by Brandon Mull
“Now, that is a dragon,” Seth murmured.
Kendra had seen Celebrant at the battle of Zzyzx, but never up close. Watching him battle demons from a distance was a very different experience from approaching him with his penetrating eyes glaring down, glowing like molten gold. She knew the direct gaze of a dragon could be especially paralyzing, so she did her best to focus on Marat instead.
When Kendra and Seth reached the platform, Marat rested a reassuring hand on Kendra’s shoulder. “May I present Kendra and Seth Sorenson, the candidates to replace me as co-caretaker of Wyrmroost and master of this keep.”
“So young,” Celebrant said in a rumbly bass. “All humans are children to me, but the two of you are children to humans.” His articulate words were uncommonly resonant, as if fifty identical recordings of the same voice were being played in unison.
“I’m fifteen,” Kendra said.
“Thirteen,” Seth added.
“And you can speak in my presence,” Celebrant said.
“Yes,” Kendra said simply.
His head swooped toward them, jaws gaping large enough to swallow a car, revealing vicious rows of teeth designed to pierce and shred. The great mouth snapped shut almost close enough for Kendra to reach out and touch it.
After initially flinching away, Kendra held her ground. She clenched Seth’s hand and he squeezed back. She concentrated on the dragon’s nostrils instead of his blazing eyes, trying to stand tall and have courage as Raxtus had advised.
“Can you speak now?” Celebrant roared, the volume hurting her ears, his hot, humid breath washing over them.
Kendra was alarmed, but not frozen. “You’re a little close,” she said, her voice cracking a bit.
“And you could use a mint,” Seth said.
Celebrant reared up again. “Not many mortals can abide my presence,” he said calmly, “let alone respond with such insolence. Together you meet the minimum requirements. But what about on your own?”
“They will serve together,” Marat said. “All relations with dragons will be handled in tandem.”
“Thank you, Marat, but I am more interested in their answers,” Celebrant replied.
“Same answer,” Seth said. “We’re a team.”
“And what if you are separated?” Celebrant asked.
“We’ll wait to talk to dragons until we’re together,” Kendra said.
“What about urgent matters?” Celebrant pressed. “What if you’re separated during an emergency?”
“We’ll stick together,” Seth said.
“I hope so,” Celebrant said with a dark chuckle. “Inability to perform your most basic duties during a crisis might be considered grounds for removal from your position.”
“We’ll do our duty,” Kendra said.
Celebrant shifted his gaze to Marat. “Am I to be insulted that you wish to instate a pair of human children to function as my equal?”
“Despite their age, Kendra and Seth have proven themselves valiant,” Marat said. “She is fairykind and he is a shadow charmer. They are legitimate candidates.”
“Yoking me alongside any human caretaker would be an insult,” Celebrant said. “Even a wizard.” His attention returned to Kendra and Seth. “Are you aware of the dangers involved? Were you told that I have attacked Blackwell Keep three times this past month?”
“Yes,” Kendra said.
“I am called Celebrant the Just for good reason,” the Dragon King said. “I am powerful but also fair. Consider this your warning. If you accept this position, we will not be on friendly terms unless you share power to control who enters and exits Wyrmroost.”
“Those were not the terms you arranged with Agad,” Marat protested. “You were to be a co-caretaker, partnering with the caretaker of Blackwell Keep. The caretaker of the keep controls who comes and goes. You were empowered to manage the affairs of the dragons on this preserve. Your authority ends at the gate. You have no power to regulate who passes through it.”
Celebrant showed his teeth. “I am not content with this arrangement. I demand the same rights to control access as the caretaker of Blackwell Keep.”
“Your contentment is irrelevant,” Marat said. “The arrangement cannot be altered.”
“Except by mutual agreement between the caretakers,” Celebrant said smoothly.
“We won’t change the arrangement,” Kendra said.
