Fablehaven: The Complete Series (107 page)

Newel passed right through him, and bubbling tingles erupted through Seth’s body. As the effervescent sensation subsided, Seth noticed that his body was pulling back together. He was in a gaseous state!

“Newel!” Doren said sharply, backing away from his deranged friend. “Why are you doing this? Come to your senses!”

Newel sneered. “You’ll thank me later.”

“Leave me be,” Doren said gently. “We’re best friends.”

“Won’t take long,” Newel growled in his guttural voice.

Seth tried to say, “Come and get me, you goat-faced psycho,” but, though his mouth could make the right shapes, no sound came out.

Roaring, Newel rushed at Doren, who turned and ran in the opposite direction from where Tanu was heading. Apparently Newel was more interested in chasing his friend than pursuing the Samoan, because he did not even glance at Tanu and Mendigo. Doren crashed away through the undergrowth with Newel in close pursuit. Seth noticed for the first time that a slender cord of shadow was connected to Newel. The curling black line wound out of sight into the trees.

Seth was left alone in the small clearing, hovering a few inches above the ground, wispy particles of himself steaming from his body without ever truly dissipating. He tried again to move, swinging his arms and legs. Although he did not generate any more traction than he had previously, Seth began to glide forward. He soon found that it was not moving his arms or legs that mattered. All it took was the intent to move in a certain direction, and he gradually began to drift that way.

Arms hanging at his side, legs dangling motionless, Seth slowly glided after Tanu, hoping to reach the house before solidifying in case Newel decided to return. In his gaseous state, Seth could have abandoned paths and traveled in a straight line through the woods, but the paths were fairly direct, and he didn’t particularly enjoy the sensation of dissolving around branches and other obstructions.

With his top speed barely matching the pace of a leisurely stroll, he remained anxious throughout the tedious journey. He worried about how Tanu was doing, and whether Doren had outrun Newel, and what to do if Newel reappeared. But Newel did not return, and Seth remained gaseous until he drifted across the yard and up onto the deck.

Tanu opened the door and admitted Seth to the house. Mendigo waited nearby, a deep split in one wooden forearm. Tanu looked worried. “Did Doren make it away?” he asked.

Unable to speak, Seth shrugged and crossed his fingers.

“I hope so too. I think my wound is going to be a problem. Look.”

Tanu held up his beefy arm. There was no blood, but much of the forearm looked like shadow instead of flesh. “Oh, no!” Seth mouthed.

“It’s turning invisible,” Tanu said. “Like what happened to Coulter, only slower. The invisible portion has been spreading. I have no idea how to slow it.”

Seth shook his head.

“Don’t worry. I didn’t expect you to have the answer.”

Seth shook his head more vigorously, making the particles of his face disperse with fizzy tingles. He drifted over to a shelf and pointed at a black binder, then pointed at Tanu’s arm.

“You want me to take notes about my arm? I’ll let you inform the others. You’ll solidify soon.”

Seth looked around the room. He glided over to a window, where the light of the sun was making a flowerpot cast a shadow. He pointed at the shadow, then indicated Tanu’s arm.

“Shadowy?” Tanu asked. Understanding suddenly registered in his expression. “My arm looks shadowy to you, not invisible. Like how you see Coulter as a shadowman.”

Seth gave Tanu a thumbs-up.

“I’d better go outside, in case I turn evil like Newel.”

Tanu walked out to the deck. Seth floated along behind him. They stood together, silently staring into the yard. A frothy sensation surged through Seth, tickly tingles everywhere, as if he were a bottle of soda that somebody had shaken until it was wildly foaming over. After a fizzy hiss, the tingling stopped, and he found himself standing on the deck, his body solid once more.

“That was pretty cool,” Seth said.

“Unique sensation, isn’t it?” Tanu said. “I have only one gaseous potion left. Come with me, I want to try something.”

“I’m sorry about your arm,” Seth said.

“Wasn’t your fault. I’m glad you avoided getting nipped.” They descended the stairs from the deck, passing from underneath the overhang into direct sunlight. Wincing and clutching his shadowy forearm, Tanu fled into the shade. “I was afraid of that,” he growled through clenched teeth.

“Did it hurt?” Seth asked.

“Coulter said he couldn’t visit us until sundown. I think I just confirmed why. When the sunlight hit my arm, the invisible part burned with unbearable cold. I can hardly imagine how that would feel spread over my whole body. Maybe I should wrap my arm and go find a shady spot far from the house.”

“I don’t think you’ll turn evil,” Seth said.

“You have a reason?”

“Newel didn’t behave like himself,” Seth said. “He was out of control. But Coulter acted calm. He seemed normal, except for being a shadow.”

“Coulter may just be more devious than Newel,” Tanu said. “He might have pounced on us if we’d given him the chance.” Tanu held up his arm. The area from his wrist to his elbow was lost in shadow. “It’s spreading faster.” Sweat beaded on his forehead. He sat down heavily on the deck stairs.

Across the lawn, Seth saw Grandpa Sorenson emerge from the woods. Behind him came Dale, and then Hugo giving Grandma a ride on his shoulder. “Grandpa!” Seth called. “Tanu got hurt!”

Grandpa turned and said something inaudible to Hugo. The golem picked him up, steadied Grandma, and loped across the lawn. Dale ran along behind. Hugo set Seth’s grandparents down beside the deck. Tanu raised his injured arm.

“What happened?” Grandpa asked.

Tanu recounted the incident with Newel, telling how the satyr had changed, how he had attacked them, how they had gotten away, and how the injury looked shadowy to Seth. Grandma knelt by Tanu, inspecting his arm.

