was once again inanimate.
Seth hurriedly backtracked, exiting the room. There was
nothing he could do to hide the damage to the door, so he
opened the accordion gate and entered the elevator. It
squealed up one floor and rattled to a stop. He opened the
gate and stepped out.
The dog padding toward him made him jump, and he
almost dropped the statue again. Fortunately, the shaggy animal
seemed to have accepted his presence. Seth stooped and
petted it for a moment, and then went to the door to the
garage. He paused at the keypad and reset the alarm by
pressing the Away button.
Closing the door behind him, Seth pressed the button to
open the garage door. When the automatic light came on,
he switched off the flashlight. Seth jogged out onto the
driveway and pressed the button again to shut the garage.
Seth knew running would look more conspicuous, but
he could not resist racing to the Volkswagen van. Errol
opened the door and Seth climbed in.
Well done, Errol said, starting the engine. It took a
second to turn over.
You were in there for a long time, Kendra said. I was
getting worried.
I found a computer and played some video games, Seth
said.
While we were out here stressing about you? Kendra
exclaimed.
I'm kidding, Seth said. I had to whack down a door
with an ax. He turned to Errol. By the way, thanks for
telling me about the dog.
They were now driving down the road, the lighted sign
of the funeral home receding behind them. There was a
dog? Errol said. Archibald must really keep him hidden.
Was he big?
Enormous, Seth said. One of those dogs that looks
like a giant mop. You know, with hair covering its eyes?
A komondor? Errol said. You're fortunate; that breed
can be really unfriendly to strangers. They were originally
bred to guard livestock in Hungary.
I played nice and gave it half of the dog biscuit, Seth
said. The statue bit me!
Are you all right? Kendra said.
Yeah. Seth held up his thumb. It's hardly bleeding.
I should have warned you, Errol said. Once the statue
eats, it temporarily gets aggressive. Nothing to worry about,
but they do nip at you.
Tell the truth, you knew about the dog, didn't you?
Seth accused.
Errol knitted his brow. What makes you say that?
Why send me in with a dog biscuit? You could have
given me any food for the statue. I think you were worried I
might not go if I knew there was a dog.
I'm sorry, Seth, Errol said. I assure you the biscuit was
a coincidence. Why would I warn you about the undead, yet
not mention a dog?
Good point, Seth admitted. At least I didn't see any
zombies. That was a relief.
So how does this statue get rid of the kobold? Kendra
asked.
For that, Errol said, you need simply follow my
instructions.
Vanessa
The following morning in homeroom, well before the
bell sounded, a steady murmur filled the air as students
huddled in abnormal clusters. At the center of the clusters
were the smartest kids, leafing through their notes. The
others were trying to leech information, in hopes that some
last-minute cramming might earn them a few extra right
answers on the forthcoming finals.
Alyssa hovered near Sasha Goethe, gleaning information
for Science. Alyssa normally got impressive grades, but
she worried a lot nonetheless. Kendra felt confident about
the upcoming exams. They were not weighted as heavily as
they would be next year in high school, and she had kept
up on her readings and homework all year. She had
skimmed her notes and reviewed her old tests. Even with
the distraction of the excursion to the mortuary the night
before, she was unconcerned.
Besides, she had more pressing matters on her mind. The
scabby kobold was the only other student in the room who
appeared indifferent to the looming exams. Which made
sense, considering he didn't have to take them. He sat at his
desk with his hands folded. Mr. Reynolds, the same prematurely
balding substitute from yesterday, sat behind Mrs.
Price's desk.
A wrapped package rested in front of Kendra. The paper
had a pattern of reindeer and snowflakes. She had found it
on a closet shelf, left over from the previous Christmas.
Inside the paper was a shoebox, and inside the box was the
stolen statue.
The night before, prior to dropping off Kendra and Seth
around the corner from their house, Errol had explained
how to proceed. The figurine was apparently sacred to
kobolds. Once a kobold took possession of it, he would be
compelled to return it to the shrine where it belonged, hidden
deep in the Himalayas. Errol also stressed that kobolds
were suckers for gifts, so all they needed to do was wrap up
the statue like a present and give it to him. The rest would
take care of itself.
It sounded almost too easy to be true. But Kendra had
learned at Fablehaven that sometimes powerful magic was
worked through simple means. For example, keeping a captured
fairy indoors overnight would turn her into an imp.
Kendra studied the kobold. The instant popularity Case
had initially enjoyed was fading as his rancid breath became
legendary. He had now also kissed Trina Funk and Lydia
Southwell, and, along with Alyssa, they had wasted no time
spreading the word about his chronic halitosis.