Celebrant glared at her for a long moment. “Then we may find ourselves in conflict. If I were to become the sole caretaker, the power to come and go from Wyrmroost would reside with me. You have been warned.”
“Are the applicants acceptable?” Marat asked.
Celebrant drew his head near Kendra and Seth again, sniffing one, then the other. Kendra held still and kept her gaze away from his eyes. Celebrant swung his head over to Marat.
“I will accept the candidates on one condition,” Celebrant said. “Make it official right now. Give up your post and instate them as caretakers immediately. Otherwise I will deny them the opportunity.”
“Normally we verify our choice with Lord Dalgorel of the Fair Folk,” Marat said.
“That is a matter of courtesy, not necessity,” Celebrant said. “Dalgorel has no power to veto our selection. It will be as easy to introduce him to the new caretakers as it would be to present them as candidates.”
“He will take it as an insult,” Marat said.
“Their long-standing position of neutrality makes their reactions irrelevant,” Celebrant said. “The endorsement of Dalgorel is a weary custom. This can mark a new tradition. What say you?”
Marat turned to Kendra and Seth. “Are you ready and willing to become the caretakers?”
Kendra hadn’t realized it would happen immediately. She looked at Seth.
“Absolutely,” her brother said.
Kendra nodded. “Me too.”
Marat removed the medallion from around his neck. “Once the caretaker wielded one of the seven scepters and wore this medallion. As part of the agreement with Agad, the scepter went to Celebrant. This medallion marks the wearer as a caretaker of Wyrmroost and master of Blackwell Keep.”
“I better wear it,” Seth said.
“It is presented to both of you,” Marat said. “You can pass it to another only with permission from Celebrant. The two of you share equal authority no matter who wears the medallion.”
“I still better wear it,” Seth said.
“It’s basically a necklace,” Kendra said.
“But it means I’m in charge,” Seth said.
Kendra glanced at Celebrant. The last thing she wanted to do in front of the Dragon King was conduct an infantile argument about who got to wear the medallion. “He can have it for now.”
Marat approached Kendra and Seth. “Do you, Kendra Sorenson, and you, Seth Sorenson, accept the responsibility of watching over and protecting Wyrmroost, along with the living beings contained herein?” He paused for them to answer.
“I do,” Kendra said.
“Yes,” Seth said.
Marat nodded and continued. “And do you, Kendra Sorenson, and you, Seth Sorenson, vow to protect the outside world from the living beings at Wyrmroost, and to shelter the living beings at Wyrmroost from any outside threats?”
“I do,” Kendra said.
“Sure,” Seth said.
Marat stepped nearer to Seth. “Then as a current caretaker of Wyrmroost and as master of Blackwell Keep, of my own free will, I hereby confer my stewardship over Wyrmroost to Kendra Sorenson and Seth Sorenson, including all rights pertaining to a designated and official caretaker of this sanctuary together with all privileges available to the master of Blackwell Keep.”
When Marat placed the medallion around Seth’s neck, Kendra couldn’t help feeling a little jealous. Marat shook hands with Seth, then with Kendra. Then he tur
ned to Celebrant. “It is done.”
Celebrant snarled. “Congratulations, younglings. Enjoy your new status while it lasts.” The dragon opened his mouth and a searing blast of blue-white energy erupted forward. Marat raised a golden ax and the energy smeared against an invisible dome covering the platform. The timbers shuddered beneath Kendra’s feet, the temperature increased, and the walls of the keep groaned.
“Back,” Marat urged, ax held high.
Kendra and Seth retreated off the Perch to the top of the wall. Marat followed more slowly, shuffling until his feet were on the stone of the wall rather than the wood of the platform.
Celebrant paused, eyes vicious, then breathed out another torrent of brilliant energy that spread out along the top of the wall, as if impeded by an unseen barrier. Though dazzling, the attack seemed no more harmful than water against a windshield.
“Get inside,” Marat ordered over his shoulder. He placed a mask over his face. It looked ancient, and of Asian design.
