by Brandon Mull
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.