Fablehaven: The Complete Series (76 page)

The imp raised an arm to block the blow, but his forearm buckled on impact. Whirling, Mendigo clubbed the imp’s bulging belly, and then whacked him across the shoulders when he doubled over.

“Mendigo,” Seth said, “break his legs, but don’t kill him.”

The puppet set about bludgeoning the fallen imp, quickly hobbling him. “That’s enough, Mendigo,” Kendra said. “Only hurt them more if they keep after us.”

“You’re going to pay for this,” the wiry imp snarled through clenched teeth, glaring fiercely at Kendra.

“You asked for it,” Kendra said. “Mendigo, pick us up and get us away from the yard as fast as you can.”

“And don’t lose the key,” Seth added.

Mendigo hoisted Kendra over one shoulder and slung Seth over the other. The puppet ran away from the scene faster than either Kendra or Seth had seen him run before.

“Mendigo,” Kendra said softly after they had left the crippled imps behind, “take us to back to the cottage as quickly as you can.”

“Did you say the cottage?” Seth asked.

“There’s another imp, and he looked like the worst of the three,” Kendra said.

“Right, but won’t they look in the cottage?” Seth asked.

“Imps can’t enter the cottage,” Kendra reminded him.

“All right,” Seth said. “I knocked Vanessa out with one of her own darts.”

“Then they probably won’t be after us right away. Mendigo, if somebody chases us and gets close, put us down and beat them with the key.”

Mendigo showed no sign that he heard, but Kendra felt sure he had. He continued at a tireless sprint. She did not mind the branches whipping past her and tearing at her sheet. It was much preferable to running barefoot.

Chapter 18

Diverging Plans

Kendra and Seth sat at the table with Warren. Seth was finishing a second peanut butter and honey sandwich. Kendra was dumping lemonade powder into a pitcher full of water. She stirred the mixture with a wooden spoon.

The key lay on the table. It was mostly smooth, fashioned out of a dull gray metal. One end had a grip like the hilt of a sword. The other end had little notches and grooves and irregular protuberances. Kendra and Seth could only assume that the complicated end was meant to be inserted into an intricate keyhole.

Outside in the night, Mendigo stood watch, clutching a hoe in one hand and a rusty cowbell in the other. He was under orders to raise the alarm with the bell if any strangers approached, and then to use the hoe to cripple any imps or people who came along.

“We can’t stay here,” Seth said.

“I know,” Kendra replied, pouring lemonade into a glass. “Do you want some?”

“Sure,” Seth said. “I have a plan.”

Kendra started filling a second glass. “I’m listening.”

“I say we go back to the grove, get past the revenant, use the key, and retrieve the artifact.”

Kendra took a sip from one of the glasses. “Just barely too strong,” she said.

Seth picked up the other glass and took a drink. “A little weak, if you ask me.”

“What is your plan again?” Kendra asked, rubbing her eyes. “I’m so tired, I feel like I can barely concentrate.”

“We should go after the artifact,” Seth restated.

“And how do we get past the revenant? I thought it totally froze you.”

Seth held up a finger. “I already figured it out. See, we have that courage potion in Tanu’s pouch. You know, the bottled-up emotion. I think if I take a big enough dose, the courage will counteract the fear from the zombie.”

Kendra sighed. “Seth, he has to mix in all sorts of stuff to get the emotions to balance each other out right.”

“The fear from the revenant will balance it out plenty. You heard Vanessa and Errol. I just have to pull out the nail. I know I can do it!”

“What if you can’t?”

Seth shrugged. “If I can’t, I end up an albino like the others, and you’ll have to make a new plan.”

“After everything that has happened, do you think the riskiest plan imaginable is the best way to go?”

“Unless you have a better one.”

Kendra shook her head and wiped her hands down her face. She felt so weary that it was tough to focus. But obviously they couldn’t just charge off and battle a revenant and then try to survive all the traps guarding the inverted tower. There had to be better alternatives.

“I’m waiting,” Seth said.

“I’m thinking,” Kendra said. “It’s what some people do
before
they talk. Let’s consider the other options besides deliberate suicide. We could hide. I’m not wild about that option, because it just prolongs an actual decision, and I’m not going to be able to keep awake much longer.”

“You have circles under your eyes,” Seth said.

“We could attack. They only have one imp left. Mendigo is a pretty tough fighter. If he had a weapon, he could maybe take out their last imp, and then beat up Errol and Vanessa.”

“
If
we can lure them all out of the yard,” Seth said. “Which I doubt will happen. After they find the injured imps, they’ll be careful. You never know, they might have other tricks up their sleeves. Vanessa could come after us as Dale, for example.”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” Kendra admitted. “Do you think she’s doing that right now?”

“I would be,” Seth said. “And this is the first place I would look.”

“What if Dale shows up and Mendigo hurts him?” Kendra wondered.

“At this point, if Dale shows up, Mendigo better hurt him. His legs will heal.”

“We should probably leave Fablehaven,” Kendra said. “Escape and find the Sphinx.”

“How? You have his phone number? Know where he hides out?”

Kendra rubbed the side of her head.

Seth looked at her adamantly. “And guess who is probably waiting on the driveway just outside those gates? Your friend the kobold. And that big monster made of hay. And about a zillion other members of the Society of the Evening Star, guarding the gates in case somebody tries to do exactly what you’re saying. And probably hoping Vanessa figures out how to let them in.”