Kendra and Seth withdrew along the top of the interior wall toward the metal door from which they had emerged. Marat remained atop the outer wall, his golden ax raised in defiance against the energy smeared across the transparent barrier protecting the keep. He looked so small in contrast to the immensity of Celebrant. Kendra realized that without the magical barrier shielding Blackwell Keep, they would all be extremely dead. Would there even be ashes left?
“Begone, Celebrant,” Marat called. “You can do us no harm. By disrespecting these new caretakers you undermine your own authority.”
After the deluge of radiant energy stopped, Celebrant leaned his head closer to Marat and exhaled a searing conflagration of fire. Most of the flames flattened against the unseen barrier, but some licked through, only to be repelled by an invisible dome around Marat. Celebrant tipped his head back and shot a geyser of flame into the sky. Then, roaring, the Dragon King seized the Perch with his mighty forelegs and wrenched it from the wall, hurling the entire platform to the ground. After exhaling a final blistering firestorm, Celebrant turned and flew away, wings whistling as his enormity surged skyward.
New Job
The next morning, Seth held his first meeting with Calvin since arriving at Wyrmroost. The Tiny Hero had spent the previous day and night exploring Blackwell Keep.
“Tell me you learned some good secrets,” Seth said.
“Secrets take time,” Calvin replied cheerfully. He pointed at Seth’s chest. “Isn’t that the pendant Marat was wearing?”
“I’m officially the caretaker now,” Seth said.
“Along with Kendra?”
“I guess, technically.”
“Don’t you want her help?” Calvin asked.
“For talking to dragons, maybe.”
“Isn’t that a big part of the job?”
“I’m not sure,” Seth admitted. “They seem way more interested in eating us.”
“I heard about the Perch,” Calvin said. “Everybody in the keep is buzzing about it.”
“That’s one piece of gossip I know plenty about,” Seth said. “It made Kendra and me feel very welcome.”
Calvin laughed. “You didn’t think it would be easy?”
“I thought it would be awesome,” Seth replied. “So far, so good, I guess. What else did you learn?”
“I spent some time with a few of the dwarfs. Wish I could get those hours back! Low educational and entertainment value.”
“Did you find out anything from them?”
“When he’s alone, the one called Didger picks his ears a lot. Give the guy a week and he would have enough wax to build a life-sized replica.”
“Of you or of him?”
“Of Celebrant, probably.”
Seth chuckled. “Are the dwarfs just soldiers?”
“Three work as guards,” Calvin reported. “Obun and Didger run the stables.”
“Are there horses?”
“Eleven. Plus three mules. And five griffins.”
“They keep griffins here?”
“Five,” Calvin repeated.
“Since I’m caretaker, that means I have five griffins.”
“You and Kendra,” Calvin reminded him politely.
“I need more info like that,” Seth said. “All the cool stuff I should know about.”
Calvin saluted. “I’ll do my best.”
A knock came at the door that joined Seth’s room to his grandparents’. Without waiting for a response, Kendra opened it and poked her head in. “Good, you’re up. Marat wants to talk with us.”
“Finally,” Seth said. “Where was he last night?”
“Talking with Grandpa and communicating with Agad,” Kendra said. “We’ll learn more now.”
Seth scooped Calvin into his hand. “Want to come?”
“If you don’t mind,” Calvin said.
Seth pocketed him, then followed Kendra into the next room. Grandma and Grandpa Sorenson sat on the edge of their canopied bed looking solemn. Marat stood in the middle of the room, his face careworn, his eyes tired.
“Have a seat,” Marat said.
Kendra chose a chair, but Seth stayed on his feet.
“Celebrant doesn’t like us,” Seth said.
“That depends on what you mean,” Marat said. “He is delighted at the opportunity you provide.”
“What about the defenses?” Kendra asked. “Are they stronger?”
Grandpa sighed.
“They remain precarious,” Marat said.
