Fablehaven: The Complete Series (224 page)

“Give it a shot. You might want to stutter—that could help sell it.”

“Stutter?”

“Long story.”

He glanced away. “I’m a unicorn.”

Kendra’s jaw dropped. It took her a moment to recover. “Did you just say a unicorn?”

Eyes hesitant, he shrugged using hands and shoulders. “I warned you.”

Kendra laughed incredulously. “Look. Bracken. You need to go back to spy school. In fact, maybe you should just try a different career path. You obviously weren’t hired for your brains.”

“Maybe you’re right. I would be a suspiciously lousy spy.”

“What, you’re saying I should believe you because you’re incompetent? Or just because your story sounds crazy? I don’t suppose you can prove that you’re actually a horse?”

“I’m stuck in human form. I lost my horn.”

Kendra covered her eyes with one hand. “This is actually worse than feeling lonely.”

“You’re fairykind. Can’t you perceive my aura?”

She looked at him. He was undeniably handsome. That was all. “I’ve never been good at seeing that stuff.”

His eyes lit up with an idea. “I am now speaking the secret fairy language. Can you understand me?”

“Yes.”

“Can you tell I am no longer speaking English?”

Kendra tried to focus. She heard English, but something did feel different. “I interpret intuitively. Keep talking.”

“What should I say? I suppose it doesn’t matter. I’m trapped in a dungeon with a girl who thinks I have lost my mind.”

“I can tell you’re speaking another language,” Kendra said. “But I can’t tell the difference between the various fairy languages.”

“At least it’s a start,” Bracken said. She perceived that he had reverted to English. “I can take you to visit some of your friends. Maddox, for example. Mara.”

“The guards just let you roam free? Don’t they know you’re sneaking around in the walls?”

“Our captors look the other way if we stay unobtrusive. I’ve been here for a very long time. This dungeon is vast and ancient, riddled with forgotten tunnels and unused spaces. The rest we dig—
we
meaning the prisoners.”

“What about my parents?”

“I know of no accessible route to their cell. I looked into it for Seth.”

“But they’re here?”

“I believe so.”

“I’d love to contact them. They think I’m dead.”

“Wish I could help. Hopefully Seth will show up soon and rescue us. He can vouch for me.”

Kendra considered the statement. “It might take more than Seth’s endorsement.”

“Don’t underestimate your brother. He was careful. He didn’t trust me right away. In fact, maybe he still doesn’t really trust me. I hope he uses the coin.”

“If you gave him a magical toy, he’ll use it.”

Bracken sighed. “I can’t believe you’re fairykind and you can’t recognize a unicorn. You know, the sooner you trust me, the sooner we can play ping-pong.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing. Lousy joke. It’ll make sense later. Unicorns aren’t very social creatures. I’m doing my best.”

“You’re fine.”

“Doesn’t help that you’re so . . . brilliant.”

“Is that sarcasm?”

“I meant brilliant as in shiny. Should I stop talking?”

She was starting to entertain the possibility that Bracken might be legitimate. Wouldn’t the Sphinx’s dungeon be full of good creatures like unicorns? Many of his prisoners should be potential allies. Of course, every time she started trusting a stranger, it seemed like she got burned. Gavin had seemed great before his true nature was revealed. She would be slow to offer any real trust. “You’re saying you could take me to Maddox right now?”

“I’m saying—” he stopped. Suddenly he looked stricken. “I don’t believe it,” he muttered in a completely different tone.

“What?” Kendra asked.

“I have an intruder in my cell.” He sounded astonished.

“How do you know?”

Bracken turned to face the gap in the rear wall. “I created a magical detection system that would signal me if anybody entered while I was away. It has never alerted me before. Nobody ever visits my cell.”

“What does it mean?” Kendra wondered.

“I have no idea. This has been the most eventful night this dungeon has seen in decades. I have to investigate. My cell is some distance away. Care to join me?”

If he was an enemy, she supposed he could harm her as easily here in her cell as out in some secret passageway. “Sure.”

He smiled. “Follow me.” His expression seemed so playful, Kendra found herself wanting to please him.

They slipped through the gap and Bracken closed the sliding wall. Using the light from his stone to guide them, he led Kendra on an elaborate path, through hidden hatchways, down stairwells and ladders, along tight crawl spaces. They headed mostly downward, until at last they reached an area that looked like a natural cave, with no clear path and glistening rock formations that appeared half melted. Soon they sat and scooted down a cramped incline of oily stone. No wonder Bracken’s clothes looked so ragged!

Just before the bottom of the incline, he directed Kendra into a branching passageway. They hurriedly proceeded along a crudely excavated stretch of tunnel and finally reached a dead end. Bracken held a finger to his lips. Leaning his mouth to Kendra’s ear, he whispered, “My visitor awaits us inside.” He produced a short, sharp knife. “Stand back.”

Kendra stepped away. Bracken waved a hand and sang a few unintelligible words, and a portal opened. Glowing stone in one hand, knife in the other, Bracken entered.

“Who are you?” Bracken demanded.

“A friend,” came the answer. Kendra knew that voice!

“I hope so,” Bracken replied. “You have a much larger knife.”

Kendra peered through the opening into Bracken’s cell. The spacious room was more cavelike than her cell, but equally bare.

The intruder was Warren, warily clutching the fancy sword he had claimed back at Lost Mesa.

She caught his eye. “Kendra!” he exclaimed.

“You know each other?” Bracken asked.

“This is my friend Warren,” Kendra said. “Or I guess he could be a stingbulb.”

“How did you get in here?” Bracken challenged.

“I understand you can protect those around you from outside scrutiny,” Warren said. “Sort of a psychic shield.”

