. It all seemed so mysterious. Even without the threat of traitors, it did not sound like a place where she belonged. Her chief comfort was remembering that Warren, Coulter, and Tanu would be there as well. Nothing too terrible would happen with them around.
As Kendra walked up the steps to the covered porch, she saw Tanu and Coulter reach the yard in a cart pulled by Hugo. When the golem came to a stop, Tanu and Coulter sprang to the ground and started toward the house. They both wore serious expressions and walked purposefully. There was no panic in their movements, but it looked like they had bad news.
“How’d it go?” Kendra called.
“Something very strange is going on,” Tanu replied. “Go tell Stan we need to talk.”
Kendra ran into the house. “Grandpa! Tanu and Coulter found something!”
Her cry brought not only her grandfather but Grandma, Warren, and Seth as well. “Are the nipsies still at it?” Seth asked.
“I don’t know,” Kendra answered, turning to face the back door as Tanu and Coulter entered.
“What is it?” Grandpa asked.
“When we approached the meadow of the Seven Kingdoms, a shadowy figure fled,” Tanu said. “We gave chase, but the scoundrel was too quick.”
“It wasn’t quite like anything we’d ever seen,” Coulter said. “Maybe three feet tall, it wore a dark cloak and ran low to the ground, in a crouch.” As he used his hands expressively, Kendra was reminded that Coulter was missing a pinky and part of the neighboring ring finger.
“A hermit troll?” Grandpa asked.
Tanu shook his head. “A hermit troll could not have entered the meadow. And this did not quite fit the description.”
“We have a theory,” Coulter affirmed. “We’ll get to that in a second.”
“What’s a hermit troll?” Seth asked.
“The smallest of the trolls,” Warren said. “They never stay in one place long, setting up temporary lairs anywhere from a quiet attic, to under a bridge, to inside a barrel.”
“Go on,” Grandpa encouraged Tanu.
“We got inside the hill and found the Sixth and Seventh Kingdoms gearing up for war again, in spite of the extensive damage Newel had caused.”
“Stan,” Coulter said, “you wouldn’t have believed it. The Sixth and Seventh Kingdoms are draped in black, with most of the citizens bearing arms. The nipsies in those kingdoms were as Seth described, with gray skin, dark hair, and red eyes. They tried to bribe Tanu and me to assist them, and issued threats when we refused. If I didn’t know better, I would say they had fallen.”
“But nipsies don’t have a fallen state,” Grandma said. “At least nothing documented. Fairies can turn to imps, nymphs can become mortal, but who ever heard of a nipsie being transfigured?”
“Nobody,” Tanu said. “But there they were. Which leads me to my theory. I think the creature we were chasing was some species of fallen dwarf.”
“Dwarfs don’t fall either!” Grandpa huffed, clearly perturbed.
“Tell that to this one,” Coulter muttered.
“It’s our best guess,” Tanu said. “We interrogated the nipsies to see how all of this originated. Evidently it began when they were exploring the preserve, looking for ways to keep the satyrs out. That was how the dark ones met their new master.”
“When we started fishing for specifics, they clammed up,” Coulter said.
“What could make a nipsie fall?” Grandpa mused, as if speaking to himself.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Coulter said.
“Nor heard of anything like it,” Tanu added.
“Nor I,” Grandpa sighed. “Normally, my first call would be to the Sphinx. Maybe it still should be. Friend or foe, he has always given sound advice, and none can match his knowledge of lore. Does the condition appear to be spreading?”
Tanu noisily cracked his knuckles. “According to some of the normal nipsies, after the Fifth Kingdom was invaded, a good portion of those nipsies were carried off and became like the others.”
“Do you want Tanu and me to skip meeting with the Knights?” Coulter offered.
“No, you should attend,” Grandpa said. “I want all three of you watching over Kendra and learning what you can.”
“I overheard the fairies saying something strange today,” Kendra said. “It might be related. They were talking about a way to be dark like imps, but beautiful. One fairy seemed enamored by the idea. The other flew away immediately.”
“Strange things are certainly afoot at Fablehaven,” Grandpa said. “I had better go make some calls.”
Grandpa, Grandma, and Warren left the room.
“Seth, a word, if I may,” Tanu said. Seth crossed to the hulking Samoan, who shepherded him into the corner. Kendra lingered to hear. Tanu glanced at her and went on.
“I noticed some interesting tracks in the meadow of the Seven Kingdoms,” Tanu said casually. “Looked like the satyrs had some help gaining entry.”
“Don’t tell Grandpa,” Seth pleaded.
“If we were going to tell him, we already would have,” Tanu said. “Coulter and I figured you were in enough hot water already. Just keep in mind, Hugo is not a toy for helping satyrs steal.”
“Gotcha,” Seth said with a relieved smile.