The bell would ring in less than a minute. Kendra had
been toying with having somebody else deliver the gift, in
case the kobold knew to distrust her. But with time running
out, she decided that she could always rewrap it and have
somebody less suspect give the figurine to him later if this
attempt failed. By now he had seen the present in her possession
anyway.
Kendra took the wrapped shoebox to his desk. Hi,
Case.
He leered up at her. Kendra.
I know I haven't been very kind since you arrived,
Kendra said. I thought I would make a peace offering.
The kobold glanced down at the present and back into
her eyes. What? More mouthwash?
Kendra stifled a laugh. No, something nice. If you don't
want it-
Give it. He reached for the present, and she let him
take it. He shook the package, revealing nothing, because
Kendra had packed the statue snugly amid wadded
newspapers.
The bell rang. You're welcome to open it, Kendra said.
Study groups disbanded and everyone went to their desks.
Kendra returned to her desk as Case unwrapped the gift.
By the time Kendra sat down, Case had the lid off the
shoebox and was rummaging through the newspapers. He
froze, staring. Then he slowly pulled out the statuette,
holding it gingerly. Glancing over his shoulder, he glowered
at Kendra.
The substitute gave a couple of announcements and
then welcomed the class to use the remainder of homeroom
as a review session. Alyssa asked if he knew anything about
Mrs. Price. He replied that he had not been informed.
The study clusters re-formed rapidly. The kobold collected
his things, placing the statue in his backpack, and
walked toward the door, giving Kendra a final venomous
glare.
Hey, where are you going? the substitute asked.
The rest room, Case replied.
You need a hall pass, the substitute said.
Ten to one I can manage without one, Case sneered.
The substitute could not have been older than thirty. He
had a laid-back air and did not look accustomed to having
students behave with such insolence. Ten to one you're
heading to the principal's office, the sub said, his face
becoming stern.
The class was growing silent as the exchange continued.
Case smirked. I'll take that bet. Five hundred dollars. That
would be, what, three years' earnings?
Case opened the door. The substitute stood up. You're
not going anywhere!
Case exited and dashed down the hall. The substitute
remained impotently by the desk. What's his name? he
asked, bewildered.
Casey Hancock, Alyssa reported. But you can call
Seth was heading for the bus when he recognized a
familiar man in an outmoded suit. He diverted from his
course to speak with Errol.
Did you hear? Seth said. Kendra gave Case the package
this morning and he left immediately.
Errol nodded. I followed the kobold out of town. You
will never see him again. A kobold seldom travels far unless
compelled.
Thanks for your help, Seth said. I better catch my
bus.
Can you spare a moment? Errol asked. You did an
exceptional job at the funeral home last night. Better than
many of the trained professionals I have partnered with in
the past. I could use some assistance with one other task.
What?
A similar mission, actually. I need to recover an amulet
from a member of the Society of the Evening Star. It would
issue quite a blow to their organization.
They're the people trying to destroy all the magical preserves
like Fablehaven, Seth said. And free the demons.
Sharp lad.
Is it a vampire again? Seth asked.
Nothing so exotic, Errol assured him. The amulet is
on a houseboat. The owner is out of the country, so the boat
is currently vacant. The only catch is, we'll have to drive a
few hours to get there. It would take all night. If we left at
ten or so, I could have you back before six in the morning.
Tonight is a school night, Seth said.
Which is why I was planning on tomorrow night, Errol
said. The school year will be over. Your sister can help with
this one. The barrier on the houseboat functions only
against those eighteen and older.
I'll talk it over with her. How should I confirm?
I will be at the service station tomorrow night. Come
as close to ten as you can. Show up before ten-thirty, and I'll
be waiting. Otherwise I'll assume you declined.
Got it. I better go; the buses will leave any minute.
By all means, Errol said. By all means.
* * * *
Kendra placed a period after the final sentence of the
final essay of her final exam. English. She knew she had aced
it, just as she had sailed through the others. Once she
handed in the test, middle school would be officially over. It
was Friday afternoon, and there were almost three months
between her and the next homework assignment.
Yet as Kendra turned in the exam, she did not
experience the euphoria she had earned. Instead she was
weighed down by the question of whether she should sneak
out of her house to break into a houseboat hundreds of miles
away with a virtual stranger and her younger brother.