“A single bite did this?” she asked.

“It was a big bite,” Seth said.

“Small injuries from nipsies were enough to transform Newel,” Tanu said.

“How are you feeling?” Grandma asked.

“Feverish.” The shadow had cloaked all of his hand except the fingertips and was also spreading up his arm. “I don’t think I have much time. I’ll give Coulter your best.”

“We’ll do all we can to restore you,” Grandpa promised. “Try to resist any evil inclinations.”

“I’ll give you two thumbs up if you can trust me,” Tanu said. “I’ll try with everything I have not to deceive you with that gesture. Can you think of a better way to prove I’m still on your side?”

“I can’t think of much else you could do,” Grandpa said.

“He’ll have to stay out of the sun,” Seth said. “It’s painfully cold to him.”

“The sun didn’t appear to affect Newel?” Grandma asked.

“No,” Seth said.

“Nor did it slow the fairies who came after Seth,” Grandpa said. “Tanu, stay on the deck until sundown. Confer with Coulter when he arrives.”

“Later, if I can hang on to my wits, I’ll explore the preserve, see what I can find,” Tanu mumbled, his mouth twisted into a grimace. “Did you learn anything from Nero?”

“We found him injured on the floor of the ravine, pinned beneath a heavy log,” Grandpa said. “Apparently he had been set upon by dark dwarfs. They stole his seeing stone and much of his treasure. He couldn’t tell us how the plague originated. The injuries he had sustained did not appear to be transforming him in any way. Hugo moved the log and Nero was able to scramble back up to his lair.”

Tanu began breathing heavily, eyes squeezed shut, sweat trickling down his face. His entire arm was lost in shadow. “Sorry to hear . . . it was a bust,” he wheezed. “Better . . . get inside . . . just in case.”

Grandpa placed a reassuring hand on Tanu’s healthy shoulder. “We’ll get you back. Good luck.” He stood up. “Hugo, I want you in the barn standing guard over Viola. Be ready to come if we call.”

The golem strode away toward the barn. Dale patted Tanu’s good shoulder. Grandpa led the others into the house, leaving Tanu groaning on the deck steps.

“Can’t we do anything for him?” Seth asked, peeking out the window.

“Not to prevent what is happening,” Grandma said. “But we won’t rest until we get Tanu and Coulter back.”

Dale busied himself examining Mendigo’s fractured arm.

“Did you see any darkened creatures on your way to Nero?” Seth asked.

“Not one,” Grandpa said. “We kept to paths and moved quickly. I didn’t realize how fortunate we were until now. If we determine that we can trust Tanu and Coulter, we may attempt a final excursion in the morning before sunrise. If not, it may be time to consider abandoning Fablehaven until we can return armed with a plan.”

“Don’t ignore help from Tanu and Coulter just because you need me there in order to see them,” Seth pleaded.

“Like it or not, I must take that into consideration,” Grandpa said. “I’ll not place you in jeopardy.”

“If I’m the only one who can see them, maybe it means there is something only I can do to help them,” Seth reasoned. “There may be more important reasons for having me come than simply as a means to follow them. It may be our only hope for success.”

“I won’t rule it out,” Grandpa said.

“Stan!” Grandma said reproachfully.

Grandpa turned to face her, and her expression softened.

“Did you wink at her?” Seth asked. “Are you just trying to shut me up?”

Grandpa regarded Seth with an amused expression. “You get more perceptive every day.”

Chapter 11

The Old Pueblo

Gavin joined Kendra in the entry hall toting a wooden spear with a head crafted from black stone. Despite the primitive design, the weapon looked sleek and dangerous, the head affixed securely, the tip and edges sharp. Still, Kendra wondered why he preferred the spear to a more modern weapon.

Kendra wore sturdy boots and a hooded poncho over her fresh, dry clothes. “Expect we’ll see any mammoths?” she asked.

Gavin grinned, hefting the spear. “You weren’t with us yesterday, so you didn’t hear all the details. Technically, the mesa isn’t part of the preserve. It’s older. Untamable. The t-t-treaty that founded this preserve won’t protect us while we’re up there. Rosa said that only weapons fashioned by the people who used to live on Painted Mesa are of any use against the creatures we’ll encounter. This spear is more than a thousand years old. They use special treatments to keep it like new.”

“Did the others have to use weapons last time?” Kendra asked.

“Supposedly not,” Gavin said. “They took them, but made it to the vault with no problem. The trouble came when they reached the dragon. But I worry that things may have changed since last time. The path they used has vanished. Plus, there was a disturbing weight to the air when we tried to climb the mesa yesterday. Honestly, I think you should back out of this, Kendra.”

Kendra felt like she was back at Fablehaven earlier in the summer, when Coulter refused to include her on certain excursions with Seth simply because she was a girl. Her hesitations about scaling the mesa suddenly fled. “How do you expect to find the stairs without me?”

“I don’t mind you guiding us to the bottom of the stairs,” Gavin said. “But if we can’t climb them without you, maybe we don’t have any business being up there.”

Kendra took a slow breath. “Even though I’m the only one who can find the way up, you somehow think you belong on the mesa more than I do?”

“I don’t mean it as an insult,” he said, holding up his free hand. “I just suspect you haven’t had much combat training.” He twirled the spear casually, making it swish through the air.

“That would look really nifty in a parade,” Kendra said flatly. “You’re sweet to worry.” With no particular training, hadn’t she led fairies in an assault that captured a powerful demon? Hadn’t she helped Warren retrieve the artifact from the vault at Fablehaven? What had Gavin done?