Fablehaven2-Rise of the Evening Star Page 21

  Seth to Olloch, Grandpa said. It does not strike me as very

  strategic, which is unlike Coulter. He may know something

  we don't.

  Time is wasting, Dale said.

  Right, Grandpa agreed. Dale, Vanessa, Tanu, find

  where Coulter took Seth. Recover Seth and Hugo.

  The three of them ran out of the room. Kendra heard

  them thumping around the house collecting gear She stood

  still, stunned. Was this really happening? Was her brother

  really gone, kidnapped by a traitor? Was Coulter really going

  to feed him to Olloch? Or did Coulter have something

  unforeseeable in mind?

  Seth might already be dead. Her mind recoiled at the

  thought. No, he had to be alive. Tanu and Vanessa and Dale

  would rescue him. As long as she had room to hope, she

  should not lose faith. Is there anything I can do? Kendra

  asked.

  Grandma rubbed her shoulders from behind. Try not to

  worry. Vanessa, Tanu, and Dale will find them.

  Do you think you could go back to bed? Grandpa

  asked.

  Not likely, Kendra said. I've never felt more awake.

  And I've never wished more that I was dreaming.

  Merciless silence followed the end of Coulter's cries.

  Seth could not tell if it was an aftereffect of the screaming,

  but the fear seemed to be intensifying again, welling up

  inside of him. Something jostled Seth's cocoon. Again. And

  again.

  Seth pictured the gaunt man with the lank hair and the

  unphotogenic smile rocking the cocoon. He can't get in, he

  can't get in, he can't get in, Seth repeated softly to himself.

  The fear was leveling off. It was uncomfortable, but bearable

  after what he had sampled outside of the cocoon. What

  would he do now? He was trapped. Sure, the zombie man

  could not get in, but Seth could not get out either. The

  instant he ripped open the cocoon he would become vulnerable.

  So it was a standoff. He would have to wait to be

  rescued.

  A roar interrupted his thinking. It sounded distant,

  though it was difficult to be sure how much of that was the

  cocoon. Seth waited, listening. The next roar was definitely

  nearer. He knew the sound. It was deeper and fuller in a way

  that implied bigger, but it was certainly Olloch.

  Seth heard another fierce roar. And another. What was

  going on? A showdown with Hugo? What would happen if

  Olloch got into the grove? If Olloch had the potential to

  become as powerful as Bahumat, strong enough to overthrow

  the foundational treaty of Fablehaven, wasn't it possible that

  the demon could become stronger than the cocoon?

  All Seth could do was wait in the close, soft confines of

  his enclosure, ignoring whenever it was shaken by the zombie.

  Actually, Coulter had called the creature a revenant,

  whatever that meant. Apparently he had been mistaken

  about the grove being home to a phantom. Coulter had said

  to remove the nail, which had to be the thornlike thing in

  the side of the revenant's neck. Easier said than done. Hard

  to pull out a nail when a fear you can't control has you

  frozen solid.

  An earsplitting roar caught Seth unprepared. He

  flinched, covering his ears. It sounded like Olloch was right

  outside the cocoon. And then Seth was harshly flung about.

  It felt like the cocoon had been catapulted into a web of

  bungee cords. He was grateful the snug interior was padded.

  After Seth had been whipped about until he was unsure

  which direction was up, the cocoon settled to a stop. A

  moment later, he felt the cocoon start moving linearly. Then

  it stopped. Then it started again. The motion was a lot

  smoother now. It felt like the cocoon was in the back of a

  pickup truck that kept accelerating, decelerating, and turning.

  And occasionally hopping.

  It did not take long for Seth to deduce what it meant.

  Olloch had swallowed him, cocoon and all.

  The Thief's Net

  Kendra slowly stirred her oatmeal. She lifted a glob on

  her spoon, turned the utensil over, and watched the wet

  clump plop back into the bowl. Her toast was growing cold.

  Her orange juice was growing warm. She just wasn't hungry.

  Outside the sun was rising, casting a golden glow over

  the garden. Fairies flitted about, coaxing blossoms into

  brighter bloom. The mellow, peaceful morning seemed indifferent

  to the fact that her brother had been kidnapped.

  You should eat something, Grandma said.

  Kendra put a bite of oatmeal in her mouth. In other circumstances

  it would have tasted good, dusted with cinnamon

  and sweetened with sugar. But not today. Today it was

  like chewing Styrofoam. I'm not in the mood.

  Grandpa sucked butter from his thumb, having finished

  another piece of toast. Eat, even if it feels like a chore. You

  need your energy.

  Kendra took another bite. You couldn't get the Sphinx

  last night? she asked Grandma.

  Nor this morning. It just rang and rang. Which is

  unfortunate but not uncommon. He answers when he can.

  I'll try again after breakfast.

  Grandpa sat up straight and craned his neck, looking out

  the window. Here they come, he said.

  Kendra sprang to her feet and ran to the back porch.

  Tanu, Vanessa, Dale, and Hugo had emerged from the woods

  and were approaching through the garden. Hugo cradled

  Coulter in one arm. The golem's other arm was missing.