“Yes,” Bracken said. “How would you know that?”

“Are you doing it now?”

“I always do it. Nagi Luna is constantly trying to spy. The only scrying tool I can’t thwart is the Oculus. I see that you have a charm that protects you from scrutiny.”

Warren fingered the feathery, beaded amulet around his neck. “A recent gift. We need to talk.”

Putting his knife away, Bracken approached Warren. “First, I need to confirm you are not an imposter.”

“How?”

“Remove the amulet, and give me your hands.”

Warren glanced at Kendra. “Do you trust this guy?”

She shrugged. “A little, I guess.”

“I won’t do anything hurtful,” Bracken promised.

“He says he’s a unicorn,” Kendra inserted.

“So I’ve heard,” Warren said. He removed the amulet and took Bracken’s hands. They stared at one another.

“Just relax,” Bracken said. “Think about what you hope to accomplish by visiting me.” Soon he released Warren’s hands. “He’s not a stingbulb. Nor is he an enemy. Good to meet you. I’m Bracken.”

“Warren, how did you get down here?” Kendra asked.

“I wish I could say through my own brilliant innovation,” Warren said. “I had help.”

“From who?” Bracken wondered.

“The Sphinx.”

“What?” Kendra exclaimed.

“I know how it sounds,” Warren said. “Hear me out. It will make sense.”

“We’re listening,” Bracken said skeptically.

“Tonight changed everything for the Sphinx,” Warren explained. “He has lost control of the Society.”

Bracken scowled doubtfully. “How?”

“Graulas is here.”

“The demon who helped Seth back at Fablehaven?” Kendra asked. “Isn’t he dying?”

“Not anymore,” Warren said. “Apparently a demon called Nagi Luna here at Living Mirage had an agent slip Seth the Translocator and the Sands of Sanctity. Seth escaped the dungeon and went to heal Graulas. Once healed, the demon stole the artifacts, acquired the Chronometer, and came here.”

“Seth healed Graulas!” Kendra cried.

“He must have thought he was being kind,” Warren inferred.

“So now the Society has all five artifacts,” Kendra said.

“And something the Sphinx never counted on,” Warren said.

“A powerful demon vying for control,” Bracken surmised. “The Sphinx always maintained he would open Zzyzx only on his terms.”

“But his plans have fallen apart,” Warren said. “Graulas has already won over most of the Society, including Mr. Lich. Many have long felt the Sphinx was too lenient and conservative. If the Sphinx doesn’t play along, he’ll end up a prisoner in his own dungeon. Blixes are mortal beings, and Mr. Lich has been with the Sphinx almost since the beginning, sipping from the same Font of Immortality. With or without the Sphinx, Mr. Lich can use the Translocator and the Chronometer to begin the process of opening Zzyzx.”

“And the demons can finish it,” Kendra said.

Bracken pounded a frustrated fist into his palm. “Deluded as the Sphinx was, we’re all worse off than before.”

“We have one ray of hope,” Warren said. “If he can’t do it on his terms, the Sphinx wants to abort the opening of Zzyzx. He wants to stop Graulas as badly as we do. He can’t let the demons know his intentions. He wants to remain close to the center of things, in the hopes of bringing them down from the inside. But he provided me with some key information.”

“How did you meet up with him?” Bracken inquired.

“Earlier in the night, I was part of a rescue attempt,” Warren said. “Kendra came here as part of the same mission. I was dropped off separately from the rest of the strike force as a fail-safe. I began evasive maneuvers the instant the dwarf left my side, and good thing I did. Minutes later I was the target of a manhunt. Coulter, a friend of ours, had lent me his invisibility glove, which improved my chances. Even so, I barely managed to elude my pursuers.

“Not long after Graulas arrived at Living Mirage, the Sphinx decided to personally lead the hunt for me. Accompanied by a few wraiths under his control, the Sphinx tracked me down. But instead of bringing me in, he told me the situation, gave me some keys, and explained about a secret passage into the depths of his dungeon.”

“You can lead us out of here?” Bracken exclaimed.

“By a pathway known only to the Sphinx,” Warren confirmed.

“Then what?” Kendra said.

“He wants us to protect the Eternals,” Warren said.

Bracken laughed bitterly. “The world is upside down.”

“He said there are three Eternals left. He recently learned the location of one, a man called Roon Osricson, who has long occupied a heavily fortified stronghold in Finland.”

“Okay,” Bracken said uncertainly.

“The Sphinx feels certain Graulas will move against Roon immediately,” Warren said. “The demon is already campaigning for support to remove Nagi Luna from her confinement in the dungeon. The Sphinx believes it will not be long before Nagi Luna holds the Oculus in her hands. Once she does, he believes she will speedily discover the remaining Eternals. Bracken, he wants you to leave one of your psychic communicators in your room. He will retrieve it and feed us information as it becomes available.”

“This is a dangerous game,” Bracken whispered. “You understand, our interests may temporarily align, but the Sphinx does not share our agenda. His end goal is not to stop the opening of Zzyzx, but to regain control of the situation and open it on his terms.”

“I get it,” Warren said. “But keep in mind, if Graulas is here and healthy, what are the odds of the Sphinx regaining control?”

“I see your point,” Bracken said. “Nevertheless, we mustn’t underestimate him. Or place full trust in him.”

“Agreed,” Warren said. “However, for the moment, I think it benefits everyone to use each other.”

“How can we get out of here?” Bracken asked.

“It has to look like we escaped,” Warren said. “The Sphinx said the main gate is heavily guarded. According to him, our best bet is to head to the fairy shrine.”

“The shrine here is sealed,” Bracken said resentfully.

“Right,” Warren said. “By the Sphinx. He gave me the key.”