Rise of the Evening Star

That reminds me, Coulter said, I’m a little old-fashioned in some ways, and that carries over to this arrangement.

Call it outdated chivalry, but there are some places I

don’t feel women should go. Not because they aren’t intelligent or able. I just feel there is a certain respect with which a lady should be treated.

Are you saying there are places you’d take Seth but not me? Kendra asked.

That’s what I’m saying. And you hold all the feminist rallies you want, it won’t shake my opinion. Coulter spread his hands. If you want somebody else to take you, and they’re willing, I can’t do much about that.

What about Vanessa? Kendra exclaimed incredulously.

What about Grandma? Although part of her didn’t even want to go to the dangerous places Coulter was talking about, the idea that her gender would prevent him from taking her was deeply insulting.

Vanessa and your grandma are free to do as they please, as are you. But I’m also free to do as I please, and there are some places I would rather not take a woman, no matter how capable she might be, Vanessa and your grandmother included.

Kendra stood up. But you’d take Seth? He’s two years younger than me and practically brain dead!149 My brain is not the issue, Seth said, enjoying theargument.

Coulter pointed at Seth with his walking stick. At twelve, he’s on his way to becoming a man. There are plenty of places I wouldn’t take either of you, if that brings any consolation.

Places none of us would take you until you’re much older and more experienced. There are even places we wouldn’t go ourselves.

But there are places you’d take my little brother and not me, just because I’m a girl, Kendra pressed.

I wouldn’t have brought it up if I didn’t foresee it happening within the next few days, Coulter said.

Kendra shook her head. Unbelievable. You know that

Fablehaven wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for me.

Coulter shrugged apologetically. You did a wonderful thing, and I’m not trying to detract from that. I’m not talking about ability. If I had a daughter and a son, there are certain things I see myself doing with one and not the other.

I know everybody is busy trying to pretend boys and girls are exactly the same nowadays, but that isn’t how I see it. If it makes you feel better, I’ll share everything I know with both of you, and most places we’ll be going, we can all go.

And I’ll get somebody else to take me where you won’t, Kendra promised.

That’s your prerogative, Coulter said.

Can we move on to something else? Seth asked.

Can we? Coulter asked Kendra.

There’s nothing else for me to say, Kendra said, still frustrated.150 Coulter acted like he didn’t notice her tone. As I wastelling you before, my specialty is magical items. There are all sorts of magical items in the world. Many have burned out-they were once magical but have run out of energy and lost their power. Others remain functional but can only be used a limited number of times. And others seem to draw from an endless supply of magical energy.

Is the glove limited? Seth asked.

Coulter held up the glove again. I’ve been using it for years, and the effects never seem to dwindle. For all I can tell, it will work forever. But like most magical items, it has certain limitations. He slipped it onto his hand and disappeared.

As long as I hold still, you can see nothing.

Different story if I move around. Coulter began to flicker in and out of view. He was wiggling his head. When he waved an arm, he flashed into clear view until he stopped.

The glove only works if you’re motionless, Kendra said.

Coulter was no longer visible. Correct. I can talk, I can blink, I can breathe. Much more movement than that, and I

become visible. He took off the glove, reappearing instantly. Which is quite an inconvenience. Once I’ve been spotted, this glove isn’t very handy for getting away. It also doesn’t mask my smell. For maximum effect, I have to slip it on before I’ve been seen, in a situation where I can hold still, and where no being that can discern my presence through senses other than sight is present.

That’s why you had us meet you here, Seth said. So you could come early and get ready to spy on us.151 See? Coulter said to Kendra. He isn’t brain dead.Naturally, if I were really intent on spying on you, I would have stood behind the bench in the bushes. But I wanted to make a dramatic appearance, so I trusted to luck that you wouldn’t run into me and ruin my surprise.

Your footprints must have been obvious on the lawn,

Kendra pointed out.

Coulter bobbed his head. The grass was newly trimmed, and I stamped around a bit before I chose my spot, but yes, had you been paying proper attention, you could have noticed the imprints of my feet on the lawn. But I guessed right. You didn’t.

Can I try out the glove? Seth asked.

Some other time, Coulter said. Listen. I would prefer that you kept my glove a secret. Your grandparents know, but I would rather keep it from the others. Doesn’t pay to let the world in on your best tricks.

Seth mimed like he was locking his lips shut and tossing away the key. I won’t tell, Kendra said.

Keeping secrets is an important skill to master in my line of work, Coulter said. Especially with the Society out there, always scheming to gather information and exploit weaknesses. I tell my best secrets only to people I know I can trust. Otherwise the secret becomes a rumor just like that.

He snapped his fingers. You practice keeping the confidences

I share with you. Believe me, if I learn you’ve told anyone, you’ll never hear another secret from me.

You better keep an eye on Kendra, Seth said.

I never promised to keep that secret, she maintained.152 I’ll be keeping an eye on both of you. And I’ll up thestakes for the test. He held up a small greenish pod. There is a species of pixie in Norway that loses its wings at the onset of winter. The pixie spends the coldest winter months hibernating m a cocoon like this one. When spring comes, the pixie emerges with a beautiful new set of wings.

Seth wrinkled his nose. We have to keep that a secret?

I haven’t finished. After the proper treatments and preparations, these cocoons become valuable items. If I pop this cocoon into my mouth and bite down hard, it will instantly expand and envelop me. I’ll be inside an absolutely impervious shelter, completely safe from any external threat.

Enough carbon dioxide filters out of the cocoon, and enough oxygen filters into it, to keep me comfortable-even underwater!

The moist inner walls are edible. Together with the moisture they absorb from the outside, the cocoon walls could sustain me for months. And despite the impenetrable outer carapace, from inside, with a little work, I can break free whenever I choose.

Wow, Kendra said.

This rare, specially prepared cocoon is my insurance policy, Coulter said. It’s my Get Out of Jail Free Card. And it is one of the secrets I guard most carefully, because a day will likely come when it saves my life.