Fablehaven2-Rise of the Evening Star Page 13

That he was going to dance on our graves, Kendra

  said.

  Seth spun around and cupped his hands beside his

  mouth like a megaphone. Only if they bury us in your

  cruddy cell, he yelled. He glanced at Grandma. Think he

  heard me?

  Coulter

  He's not here, Seth said, checking his wristwatch.

  He'll be here soon, Kendra said.

  They sat together on a stone bench at the edge of an

  oval section of lawn with a marble birdbath near the center.

  The sun had not been up long, but the day was already getting

  warm. A cluster of fairies played among the blossoms of

  a nearby shrub. Others hovered over the birdbath, admiring

  their reflections.

  The fairies haven't been very friendly lately, Seth said.

  Kendra scratched her temple. They probably just need

  their space.

  They were so friendly before we left last summer, after

  you led them against Bahumat.

  They were probably just extra excited.

  Try to talk to them, Seth said. If you can understand

  imps, I bet you can understand fairies too.

  I tried last night. They ignored me.

  Seth glanced at his watch again. I say we go do something

  else. Coulter's like ten minutes late. And he picked

  the most boring spot in all of Fablehaven to make us wait.

  Maybe we're in the wrong place.

  Seth shook his head. This is where he said.

  I'm sure he'll come, Kendra said.

  By the time he does, we'll have to leave to visit the

  Sphinx.

  Coulter suddenly appeared in front of them, standing on

  the lawn not ten feet away, blocking their view of the birdbath.

  One instant there was nothing, the next, he had

  popped into existence, leaning on his walking stick. I suppose

  I wasn't meant to hear that, Coulter said.

  Kendra shrieked, and Seth jumped to his feet. Where

  did you come from? Seth yelped.

  Take more care what you say out in the open, Coulter

  said. You never know who may be listening. I'm sure your

  grandparents wanted your visit to the Sphinx kept a secret.

  Why were you eavesdropping? Kendra accused.

  To prove a point, Coulter said. Believe me, if I

  weren't on your side, and you had given me that information,

  I would not have tipped my hand by revealing myself.

  By the way, Kendra, fairies are jealous by nature. There's no

  surer way to earn their dislike than to become popular.

  How did you do that? Seth asked.

  Coulter held up a fingerless leather glove, letting it hang

  limp. One of my prize possessions. I deal in magical trinkets,

  tokens, and artifacts. Tanu has his potions, Vanessa has her

  critters-I have my magic glove. Among other things.

  Can I try it? Seth asked.

  All in good time, Coulter said, pocketing the glove

  and clearing his throat. I understand Tanu got you off to a

  fine start yesterday. He knows his business. You'd do well to

  heed him.

  We will, Kendra said.

  Before we begin, Coulter said, shifting his feet as if he

  were feeling a tad uncomfortable, I want to make one thing

  clear. He gave Kendra an uncertain glance. No matter how

  careful you are about personal hygiene, it is perfectly natural

  for a teenage girl to develop an occasional pimple.

  Kendra hid her face in her hands. Seth grinned.

  Such things are a natural part of the maturation

  process, Coulter continued. You may begin to notice other

  changes as-

  Kendra raised her head. I'm not embarrassed about it,

  she insisted. It was just the potion.

  Coulter nodded patronizingly. Well, if you ever need to

  talk about… growing up-

  That's very kind, Kendra blurted, holding up both

  hands to stop him from saying more. I'll let you know if I

  want to talk. Zits happen. I'm okay with it. Seth looked like

  he was about to explode with laughter, but he managed to

  contain himself.

  Coulter wiped a hand across the top of his head, flattening

  his little tuft of gray hair. He had reddened slightly.

  Right. Enough said about hormones. Shifting gears. He

  paused for a moment, rubbing his hands together. What do

  the two of you want me to teach you?

  How to make ourselves invisible, Seth said.

  I mean generally, Coulter clarified. Why do you want

  to apprentice with me?

  So we can learn how to protect ourselves from magical

  creatures, Kendra said.

  And so we can help out around here, Seth said. I'm

  sick of staying in the yard.

  Coulter wagged a finger. A preserve like Fablehaven is a

  dangerous place. In my line of work, any degree of carelessness

  can lead to disaster. And by disaster I mean death. No

  second chances. Just a cold, lonely coffin.

  The new soberness in his tone had quickly changed the

  mood. Kendra and Seth listened attentively.

  Those woods, Coulter said, sweeping a hand toward

  the trees, are teeming with creatures who would love nothing

  more than to drown you. To cripple you. To devour you.

  To turn you to stone. If you let your guard down for a

  moment, if you forget for a second that every one of the

  creatures on this preserve is potentially your worst enemy,

  you won't have any more chance of surviving than a worm

  on a henhouse floor. Am I getting through to you?

  Kendra and Seth nodded.