Tanu looked at Kendra. “Can you keep this one under your hat?” His eyes demanded a yes.
“Sure,” she said. “I’ve filled my daily quota for ratting on Seth.”
Chapter 4
New Knights
When the baggage carousel jolted to life, passengers from Kendra’s flight pressed to be closest to the opening from which their belongings would emerge. A parade of suitcases commenced, many of them black and about the same size. Several had ribbons tied around the handles to help the owners differentiate between them. Kendra had placed smiley-face stickers on hers.
It was peculiar hanging out with Tanu, Coulter, and Warren at the baggage claim. She associated them with magical potions, enchanted relics, and supernatural creatures. This setting seemed much too common. Tanu dipped a pretzel into a small plastic container of molten cheese. Warren turned to the final page of his paperback. Coulter penned an answer on the crossword from the in-flight magazine. Around them waited a random assortment of passengers. A pair of business travelers stood nearest, wearing slightly rumpled suits and expensive wristwatches.
Kendra lunged forward when her suitcase appeared, darting between a nun and a grungy guy in a tie-dyed shirt and sandals. Tanu accepted the bag after she yanked it off the carousel. Their other luggage followed soon after.
Tanu wadded his napkins into his cheese cup and chucked it into a garbage can, then collected his baggage. Coulter threw out the magazine.
“Anybody want to read about a genetically enhanced superspy?” Warren asked, waving his paperback. “It’s a bestseller. Lots of action. Twist ending.” He held it toward the trash receptacle.
“I might check it out,” Kendra said, uneasy about the thought of discarding an undamaged book. She zipped the rescued paperback into her suitcase, then extended the handle so she could wheel the bag around.
The four of them headed away from the baggage claim toward a set of automatic doors. A man in a suit and a black cap was holding a sign with the name Tanugatoa printed in marker.
“We have a chauffeur?” Kendra asked, impressed.
“For going out of the city, a limousine cost only a little more than a taxi,” Tanu explained.
“Why isn’t my name on the sign?” Warren complained.
“My name is the rarest,” Tanu said with a smile. He greeted the man with the sign and waved him off from trying to help carry bags. They followed the man out to the curb and along a sidewalk to where a black limousine with tinted windows idled. The driver, a well-dressed Middle Eastern man, loaded their suitcases into the trunk and then held the door as they entered the vehicle. Warren kept his smaller suitcase.
“I’ve never ridden in a limo before,” Kendra confided to Coulter.
“It’s been a while for me too,” Coulter said.
She and Coulter sat on one side, facing Tanu and Warren on the other, with plenty of room between. Kendra ran a hand over the plush upholstery. The air smelled like pine, with a faint undercurrent of cigarette smoke.
After Tanu confirmed the address with the driver, the limousine nosed out into a clogged lane. They made small talk as the driver found the highway.
“How long is the trip?” Kendra asked.
“About an hour,” Coulter said.
“Any last-minute tips?” Kendra asked.
“Don’t reveal your name to anyone,” Coulter said. “Don’t mention Fablehaven, your grandparents, or where you come from. Don’t tell your age. Don’t show your face. Don’t allude to any of your abilities. Don’t mention the Sphinx. Don’t speak unless you must. Most of the Knights eagerly gather information. Goes with the territory. Whether they’re good or bad, I say the less they know the better.”
“So what can I do?” Kendra asked. “Maybe I should just wear the invisibility glove and hide in a corner!”
“Let me qualify Coulter’s recommendation not to speak,” Tanu said. “Feel free to ask questions of your own. Get to know people. The fact that you’re new gives you a valid excuse to solicit information. Just try not to reveal much. Gather info, don’t dispense it. Be wary of any stranger who takes too much interest in you. Don’t go anywhere alone with anyone.”
“We’ll stay close, but not too close,” Warren said. “We all know other Knights, a few of them rather well. They will be able to spot us. We don’t want to make it too easy for others to associate you with us.”
“Do we have you wound up yet?” Coulter asked.
“I’m pretty nervous,” Kendra confessed.
“Relax, have fun!” Warren encouraged.
“Right, while I try to follow all of my instructions and avoid getting abducted,” Kendra moaned.
“That’s the spirit!” Warren cheered.
Other cars on the highway had their lights on as dusk approached. Kendra settled back in her seat. The others had warned her it might be a late night. She had tried to sleep on the plane, but had felt too anxious, and the seat had not reclined enough. Instead she had used headphones to listen to the flight’s different audio channels, including hit-and-miss selections of stand-up comedy and pop music.
Now, in the dim limo, she had a little more room, and drowsiness caught up to her. She decided not to fight it. Her eyelids drooped and she spent a few minutes on the edge of sleep, hearing the others make occasional comments as if from underwater.