“Do you have a better idea?” Kendra huffed.

“I told you a better idea. They won’t be expecting it.”

Kendra shook her head. “Seth, even Tanu and Coulter weren’t sure how they were going to get past the traps in the tower. Even if you could defeat the revenant, we’d never make it to the artifact.”

Seth got up out of his chair. “Outside of Fablehaven, the Society of the Evening Star can send everybody they have after us. We wouldn’t last five minutes. In here, they only have Vanessa, Errol, and that imp. Either way is dangerous. But I’d rather take a risk trying to fix everything than take a risk running away.”

“Running for help,” Kendra stressed.

“You didn’t run away when you went to the Fairy Queen,” Seth reminded her.

“That was different,” she said. “You and Grandma and Grandpa were about to die for sure, and I had nobody to help me. If I had run away, I would have been abandoning you. I knew I could save you if the Fairy Queen was willing to help me.”

“And if we get the artifact we can save Grandma and Grandpa,” Seth said. “It probably has powers we can use.”

“Nobody even knows what it does,” Kendra said.

“It does something. They’re all supposed to be really powerful, letting us control time or space and stuff like that. You didn’t know exactly what the Fairy Queen could do. You just knew she was powerful. Whatever the artifact is, at least it would give us a chance. Would you rather go hide under a log? In the morning, we’d be no better off than we are right now.”

“At least we wouldn’t be dead.”

“I’m not so sure,” Seth said. “All it takes is one of us falling asleep, and we’ll be in all sorts of trouble.”

“I’m not saying we hide under a log. I say we bring Mendigo, and take our chances trying to find the Sphinx. We don’t have to use the driveway; we can climb the gate and loop way around, stay out of sight. There’s a better probability we’ll succeed.”

“How is there a better chance? We have no idea what is waiting outside the gates! We have no idea where the Sphinx is! We don’t even know if he’s still alive!”

Kendra folded her arms. “He’s been alive for hundreds of years and all of a sudden he gets killed?”

“Maybe. These artifacts have been hidden for hundreds of years and all of a sudden they’re being found.”

“You’re exhausting,” Kendra said.

“That’s what you say when I’m right!” Seth said.

“It’s what I say when you won’t shut up.” Kendra stood. “I have to use the bathroom.”

“First tell me we’ll go after the artifact.”

“No way, Seth. We’re leaving the preserve.”

“I’ve got it,” Seth said. “How about you leave, and I go get the artifact?”

“Sorry, Seth. I thought you were dead once. I’m not going to lose you now.”

“It makes sense,” he said with more conviction. “I go after the artifact, you go after help. Both might be long shots, but both only require one of us.”

Kendra’s hands clenched into fists. “Seth, I’m about to lose it. Enough about going after the artifact. It’s crazy. Can’t you tell when an idea is doomed? Are you programmed to self-destruct? We’re sticking together, and we’re leaving Fablehaven. There might not even be anybody on guard out there. You’re just guessing. We’ll be careful, but our best bet is somehow finding the Sphinx. Hopefully he’s already looking for us.”

“Fine, you’re right,” he said curtly.

Kendra wasn’t sure how to respond. “You think?”

“It doesn’t matter what I think,” Seth said. “The fairy princess has spoken.”

“You’re a jerk,” she said.

“Then I can’t win,” Seth said. “I’m a jerk if I agree, I’m crazy if I don’t.”

“It’s
how
you agree,” she said. “Can I go to the bathroom now?”

“Apparently you get to do whatever you want,” Seth said.

Kendra walked to the bathroom. He was being unreasonable. Going after the artifact was insanity. If they were seasoned adventurers like Tanu, it might be a risk worth taking. But they knew nothing. It was a certain recipe for disaster. Running away from Fablehaven was scary too, but at least those dangers weren’t guaranteed. The revenant was there for sure, and so were the traps guarding the artifact.

Kendra massaged her temples, trying to clear her mind. She always got muddled when she was overtired. Part of her didn’t want to leave the bathroom. As soon as she rejoined Seth, they would have to run off into the night with Mendigo and flee the preserve. All she wanted to do was curl up and go to sleep.

Kendra washed her hands and splashed water on her face. Reluctantly she returned to the main room. Warren sat alone at the table. “Seth?” she called.

The potion pouch was open. The key was gone. A note sat on the table, with the invisibility glove beside it. Kendra hurried to the note.

Kendra,

I took Mendigo and am going after the artifact. I will send him back once he takes me to the grove.

Don’t be mad.

Keep a good lookout and lie low until Mendigo gets back. Then go find the Sphinx. I left you the glove.

Love,

Seth

Kendra reread the note in stunned disbelief. She threw it down and ran outside. How long had she been in the bathroom? Pretty long. She had been thinking, and taking her time. Ten minutes? More?

Dared she yell for Mendigo? The night was quiet. A crescent moon was rising. The stars were clear and bright. She heard nothing. If she ordered Mendigo back, would he hear? Would he come? Surely Seth had commanded the giant puppet not to heed any orders from her to return. And since she had told Mendigo to obey Seth, the puppet probably saw their authority as equal, and would obey Seth’s preemptive command.