  Kendra saw no sign of Seth.

  Distressed, Kendra turned to Grandma, who was wheeling

  Grandpa out to the porch. I don't see Seth, she said.

  Grandma put an arm around her. Don't jump to conclusions.

  As Hugo and the others drew nearer, Kendra realized

  that Coulter looked different. His expression was blank, and

  his skin was bleached. His hair, which had been gray, was

  now white as snow. He had apparently suffered the same fate

  as Warren.

  What news? Grandpa asked as the others gathered on

  the grass beneath the porch.

  Nothing good, Tanu said.

  What about Seth? Grandpa pressed.

  Tanu looked down. The action said it all. Oh, no,

  Grandma whispered. Kendra burst into sobs. She tried to

  stifle them by biting her sleeve. Squeezing her eyes shut did,

  not stop the tears.

  Maybe we should wait, Vanessa said.

  I want to hear, Kendra managed. Is he dead?

  All signs suggest he has been consumed by Olloch,

  Tanu said.

  Kendra hunched against the porch railing, shoulders

  shaking. She tried not to believe what she was hearing, but

  there was no other choice.

  Tell us everything, Grandma said, voice quavering.

  Hugo was simple to track, though he traversed some

  rugged terrain, Tanu said. We met him heading back

  toward the house, returning along the same route he had

  used to reach the grove.

  So Coulter did go to the grove, Grandpa said angrily.

  Yes. For the life of me, Hugo looked dejected when we

  found him. He was missing an arm, had his
head hung low,

  and was trudging slowly. Once we found him, we ordered

  him to take us to where he had left Coulter.

  And Hugo went directly to the grove in the valley of

  the four hills, Grandma said.

  Followed his own tracks, Tanu said. When we got to

  the grove I studied what evidence I could find. I saw where

  Coulter and Seth entered the grove together. It did not

  appear Hugo was able to join them. Working my way around

  the perimeter of the grove, I found where Coulter's tracks

  departed. On the far side of the grove, I discovered where

  Hugo had scuffled with Olloch. I'm sure that is where Hugo

  lost his arm. Nearby I saw where Olloch entered the grove.

  Not far from there, I found where Olloch left the grove. We

  searched and searched, but located no sign of Seth leaving

  the grove.

  How could Olloch enter the grove if Hugo couldn't?

  Kendra asked.

  Different barriers work in different ways, Tanu said.

  My guess is that the grove is less repellent to creatures of

  darkness. A demon like Olloch would be immune to many

  black curses.

  Did you go into the grove? Grandma asked.

  There is a malevolent evil there, Vanessa said.

  We felt unprepared for what we might face below those

  cursed trees, Tanu said. We had to physically restrain Dale.

  In the end, we followed Coulter's departing tracks and found

  him roaming in the woods as you now see him.

  Kendra could hardly listen to the news. She clutched the

  railing and fought the overpowering grief throbbing inside

  of her. Each time fresh sobs shook her, she tried to weep quietly.

  After all that had happened last summer, how close

  they had all come to losing their lives, it seemed unfair that

  death should now take Seth so suddenly and unexpectedly.

  It was unimaginable that she would never see her brother

  again.

  Could he be alive, swallowed whole? Kendra asked in a

  small voice.

  Nobody would look at her. If the demon devoured him,

  he is no more, Grandpa said gently. We'll give it a day. If

  Olloch consumed Seth, he should slow down and return to

  his dormant state until somebody else makes the mistake of

  feeding him. I don't mean to give you false hope, but we

  won't know for certain that Olloch has ingested Seth until

  we locate the demon in his dormant state.

  Should we look sooner? Kendra asked, wiping her eyes.

  What if Seth's still out there, running?

  He isn't running, Tanu said. Believe me, I looked. At

  best he may have found a place to hide inside the grove.

  Which is unlikely if the demon came and went,

  Grandma said sadly.

  Can we get anything out of Coulter? Kendra asked.

  He seems no more responsive than Warren, Dale said.

  Want to see if he reacts to you, Kendra?

  Kendra pressed her lips together. The thought of going

  near Coulter was revolting. He had killed her brother. And

  now, like Warren, his mind had flown. But if there was a

  chance he might reveal something useful, she had to try.

  Kendra climbed over the porch railing and dropped to

  the grass. Hugo, set Coulter down, Dale ordered.

  Hugo complied. Coulter stood still, looking even smaller

  and more frail now that he was albino and expressionless.

  Kendra placed a hand on his white neck. Coulter cocked his

  head and looked her in the eye. His lips trembled.

  We never got Warren to say anything, Kendra said.

  Try asking him, Vanessa said.

  Kendra placed a hand on either side of Coulter's face

  and stared into his eyes. Coulter, what happened to Seth.

  Where is he?

  Coulter blinked twice. The corner of his mouth

  twitched toward a smile. Kendra pushed him away. He

  looks happy about it, she said.

  I'm not sure you were getting through, Dale said. I

  think he just liked your touch.

  Kendra gazed up at the golem. Poor Hugo. Can we fix

  his arm?

