“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 two 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 Call it outdated chivalry, but there are some places I don’t feel women should go.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 in 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 safe 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, speci
ally 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. “Right.” He reached into the water with one hand. Then he put his other hand in and rubbed them together. He stepped back from the birdbath without the ball, shaking droplets from his hands and then drying them against his shirt. He started walking back over to Coulter and Kendra.
“That’s incredible,” Kendra said.
“Forget anything, Seth?” Coulter asked.
Seth stopped, cocking his head.
“I wanted the ball,” Coulter said.
“Oh, yeah!” Seth cried. “What was I thinking?”
“Come back over here,” Coulter invited. “Now you’ve sampled a distracter spell. One of the spells protecting the fences of Fablehaven does essentially the same thing. Anyone who comes across the fence immediately has his or her attention diverted elsewhere. Simple and effective.”
“I want to try,” Kendra said.
“Be my guest,” Coulter offered.
Kendra walked toward the birdbath. She kept repeating in her mind what she was supposed to do. She even mouthed, “The ball, the ball, the ball,” repeatedly. When she reached the birdbath, she stared into the water at the silvery sphere. She wasn’t distracted yet. She picked it up and brought it back to Coulter. “Here you go.”
He looked flabbergasted. “How did you do that?” he asked.
“I’m as surprised as you are. I thought I was just a girl.”
“No, really, Kendra, that was most unusual.”
“I just focused.”
“On the ball?”
“Yeah.”
“Impossible! The charge must have run out. After all these years… go put it back.”
Kendra jogged over to the birdbath and set it inside. Coulter walked over to the birdbath, hands balled into fists. He placed a hand into the water beside the sphere, began rubbing the bottom of the basin, and then quickly snatched the ball. “It still works. I could feel the spell striving to muddle me, potent as ever.”
“Then how did you get it?” Kendra asked.
“Practice,” Coulter said. “If you focus on the ball it will distract you. So you focus on something near the ball. I was focusing on rubbing the bottom of the birdbath, keeping the ball in the back of my mind. Then, as I’m rubbing the bottom of the birdbath, when I notice the ball, I grab it.”
“I concentrated on the ball,” Kendra said.
Coulter tossed the ball toward the bench. It came to a rest on the lawn. “Go get it again. Don’t even try to focus.”
Kendra walked over and picked it up. “Guess I’m immune.”
“Interesting,” Coulter said thoughtfully.
“I bet I could do it now,” Seth said.
“Set it down, Kendra,” Coulter said.
Seth walked toward the ball, stooped to pick some grass, and then went and sat on the bench. “What?” he asked, wondering why they were staring, then slapping his forehead again once they reminded him.
“Must be another side effect from the fairies,” Kendra guessed.
“Must be,” Coulter said thoughtfully. “The mysteries keep piling up around you, don’t they. You’ve reminded me, the fairies have caused some other peculiar effects here at Fablehaven. Let’s move on to the fun stuff. We’ve made a fascinating discovery since your last visit.” He raised his voice. “Hugo, come!”
The massive golem came out from behind the barn, loping toward them with long, pounding strides. When Kendra had last seen Hugo, he was blooming with verdure, thanks to the fairies. Now he looked much more like he had before the fairies had resuscitated him: a primitive body of soil, stone, and clay, more apelike in form than humanlike, a few weeds and dandelions sprouting here and there, but no leafy vines or colorful flowers.
Hugo halted in front of them. The top of Coulter’s head barely reached the middle of the golem’s powerful chest. Hugo was broad, with thick limbs and disproportionately large hands and feet. He looked like he could effortlessly tear Coulter limb from limb, but Kendra knew Hugo would never do something like that. The golem only followed orders.
“You remember Hugo?” Coulter said.
“Of course,” Seth said.
“Watch this,” Coulter said. He picked up a stone and tossed it toward the golem. Hugo caught it.
“What’s that supposed to prove?” Seth said.
“I didn’t tell him to catch it,” Coulter said.
“He must have a standing order to catch things thrown at him,” Kendra guessed.
Coulter shook his head. “No standing order.”
Faintly, Hugo smiled.
“Is he smiling?” Seth asked.
“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Coulter said. “Hugo, do whatever you like.”
Hugo squatted, and then jumped high into the air, raising both arms. He landed with enough force to make the ground tremble.
“He’s doing things on his own?” Kendra asked.
“Little things,” Coulter said. “He’s still totally obedient. He completes all his chores. But one day your grandmother spotted him putting a baby bird back into its nest. Nobody had issued a command; he was simply being kind.”
“You’re saying the fairies did something to him!” Kendra said. “After Muriel destroyed Hugo with a spell, they rebuilt him, but they must have changed him.”
“Near as we can tell, they made him a true golem,” Coulter said. “Manufactured golems, the mindless puppets who exist only to obey orders, were originally created in imitation of true golems, actual living creatures of stone or mud or sand. True golems long ago passed out of all human knowledge. But apparently Hugo is now one. He is developing a will.”
“Awesome!” Seth exclaimed.
“Can he communicate?” Kendra asked.
“Only crudely for now,” Coulter explained. “His comprehension is quite good — it had to be, for him to take orders. And his physical coordination is as precise as ever. But he is only just beginning to experiment with expressing himself and acting on his own. Slowly but surely he has been improving.
In time, he should be able to interact with us like a normal person.”
“So right now he’s like a big baby,” Kendra said in wonder.
“In many ways, yes,” Coulter agreed. “One of the jobs I want the two of you to undertake is to engage in an hour of playtime with Hugo every day. He will not be under any order to heed your commands. I will simply leave him with the mandate to enjoy himself. Then you two are free to talk to him, play catch with him, teach him tricks, whatever you like. I want to see if we can get him functioning more on his own.”
“If he gets too smart, will he stop taking orders?” Seth asked.
“I doubt it,” Coulter said. “Obedience to his masters is woven too deeply into his being. It is part of the magic that holds him together. He could, however, develop into a much more useful servant, capable of making decisions and sharing information. And he could start enjoying a higher state of existence.”
“I like this assignment,” Kendra said. “When can we start?”
“How about now?” Coulter offered. “I don’t think we have enough time for a real foray into the woods today. You need to be here after lunch so you can go into town with your grandmother. I have no idea what you might be doing there.” Imitating Seth, Coulter pantomimed like he was locking his lips and throwing away the key. “Hugo, I want you to play with Kendra and Seth. Feel free to do whatever you want.”
Coulter strode away toward the house, leaving Kendra and Seth with the massive golem. For a moment the three stood in silence. “What should we do?” Seth asked.
“Hugo,” Kendra said. “Why don’t you show us your favorite flower in the garden?”
“Favorite flower?” Seth complained. “Are you trying to bore him to death?”
Hugo raised a finger and then waved for them to follow. He stomped off across the lawn in the direction of the swimming pool. “Picking favorites gives him a chance to practice making choices,” Kendra explained as they ran to keep up with Hugo.
“Fine, then how about favorite weapon or monster or something cool?”
Hugo stopped beside a hedge with a flowerbed at the base. He pointed at a large blue and white flower with a trumpet-shaped blossom and vivid, translucent petals. It was delicate and exquisite.
[Fablehaven 02] - Rise of the Evening Star Page 12