Enchantment (5 page)

Paddy
and
Todd
had
raised
him
from
a
ba
b
y
,
and
alwa
y
s
treated
h
i
m
like
one
of
their
own. Kerrigan
had
been
abandoned,
s
o
the
Beavers
were
the
on
l
y
fa
m
i
l
y
he
had
ever
kn
o
wn.

He’d
gr
o
wn
up
in
this
ho
m
e,
or
lodge,
as
beavers
called
it.
But
the
Beaver’s
lodge
did
not represent
a
t
y
p
i
c
a
l
beaver’s
ho
m
e.
Magic
ca
m
e
with
m
a
n
y
benefits,
including
a
kitchen,
dining area,
m
a
n
y
bedroo
m
s,
and
of
course,
the
large
lagoon.
The
Beavers’
role
in
Enchantment revolved
around
this
spectacular
body
of
glistening
clear
water
s
urrounded
by
large,
flat, iridescent
rocks
and
lush
foliage
under
a
m
agnif
i
cent
do
m
ed
ceiling.
The
pool
of
water
w
a
s
the gatew
a
y
to
the
Upper
World.

Kerrigan
pushed
aside
his
thoughts
and
focused
again
on
the
m
a
t
ter
at
hand.
“
I
’m
s
or
r
y
if
I seem gruff,
but
y
ou
kn
o
w
h
o
w
serious this
is.
Enchantment
hasn’t had a foreigner in hundreds of
y
e
ars. H
o
w
am
I
going
to
explain
this
to
the
Council
?
”

Todd
scratched
his
head.
“Nobody
needs
to
know
the
y
’
r
e
here.
The
one
creature
does
look like
an
Enchanter,
and
the
litt
l
e
thing
could
be
any
critter
m
a
d
e
b
y
m
a
g
ic
here
in
Enchan
t
m
e
n
t.”

Kerrigan
started
pacing
with
Todd
and
let
out
another
sigh.
“
The
Council
will
eventua
ll
y se
n
se
the
presence
of
a
foreigner.
We
don’t
even
know
why
or
h
o
w
th
e
y
discovered
u
s.
Th
e
y could
be
dangerous.”

He
crouched
down,
peering
into
Todd’s
e
y
es.
Fear
and
w
or
r
y
stared
back
at
hi
m
.
Kerrigan knew
as
well
as
Todd
that
the
Council
wouldn’t
show
co
m
passion
or
lenien
c
y
for
Todd’s decision.
He’d
have
to
think
of
so
m
ething to
save
his
father’s hide.

“Todd,
never
in
over
a
hundred
y
e
a
r
s
have
y
o
u
m
ade
this
t
y
pe
of
decision.
I
know
the
pain and
s
uffering
y
ou
see
in
eve
r
y
an
i
m
al
that
falls
into
the
water
above.
W
h
y
did
y
o
u
save
these tw
o
?
Is
y
o
ur
job
becoming
too
m
uch
to
bear
?
”

Todd’s
fearful
expre
s
sion
turned
rigid
and
proud.
“You
know
I
take
my
j
o
b
seriousl
y
, Kerrigan.
I
have
been
a
Secret
Keeper
for
centuries.
Y
e
s,
I
broke
the
law,
and
I
can’t
tell
y
o
u
w
h
y
I
felt
co
m
p
e
lled
to
save
the
m
.
But
let’s
not
forget,
the
little
it
can
speak.
I
think
they
were
m
eant to
find
u
s.
Or
m
a
y
be
I
w
a
s
m
e
ant to
find
th
e
m
.”

Padd
y
,
who
was
listening
in
silence,
got
up
from
the
table,
“Kerrigan,
perhaps
y
o
u
should take
a
look
at
the
two?
They
are
still
asleep,
and
the
larger
one
is
in
j
ured.”

“Yes,
I
s
uppose
I
should.
Which
room
are
they
in
?
”

Paddy
pulled
bandages
and
supplies
from
a
drawer.
“
I
put
them
in
y
o
u
r
old
roo
m
.
Let
m
e finish getting what I need here,
and
I’ll
co
m
e
with
y
o
u.
While
I
don’t think
those two
w
ould hurt an
y
o
n
e,
it
m
ight
be
a
good
idea
to
place
an
entrapment
spell
on
the
roo
m
.
We
can’t
let
th
e
m wander
about,
s
hould
they
wake
up
while
we’re
not
here.”

“Don’t
worr
y
, Padd
y
; nobo
d
y
will
be
leaving
this
lodge
without
my
knowledge.”

Paddy
stopped
and
gave
Kerrigan
a
cr
o
ss
look.
“
Y
ou
know
I
hate
when
y
o
u
don’t
call
m
e
M
o
m
!
”

“Sorr
y
,
Mo
m
.
The
job
m
akes
m
e
s
o…formal,
I
guess.”
A
slight
s
m
ile
lifted
the
corners
of his
m
outh.