  I don't tell you this out of cruelty, Coulter said. I'm

  not trying to shock you with exaggerations. I want you to go

  into this with your eyes wide open. People in my profession

  die all the time. Talented, cautious people. No matter how

  careful you are, there is always the chance of running across

  something more terrible than you are prepared to handle. Or

  you might find yourself in a situation you've dealt with a

  hundred times, but you make a mistake, and you never get a

  second chance. If either of you expects to venture out into

  those woods with me, I don't want you clinging to a false

  sense of security. I've had my close calls, and I've seen people

  die. I'll do my best to keep you safe, but it is only fair to warn

  you that on any given day, even doing something that might

  seem routine, if we're out in those woods, we could all perish.

  I'll not have you along without making that clear.

  We know it's risky, Seth said.

  Something else I ought to tell you now. If we're all in

  mortal peril, and it looks like saving you means sacrificing

  myself, or worse, sacrificing both of us, I'm probably going to

  save myself. I'd expect you to do the same. If I can protect

  you, I will; if not… you've been warned. Coulter raised his

  hands. I don't want your ghosts showing up moaning about

  how I didn't warn you.

  We've been warned, Kendra said. We won't haunt

  you.

  I might haunt you a little, Seth said.

  Coulter snorted, hawked up some phlegm, and spat.

  Now, I intend to keep us far from situations where our lives

  are in jeopardy, but there's always a possibility the worst


  could happen, and if that's a risk you're unwilling to take,

  speak now, because once we're out in the woods, it may be

  too late.

  I'm in, Seth said. I'm still sad I didn't get to go yesterday.

  I'm in too, Kendra said bravely. But I was fine with

  yesterday.

  That reminds me, Coulter said, I'm a little old-fashioned

  in some ways, and that carries over to this arrangement.

  Call it outdated chivalry, but there are some places I

  don't feel women should go. Not because they aren't intelligent

  or able. I just feel there is a certain respect with which

  a lady should be treated.

  Are you saying there are places you'd take Seth but not

  me? Kendra asked.

  That's what I'm saying. And you hold all the feminist

  rallies you want, it won't shake my opinion. Coulter spread

  his hands. If you want somebody else to take you, and

  they're willing, I can't do much about that.

  What about Vanessa? Kendra exclaimed incredulously.

  What about Grandma? Although part of her didn't even

  want to go to the dangerous places Coulter was talking

  about, the idea that her gender would prevent him from taking

  her was deeply insulting.

  Vanessa and your grandma are free to do as they please,

  as are you. But I'm also free to do as I please, and there are

  some places I would rather not take a woman, no matter

  how capable she might be, Vanessa and your grandmother

  included.

  Kendra stood up. But you'd take Seth? He's two years

  younger than me and practically brain dead!

  My brain is not the issue, Seth said, enjoying the

  argument.

  Coulter pointed at Seth with his walking stick. At

  twelve, he's on his way to becoming a man. There are plenty

  of places I wouldn't take either of you, if that brings any consolation.

  Places none of us would take you until you're much

  older and more experienced. There are even places we

  wouldn't go ourselves.

  But there are places you'd take my little brother and

  not me, just because I'm a girl, Kendra pressed.

  I wouldn't have brought it up if I didn't foresee it happening

  within the next few days, Coulter said.

  Kendra shook her head. Unbelievable. You know that

  Fablehaven wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me.

  Coulter shrugged apologetically. You did a wonderful

  thing, and I'm not trying to detract from that. I'm not

  talking about ability. If I had a daughter and a son, there are

  certain things I see myself doing with one and not the other.

  I know everybody is busy trying to pretend boys and girls are

  exactly the same nowadays, but that isn't how I see it. If it

  makes you feel better, I'll share everything I know with both

  of you, and most places we'll be going, we can all go.

  And I'll get somebody else to take me where you

  won't, Kendra promised.

  That's your prerogative, Coulter said.

  Can we move on to something else? Seth asked.

  Can we? Coulter asked Kendra.

  There's nothing else for me to say, Kendra said, still

  frustrated.

  Coulter acted like he didn't notice her tone. As I was

  telling you before, my specialty is magical items. There are

  all sorts of magical items in the world. Many have burned

  out-they were once magical but have run out of energy and

  lost their power. Others remain functional but can only be

  used a limited number of times. And others seem to draw

  from an endless supply of magical energy.

  Is the glove limited? Seth asked.

  Coulter held up the glove again. I've been using it for

  years, and the effects never seem to dwindle. For all I can

  tell, it will work forever. But like most magical items, it has

  certain limitations. He slipped it onto his hand and disappeared.

  As long as I hold still, you can see nothing.

  Different story if I move around. Coulter began to flicker in

  and out of view. He was wiggling his head. When he waved

  an arm, he flashed into clear view until he stopped.

