Fablehaven I (14 page)

Is Maddox still here? Seth asked hopefully.

Lena shook her head. He left in a taxi about an hour

ago.

Grandpa Sorenson shuffled into the kitchen wearing

boxers, socks, and an undershirt stained with brown mustard.

He squinted at them. What are you all doing up at

this ungodly hour?

It’s after seven, Seth said.

Grandpa covered a yawn with his fist. He held the

envelope in his other hand. I’m feeling a little under the

weather today-might go lie down for a spell. As you

were. He shambled off, scratching his thigh.

You kids may want to play outside this morning, Lena

said. Your grandfather was up until forty minutes ago. He

had a long night.

I’m going to have a tough time taking Grandpa seriously

when he tells us to show respect for the furniture,

Kendra said. It looks like he drove a tractor through here.

Pulled by horses! Seth added.

Maddox enjoys a celebration, and your grandfather is

an accommodating host, Lena said. Without your grandmother

here to rein in the merriment, things got a little too

festive. Didn’t help that they invited the satyrs. She nodded

at the muddy hoofprints.

Satyrs? Kendra asked. Like goatmen?

Lena nodded. Some would say they liven up a party

too much.

Those are goat prints? Seth asked.

Satyr prints, yes.

I wish I could have seen them, Seth mourned.

Your parents would be glad you didn’t. Satyrs would

only teach you bad manners. I think they invented them.

I’m sad we missed the party, Kendra said.

Don’t be. It was not a party for young people. As caretaker,

your grandfather would never drink, but I can’t

vouch for the satyrs. We’ll have a proper party before you

leave us.

Will you invite satyrs? Seth asked.

We’ll see what your grandfather says, Lena said

doubtfully. Maybe one. Lena opened the refrigerator and

poured two glasses of milk. Drink your milk and then run

along. I have some heavy cleaning ahead of me.

Kendra and Seth took their glasses. Lena opened the

pantry, removing a broom and dustpan, and left the room.

Kendra drank her milk in several deep swallows and set her

empty glass on the counter. Want to go for a swim? she

asked.

I’ll catch up, Seth said. He still had milk in his cup.

Kendra walked away.

After finishing his milk, Seth peeked into the pantry.

So many shelves packed with so much food! One shelf featured

nothing but large jars of homemade preserves. Closer

investigation revealed that the jars were lined up three

deep.

Seth backed out of the pantry and looked around.

Reentering the pantry, he removed a large jar of boysenberry

preserves, pulling another jar forward from the

second row to disguise the absence. They might miss a half-empty

jar from the fridge. But one of many unopened jars

from an overstuffed pantry? Not likely.

He could be sneakier than Kendra knew.

The fairy balanced on a twig protruding from a low

hedge beside the pool. Arms extended to either side, she

walked along the tiny limb, adjusting as it wobbled. The

further out she got, the less stable she became. The miniature

beauty queen had platinum hair, a silver dress, and

glittering, translucent wings.

Seth sprang forward, slashing downward with the pool

skimmer. The blue mesh struck the twig, but the fairy

darted away at the last instant. She hovered, shaking a

scolding finger at Seth. He swung the skimmer again, and

the nimble fairy evaded capture a second time, soaring well

out of range.

You shouldn’t do that, Kendra said from the pool.

Why not? Maddox catches them.

Out in the wild, Kendra corrected. These already

belong to Grandpa. It’s like hunting lions at the zoo.

Maybe hunting lions at the zoo would be good practice.

You’re going to end up making the fairies mad at you.

They don’t mind, he said, creeping up on a fairy with

wide, gauzy wings fluttering inches above a flowerbed.

They just fly away. He slowly moved the pool skimmer

into position. The fairy was directly beneath the mesh, less

than two feet away from captivity. With a flick of his wrists,

he slapped the skimmer down sharply. The fairy dodged

around it and glided off.

What are you going to do if you catch one?

Probably let it go.

So what’s the point?

To see if I can do it.

Kendra boosted herself out of the water. Well,

obviously you can’t. They’re too fast. Dripping, she walked

over to her towel. Oh my gosh, look at that one. She

pointed at the base of a blossoming bush.

Where?

Right there. Wait until she moves. She’s practically

invisible.

He stared at the bush, unsure whether she was teasing

him. A bobbing distortion began warping the leaves and

blossoms. Whoa!

See! She’s clear like glass.

Seth edged forward, clutching the pool skimmer.

Seth, don’t.