  Golems are resilient, Grandpa said. They frequently

  shed and accumulate matter. Over time the arm will reform.

  Kendra, perhaps you should come in and lie down.

  I don't think I can sleep, Kendra moaned.

  I could give her a mild sedative, Vanessa offered.

  That may not be a bad idea, Grandma said.

  Kendra considered it. The idea of falling asleep and temporarily

  leaving all the heartache behind was appealing. She

  was not sleepy, but she was weary. Okay.

  Placing a supportive hand on Kendra's elbow, Vanessa

  guided her up to the porch and back into the house. In the

  kitchen, Vanessa put some water on the stove. She left and

  returned with a tea bag.

  Kendra sat at the table, absently handling a salt shaker.

  Seth really is dead, isn't he?

  It doesn't look good, Vanessa admitted.

  I didn't picture this happening. It was all starting to feel

  like a wonderful game.

  It can be wonderful, but it is definitely not a game.

  Magical creatures can be deadly. I have lost several loved

  ones to them.

  He was always asking for it, Kendra said. Always

  looking for risks.

  This wasn't Seth's fault. Who knows what kind of pressure

  Coulter might have applied to lure him away? Vanessa

  poured warm water into a mug, inserted the tea bag, and

  stirred in some sugar. I'm guessing you would prefer your tea

  drinkable versus scalding. She pulled out the tea bag and

  set it on the counter. This should be plenty potent.

  Kendra sipped at the herbal tea. It was minty and sweet.

  Unlike the rest of breakfast, it tasted like something she

  could finish. Thanks, this is good.

  Let's start walking to your room, Vanessa said. In a

  moment, you'll be glad to be near a bed.

  Kendra continued sipping from the mug as they climbed

  the stairs and passed down the hall. The drowsiness hit her

  on the way up the steps to the attic. You weren't kidding,

  Kendra said, leaning against the wall to steady herself. I feel

  like I could just curl up right here and fall asleep.

  You could, Vanessa said. But why not go a few more

  steps and sleep on your bed. Vanessa took the mug from

  Kendra. It was not yet half empty.

  The rest of the way to her bed, Kendra felt like she was

  moving in slow motion. After the painful news about her

  brother, the numb, detached sensation was welcome. She

  climbed into bed and instantly faded into a deep sleep,

  unable to process the final words Vanessa spoke to her.

  * * * *

  Waking up from her drugged slumber was a delicious,

  gradual process for Kendra, like lazily floating upward out of

  deep water. The surface was not far off, and when she

  reached it, she knew she would feel perfectly rested. No

  desire to slap a snooze button, no grogginess from sleeping

  too long. She had never noticed herself awakening so

  smoothly.

  When she was finally fully awake, Kendra hesitated to

  open her eyes, hoping the contentment would linger. Wasn
't

  there a reason she shouldn't feel so perfect? Her eyes shot

  open, and she looked over at Seth's empty bed.

  He was gone! Dead! Kendra closed her eyes again, trying

  to pretend it had all been a miserable dream. Why

  hadn't she awoken when Coulter came and took him? How

  had Coulter gotten him out of the house so stealthily?

  She opened her eyes. Judging from the light, it was late

  afternoon. She had slept the day away.

  Kendra went downstairs and found Grandma in the

  kitchen, chopping cucumbers. Hello, dear, she said.

  Any news while I was out?

  I've tried to contact the Sphinx twice. Still no answer.

  I hope he's all right. Grandma stopped cutting and wiped

  her hands on a towel. Your grandfather wanted to talk to us

  in the study once you awakened.

  Kendra followed Grandma to the study, where Grandpa

  sat reading a journal. He closed the book as they entered.

  Kendra, come in, we need to talk.

  Kendra and Grandma sat down on the cot near

  Grandpa. I've been thinking, Grandpa said, and the way

  everything played out last night doesn't add up. I know

  Coulter well. He is a cunning man. The more I ponder

  the situation, the less strategic sense I see to his actions,

  especially with him ending up an albino like Warren. His

  behavior was so clumsy that I suspect he was not acting

  under his own volition.

  You think somebody was controlling him? Kendra

  asked.

  Such things are possible in numerous ways, Grandpa

  said. I may be wrong, and I have no concrete proof, but I

  suspect we may have yet to discover our traitor. And so I

  have set a plan in motion. It may cause some commotion

  tonight, so I thought it was only fair to warn you. Look

  under my cot.

  Under the cot Kendra saw a six-foot-long, ornately

  carved box. Grandma peeked as well. What's in the box?

  Kendra asked.

  Less than an hour ago I called in Vanessa, Tanu, and

  Dale. I told them I believed we had caught our traitor, but

  that I was worried about Christopher Vogel's presence on the

  property, undoubtedly with designs for more mischief. I told

  them that I had decided to hide the key to the artifact vault

  under my cot, and that I wanted them to know where it was

  in case of an emergency. Then we went on to discuss plans

  for tracking Olloch tomorrow, as well as how we might discover

  the whereabouts of our other uninvited guest.

  Big box for a key, Kendra said.