Fablehaven I (28 page)

lend an ear to the gossip. Quite the scandal.

Do you know where they are? Seth tried.

Look at all the lovely gifts you brought me, the witch

gushed, clasping her veiny hands together. The quilt is

gorgeous, but it would be ruined in my humble dwelling.

I’ll not let you waste your generosity on me; I would not

know what to do with such niceties.

We brought these to trade, Kendra said.

Trade? the witch asked theatrically, smacking her lips.

For my tea! Nonsense, child, I would not dream of exacting

a toll for my hospitality. Come inside, and the three of

us shall drink together.

Not to trade for tea, Seth said, holding up

Goldilocks. We want you to change our grandma back

into herself.

In exchange for a chicken?

She is the chicken, Kendra explained.

The witch grinned, stroking her chin. I thought I

recognized her, she mused. You poor dears, one guardian

carried off in the night, the other reduced to poultry.

We can offer you a quilt, a bathrobe, a toothbrush, and

a lot of homemade food, Kendra said.

Charming as that may be, Muriel said, I would

require the energy of a knot unraveling to work any spell

capable of restoring your grandmother to her former state.

We can’t untie your last knot, Seth said. Grandpa

would be furious.

The witch shrugged. My predicament is simple.

Imprisoned in this shack, I am curtailed in my abilities.

The problem has nothing to do with my willingness to

compromise-the dilemma is that the only way for me to

fulfill your request would be to harness the power stored in

the final knot. The decision lies in your hands. I have no

other options.

If we untie the last knot, will you also tell us where our

Grandpa was taken? Kendra asked.

Child, I would love nothing more than to reunite you

with your lost grandfather. But the truth of the matter is, I

haven’t the foggiest notion where he was taken. Again, it

would require loosing my knot in order for me to marshal

sufficient power to discern his whereabouts.

Could you find Grandpa and change Grandma with

the power from one knot? Kendra asked.

Lamentably, I would have the opportunity to accomplish

only one feat or the other. Both would not be

possible.

Unless you figure out a way, you won’t have a chance

to do either, Seth said.

Then we have reached an impasse, the witch apologized.

If you tell me we have no deal unless I am able to

accomplish the impossible, then we have no deal. I could

fulfill either of your requests, but not both.

If we have you change Grandma back, Kendra asked,

could you help us find Grandpa once you’re free?

Perhaps, the witch mused. Yes, without guarantees,

once free I could probably use my abilities to shed light on

the location of your grandfather.

How do we know you won’t attack us if we let you

go? Seth asked.

A fair question, Muriel said. I might be embittered

by long years of imprisonment and eager to work mischief

once released. However, I give you my word as a practitioner

of the ancient art that I will not inflict any harm

upon you or your grandmother upon my deliverance from

this confinement. If I held any malice, it would be toward

those who initiated my incarceration, enemies who passed

from this life decades ago, not those who set me free. If

anything, I would consider myself indebted.

And you would promise to help us find Grandpa

Sorenson? Kendra said.

Your grandmother might refuse my help. She and your

grandfather have never held me in much esteem. But if she

will accept my assistance in locating Stan, I will give it.

We need to talk about this in private, Kendra said.

Be my guest, Muriel said.

Kendra and Seth returned to the path. Kendra dumped

her bartering items in the wheelbarrow. She spoke in a soft

whisper. I don’t think we have any other choice.

I don’t like how nice she’s being, said Seth. It’s

almost scarier than before. I think she’s really anxious to

get out.

I know. But I think we’re just as anxious to restore

Grandma and maybe find Grandpa.

She’s a liar, Seth cautioned. I don’t think we can

count on any of her promises.

Probably not.

We should expect her to attack us as soon as she’s free.

If not, great, but I brought salt, whatever good that will

do.

Don’t forget, we’ll have Grandma to help us handle

her, Kendra said.

Grandma might not know anything about fighting

witches.

I’m sure she’s learned a trick or two. Let’s try to ask

her.

Seth held up the hen. Kendra stroked her head gently.

Grandma Sorenson, Kendra said. Ruth. I need you to

listen to me. If you can hear me, we need you to answer.

This is very important. The hen appeared to be listening.

Should we untie the last knot to have Muriel Taggert

restore you?

The head bobbed.

Was that a yes?

The head bobbed again.

Can you give us a no?

The hen did not respond.

Grandma. Ruth. Can you shake your head so we can

be sure you hear us?

Again the chicken made no acknowledgment.

Maybe it took all she had to answer your first question,

Seth speculated.