  The glove only works if you're motionless, Kendra

  said.

  Coulter was no longer visible. Correct. I can talk, I can

  blink, I can breathe. Much more movement than that, and I

  become visible. He took off the glove, reappearing

  instantly. Which is quite an inconvenience. Once I've been

  spotted, this glove isn't very handy for getting away. It also

  doesn't mask my smell. For maximum effect, I have to slip it

  on before I've been seen, in a situation where I can hold still,

  and where no being that can discern my presence through

  senses other than sight is present.

  That's why you had us meet you here, Seth said. So

  you could come early and get ready to spy on us.

  See? Coulter said to Kendra. He isn't brain dead.

  Naturally, if I were really intent on spying on you, I would

  have stood behind the bench in the bushes. But I wanted to

  make a dramatic appearance, so I trusted to luck that you

  wouldn't run into me and ruin my surprise.

  Your footprints must have been obvious on the lawn,

  Kendra pointed out.

  Coulter bobbed his head. The grass was newly trimmed,

  and I stamped around a bit before I chose my spot, but yes,

  had you been paying proper attention, you could have

  noticed the imprints of my feet on the lawn. But I guessed

  right. You didn't.

  Can I try out the glove? Seth asked.

  Some other time, Coulter said. Listen. I would prefer

  that you kept my glove a secret. Your grandparents know,

  but I would rather keep it from the others. Doesn't pay to let

  the world in on your best tricks.

  Seth mimed like he was locking his lips shut and tossing

  away the key. I won't tell, Kendra said.

  Keeping secrets is an important skill to master in my

  line of work, Coulter said. Especially with the Society out

  there, always scheming to gather information and exploit

  weaknesses. I tell my best secrets only to people I know I can

  trust. Otherwise the secret becomes a rumor just like that.

  He snapped his fingers. You practice keeping the confidences

  I share with you. Believe me, if I learn you've told

  anyone, you'll never hear another secret from me.

  You better keep an eye on Kendra, Seth said.

  I never promised to keep that secret, she maintained.

  I'll be keeping an eye on both of you. And I'll up the

  stakes for the test. He held up a small greenish pod. There

  is a species of pixie in Norway that loses its wings at the

  onset of winter. The pixie spends the coldest winter months

  hibernating m a cocoon like this one. When spring comes,

  the pixie emerges with a beautiful new set of wings.

  Seth wrinkled his nose. We have to keep that a secret?

  I haven't finished. After the proper treatments and

  preparations, these cocoons become valuable items. If I pop

  this cocoon into my mouth and bite down hard, it will

  instantly expand and envelop me. I'll be inside an absolutely

  impervious shelter, completely saf
e from any external threat.

  Enough carbon dioxide filters out of the cocoon, and enough

  oxygen filters into it, to keep me comfortable-even underwater!

  The moist inner walls are edible. Together with the

  moisture they absorb from the outside, the cocoon walls

  could sustain me for months. And despite the impenetrable

  outer carapace, from inside, with a little work, I can break

  free whenever I choose.

  Wow, Kendra said.

  This rare, specially prepared cocoon is my insurance

  policy, Coulter said. It's my Get Out of Jail Free Card. And

  it is one of the secrets I guard most carefully, because a day

  will likely come when it saves my life.

  And you're telling us? Seth asked.

  I'm testing you. Even your grandparents don't know

  about this cocoon. You are not to talk about it with anyone,

  including each other, because you might be overheard. After

  sufficient time passes, if you keep this secret, I may share

  others with you. Don't disappoint me.

  We won't, Seth vowed.

  Coulter bent down and scratched his ankle. You kids

  notice any drumants last night?

  They both shook their heads.

  I got nipped a couple of times on the leg, he said.

  Slept right through it. Maybe I ought to try sawdust and

  garlic after all.

  Vanessa caught two more, Kendra said.

  Well, she has eleven to go then, Coulter said. I want

  to show you one more item. He held up a silver sphere.

  You heard your grandparents talking about how no mortals

  can access Fablehaven through the gates. The entire fence

  surrounding Fablehaven is reinforced by mighty spells. One

  of those spells can be illustrated by this ball.

  Coulter walked over to the birdbath. The fairies scattered

  at his approach. In my hand the spell remains dormant.

  But once I release the ball, it becomes protected by a

  distracter spell. He plopped the sphere into the birdbath.

  Not nearly as strong as the distracter spell protecting the

  gates, but it should do.

  Coulter returned and stood beside them. Seth, go get

  that ball for me, would you?

  Seth studied Coulter suspiciously. It's going to distract

  me somehow?

  Just go bring it over here.

  Seth trotted over to the birdbath. He stopped and

  started looking around in all directions. What did you

  want? he finally called back to Coulter.

  Bring me the ball, Coulter reminded him.

  Seth slapped the heel of his hand against his forehead.