Seth had worried this might be the case. After Celebrant had torn down the Perch, Grandma and Grandpa had ushered Kendra and Seth to their rooms. There had been questions about whether the defenses were any better than they had been before. This was the first definitive answer.
“I thought the defenses were supposed to get stronger with us as caretakers,” Seth said.
“It was our best guess,” Marat said. “Agad and I are baffled that your instatement didn’t fix the problem.”
“How did Celebrant destroy part of the castle?” Kendra asked.
“The same way he brought his head so near you during the interview,” Marat said. “The Perch projected beyond the keep and represented neutral territory.”
“He could have killed us,” Kendra said.
“Not with me there,” Marat said. “Celebrant is fast and strong, but I was ready, and we were only a few paces from a safe refuge.”
“Safe for how long?” Seth asked.
“Celebrant gave it all he had, and the defenses held,” Marat said. “But I felt them wavering, as they have wavered only recently. Tearing down the Perch was a message. The Dragon King has no respect for you. He doesn’t expect to confer with you again.”
“I was really looking forward to our next heart-to-heart,” Seth said.
“It’s discouraging,” Grandma said. “You’re starting with crippled relations. Celebrant isn’t giving you a chance to do your jobs well.”
“I accept my share of the responsibility,” Marat said. “Celebrant wanted them instated immediately. It meant he was eager. I hoped he was eager for the wrong reasons. I hoped he was focused only on their youth. I hoped he didn’t understand that their instatement would secure the defenses.”
“But it didn’t work,” Kendra said.
Marat frowned. “Perhaps he got lucky. Perhaps he knows more than we do. But the defenses are no stronger. And, given Celebrant’s eagerness, he won’t approve a replacement for you.”
“I’m so sorry, kids,” Grandpa said. “I’ve failed you and your parents. This was a gamble, and I’m afraid we lost horribly. You’re stuck here as caretakers for at least a year, until you can override Celebrant’s vetoes to appoint a replacement. And I have no idea if Blackwell Keep can stand for that long.”
Kendra crossed to Grandpa and laid a hand on his
arm. “It’s okay, Grandpa. We knew the risks. We had to try. And the defenses haven’t fallen yet.”
“I reached out to Agad,” Marat said. “He has no alternate theory for why the defenses became vulnerable in the first place. But we will not rest until we figure it out.”
“And we have the barrel,” Grandma reminded everyone.
Grandpa nodded. “If Blackwell Keep falls, we can send Kendra and Seth back to Fablehaven. We will move the barrel to a room near ours and keep the children in close proximity.”
“Not all the time,” Seth said.
“Much of the time,” Grandpa said. “Especially if we’re attacked.”
“But we have to do our jobs,” Seth said. “We’re the caretakers. It’s not a token position. The sanctuary needs us. We’ll be safer if we do our jobs well.”
“There is some truth to that,” Marat allowed. “Although much of the work should be delegated to your assistants. You should get acquainted with the staff. Your new status as caretakers grants permission to ask questions and expect answers. Much could depend on establishing trust.”
“There are some formalities they will need to perform personally,” Grandma said.
“Like meeting with the Fair Folk today,” Marat said.
“Who are they?” Kendra asked.
“I’d love to hear more about this topic,” Grandpa said, extending a hand toward Marat.
“The Fair Folk are a notoriously secretive people,” Marat said. “It was not always so, but despite my long years, they kept to themselves even in my childhood.”
“Fair Folk,” Kendra said. “The name makes them sound nice.”
“Nice?” Marat asked as if perplexed. “I suppose they can be nice. It is not how I would describe them. They have long lives. They tend to be very attractive. They wield potent magic. And for thousands of years they have withdrawn from interaction with other magical beings. They maintain a strict position of neutrality, siding with neither demon nor fairy, neither dragon nor giant nor wraith. Is a policy of seclusion nice? Is remaining aloof during emergencies nice?”
“You don’t like them,” Seth surmised.