Suddenly he charged, opting for a rapid assault this

time. The transparent fairy flew away, vanishing against the

sky. Why won’t they hold still!

They’re magic, Kendra said. The fun is just looking

at them, seeing all the variety.

Real fun. Kind of like when Mom makes us go on

drives to look at the leaves changing color.

I want to grab some breakfast. I’m starving.

Then go. Maybe I’ll have better luck without you

squawking.

Kendra walked to the house wrapped in her towel. She

entered the back door and found Lena dragging a broken

coffee table into the kitchen. Much of the surface of the

table had been made of glass. Most of it was broken.

Need a hand? Kendra asked.

Mine are plenty.

Kendra went and grabbed the other end of the table.

They set it in a corner of the spacious kitchen. Other broken

objects rested there as well, including the jagged fragments

of the ceramic pot Kendra had noticed earlier.

Why pile everything here?

This is where the brownies come.

Brownies?

Come look. Lena led Kendra to the basement door,

pointing out a second little door at the base, about the size

a cat would use. The brownies have a special hatch that

admits them to the basement, and they can use this door

to enter the kitchen. They are the only magical creatures

with permission to enter the house at will. The brownie

portals are guarded by magic against all other creatures of

the forest.

Why let them in?

Brownies are useful. They repair things. They make

things. They are remarkable craftsmen.

They’ll fix the broken furniture?

Improve it if they can.

Why?

It is their nature. They will accept no reward.

How nice of them, Kendra said.

In fact, tonight, remind me to leave out some cooking

ingredients. By morning, they will have baked us a treat.

What will they cook?

You never know. You don’t make requests. You just

leave out ingredients and see how they combine them.

How fun!

I’ll leave out a bunch. No matter what strange combinations

you leave, they always invent something delicious.

There is so much I don’t know about Fablehaven,

Kendra declared. How big is it?

The preserve stretches for many miles in some directions.

Much bigger than you would suppose.

And there are creatures throughout?

Through most of it, Lena said. But as your grandfather

has warned you, some of those creatures can be

deadly. There are many places on the property where even

he does not dare venture.

I want to know more. All the details.

Be patient. Let it unfold. She turned to the refrigerator

and changed the subject. You must be hungry.

A little.

I’ll whip up some eggs. Will Seth want some?

Probably, Kendra said, leaning against the counter.

I’ve been wondering: Is everything from mythology true?

Explain what you mean.

I’ve seen fairies, and evidence of satyrs. Is it all real?

No mythology or religion that I know of holds all the

answers. Most religions are based on truths, but they are

also polluted by the philosophies and imaginations of men.

I take it your question refers to Greek mythology. Is there

a pantheon of petty gods who constantly bicker and interfere

in the lives of mortals? I know of no such beings. Are

there some true elements to those ancient stories and

beliefs? Obviously. You’re talking to a former naiad.

Scrambled?

What?

The eggs.

Sure.

Lena began cracking eggs into a pan. Many of the

beings who dwell here existed gracefully when primitive

man foraged in ragged tribes. We taught man the secrets of

bread and clay and fire. But man became blind to us over

time. Interaction with mortals became rare. And then

mankind began to crowd us. Explosions in population and

technology stole many of our ancient homes. Mankind

held no particular malice toward us. We had simply faded

into colorful caricatures inhabiting myths and fables.

There are quiet corners of the world where our kind

continue to thrive in the wild. And yet the day will

inevitably come when the only space remaining to us will be

these sanctuaries, a precious gift from enlightened mortals.

It’s so sad, Kendra said.

Do not frown. My kind do not dwell on these concerns.

They forget the fences enclosing these preserves. I

should not speak of what used to be. With my fallen mind,

I see the changes much more clearly than they do. I feel

the loss more keenly.

Grandpa said a night is coming when all the creatures

here will run wild.

Midsummer Eve. The festival night.

What’s it like?

I’d better not say. I don’t think your grandfather wants

you kids worrying about it until the time comes. He would

rather have scheduled your visit to avoid the festival night.

Kendra tried to sound nonchalant. Will we be in danger?

Now I’ve got you worried. You will be fine if you follow

the instructions your grandfather gives you.

What about the Society of the Evening Star? Maddox

sounded worried about them.

The Society of the Evening Star has always been a

threat, Lena admitted. But these preserves have endured

for centuries, some for millennia. Fablehaven is well protected,

and your grandfather is no fool. You needn’t worry

about speculative rumors. I’ll not say more on the subject.

Cheese in your eggs?

Yes, please.

With Kendra gone, Seth got out the equipment he had