It did seem like she nodded, Kendra said. And I

don’t know what else we can do. Freeing the witch is a

high price to pay, but is it worse than having no hope of

finding Grandpa and keeping Grandma trapped forever as a

chicken?

We should free her.

Kendra paused, scrutinizing her feelings. Was this really

their only option? It seemed to be. Let’s go back, she

agreed.

They returned to the doorway of the shack. We want

you to restore Grandma, Kendra said.

You will voluntarily sunder my last knot, the final

impediment to my independence, if I restore your grandmother

to her human form?

Yes. How do we do it?

Just say ‘of my own free will I sever this knot’ and then

blow on it. You should probably find something for your

grandmother to wear. She will not have any clothes on.

Kendra ran to the wheelbarrow and returned with the

bathrobe and a pair of slippers. Muriel stood in the doorway,

clutching the rope. Lay your grandmother at my

threshold, she instructed.

I want to blow on the knot, Seth said.

Sure, Kendra answered.

You let Grandma out of the bag.

Kendra squatted and pulled the mouth of the bag wide

open. Muriel held the rope out to Seth. The chicken

looked up, ruffling her feathers and flapping her wings.

Kendra tried to steady her, disgusted by the feel of slender

bones moving beneath her hands.

Of my own free will, I sever this knot, Seth said, as

Goldilocks squawked noisily. He blew, and the knot

unraveled.

Muriel extended both hands over the flustered hen and

began softly chanting indecipherable words. The air

wavered. Kendra squeezed the squirming hen. At first it felt

like bubbles were shooting through the flesh of the bird;

then the delicate bones started to churn. Kendra dropped

Goldilocks and stepped back.

Kendra saw everything as if through fun-house lenses.

Muriel appeared distorted, first stretching broad, then tall.

Seth became an hourglass with a wide head, a tiny waist,

and clownish feet. Rubbing her eyes failed to cure her

warped vision. When she looked down, the ground curved

away in all directions. She leaned and swung her arms to

maintain her balance.

The fun-house Muriel began to ripple, as did the

startling image of Goldilocks shedding feathers as she

expanded into a person. The scene grew dim, as if clouds

had blocked the sun, and a dark aura gathered around

Muriel and Grandma. The darkness expanded, momentarily

obscuring everything, and then Grandma stood before

them, completely naked. Kendra put the bathrobe over her

shoulders.

From inside the shack came a sound like the rushing

of a terrible wind. The ground rumbled. Get down,

Grandma said, pulling Kendra to the ground. Seth also fell

flat.

A furious gale blasted the walls of the shack into shrapnel.

The roof rocketed beyond the treetops, a geyser of

wooden confetti. The stump split down the center.

Fragments of timber and ivy whistled in all directions, clattering

against the trunks of trees and slashing through the

undergrowth.

Kendra raised her head. Dressed in rags, Muriel gaped

in wonder. Chips of wood continued to fall like hail, along

with fluttering bits of ivy. Muriel grinned, displaying

deformed teeth and inflamed gums. She began to chuckle,

tears brimming in her eyes. She flung her wrinkled arms

wide. Emancipation! she cried. Justice at last!

Grandma Sorenson rose to her feet. She was shorter

and stouter than Muriel, with hair the color of cinnamon

and sugar. You must vacate this property immediately.

Muriel glowered at Grandma, the joy in her gaze

eclipsed by spite. A tear escaped and slid down a crease to

her chin. This is my thanks for unbinding your curse?

You have your reward for the services you rendered.

You have emerged from confinement. Eviction from this

preserve is the consequence of prior indiscretions.

My debts have been paid. You are not the caretaker.

My authority is the same as my husband’s. In his

absence, I am indeed the caretaker. I invite you to leave

and never return.

Muriel turned and began tromping away. Where I go

is my business. She did not look back.

Not on my preserve.

Your
preserve, is it? I object to your claims of ownership.

Muriel still had not looked back. Grandma started

walking after her, an old woman in a bathrobe trailing an

old woman dressed in rags.

New crimes will entail new punishments, Grandma

warned.

You might be surprised who administers the penalties.

Don’t provoke new enmity. Depart in peace.

Grandma quickened her pace and caught hold of Muriel by

the upper arm.

Muriel twisted free, turning to face Grandma. Tread

lightly, Ruth. If you seek trouble here and now, in front of

the little ones, I will oblige you. This is the wrong moment

to cling to antiquated protocol. Things have changed more

than you realize. I suggest you depart before I regain authority

here.

Seth ran toward them. Grandma took a step back. Seth

flung a handful of salt at the witch. It had no effect. Muriel

pointed at him. Your recompense is coming, my bold little