Grip of the Shadow Plague

"Since when can you command fairies?" Seth blurted.

"I just found out," Kendra said.

"Then have a fairy connect the pebble and the nail!" Seth said enthusiastically. "The fairies have always hated me. Maybe you could have all of them destroy the nail together!"

"Seth!" Kendra exclaimed chidingly. "That isn’t funny!"

"Forcing a fairy to undertake a suicide mission could have serious repercussions," Patton cautioned. "I don’t like it."

"I love it!" Seth reaffirmed, grinning.

"Maybe I could ask for volunteers," Kendra suggested. "You know, so it won’t be me compelling anyone."

"This line of thinking is futile," Lena said. "No creatures of light will be able to enter Kurisock’s domain."

Kendra held up the egg-shaped pebble. "The Fairy Queen said that as long as I hold the stone, an umbrella of light will help protect those near me."

"Now, that is useful information," Patton mused. "If the power that keeps this area a sanctuary of light were to enter a stronghold of darkness, the influx of positive energy might allow light creatures to enter."

"Let’s recruit some fairies," Seth said, clapping his hands together eagerly. "Better them than us."

"We can try the fairies as a backup," Patton replied. "But be forewarned-fairies are notoriously unreliable. And we should leave intentionally compelling a fairy to die on our behalf out of the question. I am more excited that we might be able to cajole some more responsible allies into joining us and helping us win through to the tree."

"If all else fails, I’ll finish the task," Lena vowed. "I’m young, I’m agile, I’m strong. I can do it."

Patton crossed his arms. "Permit me to revise my latest goal-I also want to go my whole life without my wife dying on my behalf. If a fairy fails to voluntarily destroy the talismans, I’ll throw the stone. I have excellent aim. Then nobody will be touching the objects when they connect."

"And if you miss?" Lena asked.

"We’ll worry about that if it happens."

"Which is Pattonese for you will unite the objects yourself," Lena huffed.

Patton shrugged innocently. "Have you ever considered that you might be worth more to the world alive than dead?" Lena groused.

"If I were going to die doing something dangerous, it would have happened a long time ago."

Lena swatted at him. "I hope I’m not there the day all your cocky words return to humble you."

"You’ll be there," Patton said, "scoffing and pointing."

"Not if you’re in a coffin," Lena grumbled.

"When should we do this?" Seth asked.

"Daylight is failing," Patton said. "We’ll want the sun with us when we embark on this murky venture. I recommend we sally forth in the morning, with as many companions as will join us."

"And I get to come, right?" Seth confirmed.

"We can’t leave you behind unprotected from dark influences," Patton said. "This final gamble is all or nothing. Whether we triumph or fail, we will do it together, pooling our talents and resources."

"Speaking of talents," Lena said, "Seth had better get to the gap in the hedge, so he can see if any shadow people come to us with information."

Only then did Seth notice how much the glow of the yellow and purple tent walls had reddened with the setting sun. "I’ll go right now," he said.

"I’ll join you," Kendra offered.

"Lena and I will go rally support among the other citizens of Fablehaven," Patton said. "Our story will be that the

Fairy Queen has given us the power to attack Kurisock and reverse the plague. We do not want to be any more specific, in case the information reaches unfriendly ears."

"Got it," Seth said, stepping out of the tent. The others followed. While Patton was mobbed by satyrs, dryads, dwarfs, and fairies, Kendra and Seth slipped through the crowd and headed for the main entrance. A few fairies flitted along behind Kendra, as if hoping to approach her, but when Patton began explaining the situation, they zipped away in his direction.

When Kendra and Seth reached the opening in the hedge, the dark satyrs stationed there backed away a good distance, a couple of them bleating angrily. They squinted at Kendra, fuzzy hands raised to shield their feral eyes.

"Looks like you’re blinding the freaky satyrs," Seth said. "Do you think your rock will keep Grandma and Grandpa away?"

"Maybe my shininess will help them find us," Kendra said.

Seth plopped down in the grass. The sun hung just above the treetops west of the field. "They’ll be able to come soon."

"Who do you think will show up?"

"Hopefully all six of them."

Kendra nodded. "Too bad I won’t be able to see them."

"Well, I guess one person can’t have every single magical ability the universe has to offer. You aren’t missing much. You can’t really recognize them except by their outlines."

Seth started plucking at the tiny blue flowers in the grass. Kendra sat with her knees scrunched up to her chest, hugging her folded legs. Shadows crept across the field until the sun went down and twilight engulfed the clearing.

Kendra appeared content with silence, and Seth could not muster the effort to spark a conversation. He stared through the gap in the hedge, hoping to see a familiar shadow join the dark satyrs lurking beyond the opening. As the vivid sunset dimmed, the temperature faded from hot to warm.

Finally a single black form emerged from among the restless satyrs. The silhouette plodded toward the gap in the hedge as if resisting a mighty wind. Seth sat up. "Here we go."

"Who do you see?" Kendra asked.

"He’s short and thin. Might be Coulter." Seth raised his voice. "That you, Coulter?"

With apparent effort, the figure raised a hand to display the missing fingers. He kept trudging forward, each step seeming to demand greater effort than the last.

"He’s struggling," Seth said. "Must be your light."

"Should I back away?"

"Maybe."

Kendra rose and walked away from the gap in the hedge.

"Wait!" Seth cried. "He’s waving his arms. He’s motioning for you to come back. No, not just back, he wants you to come toward him."

"What if it isn’t Coulter?" Kendra worried.

"He can’t pass through the gap," Seth said. "Just don’t get within grabbing distance."