As of that morning, she still had not reached her
grandpa by telephone, and he still had not replied to the letter
she had mailed Tuesday. She had told Seth that until she
confirmed the identity of Errol Fisk with Grandpa, they were
not going on a road trip with him in the middle of the night.
The thing with the kobold had been a desperate situation.
Now they could afford to wait a day or two.
Seth had ranted about her being a traitor and a coward.
He had complained that if there was a chance to harm the
Society of the Evening Star, they had better take it. He had
finished by threatening to join Errol with or without her.
Having completed the exam early, Kendra had about
twenty minutes before the buses would be leaving. She went
to her locker and took her time loading everything she
wanted to keep into her backpack, including the pictures she
had clipped from magazines and taped to the inside of the
door. Maybe Seth had a point. Checking with Grandpa was
more of a formality at this stage. Errol had already helped
them dispose of the kobold. If he had wanted to harm them,
he'd had his chance when he took them to the mortuary.
Kendra tried to be completely honest with herself. She
was afraid of going to the houseboat. If it belonged to somebody
from the Society of the Evening Star, it would be very
dangerous. And this time she would have to go inside, not
just wait in the van.
She zipped her backpack. What she wanted was for
Grandpa Sorenson to tell her that Errol was a friend but that
stealing amulets from houseboats in the middle of the night
was no job for children. Or teenagers. And it was true!
Barriers or no barriers, it seemed peculiar that Errol recruited
She headed down the hall and out the doors. The sun
was shining. The buses idled in a line along the curb. Only a
few kids were on them. Ten minutes remained before school
would officially let out.
Was Seth right? Was she a coward? She had been brave
on the preserve when she sought help from the Fairy Queen
and rescued everybody. She had been brave when trying to
get rid of the kobold. Brave enough to sneak out of the
house and go with Errol. But those were emergencies. She
had been forced to be brave. What happened to her courage
without an immediate threat? How dangerous was sneaking
onto an empty houseboat? Nothing had happened at the
mortuary; Seth had gone in and out. Errol would not take
them to the houseboat if it was too dangerous. He was a
professional.
Kendra climbed onto her bus, walked to the back, and
plopped down onto a seat. Her last bus ride from Roosevelt
Middle School. She was now in high school. Maybe she
ought to start acting more like an adult and less like a
scaredy-cat.
Seth whistled as he inventoried his emergency kit. He
clicked the flashlight on and off. He examined an assortment
of firecrackers. He inspected
the slingshot he had
received for Christmas.
Kendra sat on his bed, chin in her hand. You really
think firecrackers are going to come in handy? she asked.
You never know, Seth answered.
I get it, Kendra said. Somebody might want to have
an early Fourth of July celebration.
Seth shook his head in exasperation. Yeah, or we might
need a diversion. He ignited a flame with his cigarette
lighter to make sure it worked. Then he held up a couple of
dog biscuits. I added these since the mortuary. I might have
been eaten alive without one.
I can't believe you talked me into this, Kendra said.
Neither can I, Seth agreed.
Mom opened the door, holding the cordless telephone.
Kendra, Grandpa Sorenson wants to speak with you.
Brightening, Kendra jumped off the bed. Okay. She
took the phone. Hi, Grandpa.
Kendra, I need you to go someplace where you can
speak freely, Grandpa said, his tone urgent.
Just a second. Kendra rushed into her room and shut
the door. What is it?
I fear you and your brother may be in danger, Grandpa
said.
Her grip tightened on the phone. Why?
I have just received reports of some disturbing activity
in your area.
Kendra relaxed a little. I know, I've been trying to call
you. There was a kobold in my school.
A what? Grandpa exclaimed.
It's okay, a guy named Errol Fisk helped us get rid of it.
He knows your friend Coulter.
Coulter Dixon?
I guess. Errol said Coulter found out about the kobold
and recruited him to help us get rid of it.
When did this happen?
This week.
Grandpa paused. Kendra, Coulter has been here at
Fablehaven for more than a month.
She squeezed the phone, knuckles white. A sick feeling
was creeping into her stomach. What do you mean?
I'll confirm with Coulter, but I'm sure this man
approached you under false pretenses. You must not go near
him.
Kendra was silent. She looked at her digital clock. It was
:11 P.M. In less than two hours they were supposed to meet
Errol at the service station. He was going to pick us up
tonight, she said.
Pick you up?
To take us to steal an amulet from a houseboat. He said
it would harm the Society of the Evening Star.
Kendra, this man is almost certainly a member of the
Society of the Evening Star. They recently stole something
from a friend of mine.
Kendra's mouth was dry. Her heart was sinking. What