Rise of the Evening Star

Warren knelt beside Seth, felt his wrist for a pulse, and rolled him over. One of Seth’s hands remained closed around a pair of pliers that held nothing. The flashlight revealed ugly mottled marks on Seth’s throat. Warren leaned in for a closer look. His neck is bruised and burned, but he’s breathing.

Shouldn’t Vanessa be in control of him? Kendra asked.

You know, the narcoblix?

This is no natural sleep, Warren said. She may have power over him, but she can’t animate limbs that refuse to function. He paid a severe price to best the revenant-it was evidently a very close contest. Potion or no potion, your brother must have the heart of a lion!

He’s very brave, Kendra said, tears pooling in her eyes.

Her lips trembled. Can I borrow the light? Warren handed her the flashlight and she found a small potion in the cereal box. He was very proud that Tanu gave him a potion that could boost his energy in an emergency.

That might do him good, Warren said. He uncapped the bottle, propped up Seth’s head, and poured some of the fluid into his mouth. Seth spluttered and coughed. After a moment, Warren gave him more, which he gulped.

Seth’s eyes opened, and his brow furrowed. You! he said weakly, his voice raspy.

Get out of him, hag, Warren spat.

Seth smiled eerily. And then his eyes rolled white.374 What happened? he gasped, voice still raspy. Therevenant?

You succeeded, Warren said.

You’re healed, Seth murmured perplexedly, staring at

Warren. Didn’t know… that would happen. Kendra. You came.

Ask him something only he would know, Warren said.

This could be a ruse.

Kendra thought for a moment. What dessert did you hate in your school lunch last year?

Cherry cobbler, he said weakly.

What was your favorite shadow puppet Dad used to make?

Chicken, he said.

It’s him, Kendra said confidently.

Can you sit up? Warren asked.

Seth’s head bobbed slightly forward. His fingers twitched. I feel like I’ve been run over by a steamroller.

Like everything… has been squished out of me. My throat hurts.

He needs time to recuperate, Warren said. And I

need to get into the tower. The narcoblix knows the way is open. The only reason she would have released Seth is because she is already on her way here. Kendra, you mentioned that a great imp is helping her, along with another man, but she may have more contacts than them on the preserve.

I should be able to navigate the traps. Let’s have

Mendigo take you and your brother to a safe place.

I want to come, Seth croaked.375 You’ve done enough today, Warren said. Time to passoff the torch to others.

Give me more of that potion, Seth said.

More of that potion won’t change your condition,

Warren said. Though Kendra should probably have a dose, to help her keep awake.

Kendra took a sip. Almost instantly she felt a burst of alertness, as if she had been slapped.

Warren scooped his arms under Seth, lifting him in a cradled position. Kendra started collecting the key and the ax, but Warren told her to leave them. He was walking with quick steps back toward Mendigo.

Should I go into the tower with you, Warren? she asked, catching up.

Too dangerous, he said.

I may be able to help, she said. Last year, I visited the

Fairy Queen’s shrine on the island in the pond and raised a fairy army to save Fablehaven from a demon named

Bahumat.

What? Warren sputtered.

She did, Seth confirmed.

You do have stories! Warren said.

The fairies left me with certain gifts, Kendra continued, not wanting to specify that she was fairykind. I can see in the dark, and speak all the languages the fairies can. I

don’t need the milk anymore to see magical creatures. And my touch can recharge magical objects that are out of energy. The Sphinx seemed to think that might come in handy for some of the artifacts.376It very well might, Warren said. It has been suggestedthat the artifacts were deliberately drained of energy as an additional safeguard.

Without me you might not be able to use the artifact even if you find it, Kendra said.

I believe I can successfully negotiate the traps in the tower, Warren said. But that is without knowing what they are. I’m not infallible, as the grove has aptly proven. Do you understand the possible dangers of accompanying me?

We could both die, Kendra said. But there is danger everywhere at Fablehaven today. I’ll come with you.

An extra pair of eyes and hands could make a difference,

Warren conceded. And the ability to charge the artifact, whichever one it is, could make all the difference. We’ll trust Mendigo to watch over Seth.

This is no fair, Seth muttered.

Do you want your glove back? Kendra asked.

You’ll need it more, he said firmly.

They emerged from the grove and hurried to Mendigo.

Warren suggested that Kendra have Mendigo take Seth to the stables. Kendra gave orders for Mendigo to take Seth to the stables and watch over him, keep him safe from harm, and not allow him to wander off for a full day unless otherwise instructed. Mendigo trotted away, cradling Seth.

Warren and Kendra ran back to the dry skeleton of the revenant and retrieved the key and the ax. Kendra followed

Warren deeper into the grove. There was little undergrowth, but the deeper they went, the closer the trees grew together, and the heavier they were draped with moss and mistletoe.377 They reached a place where the trees grew so snugly thattheir branches interlocked in such a way as to almost form a wall.

When Warren shouldered through the living barrier, they found a small clearing ringed by trees, illuminated by a warm, predawn glow. A sizable raised platform of reddish stone dominated the area, looking almost like an outdoor stage. Stone stairs on one side of the platform granted easy access.

Up the steps Warren charged, with Kendra at his heels.

Despite the ubiquitous wildflowers and weeds in the clearing, the stone platform was untouched by vegetation. The smooth surface was flecked with black and gold. At the center of the spacious platform was a round socket, surrounded by multiple circular grooves that radiated out concentrically to the edge of the platform. About four feet separated each of the dark, narrow grooves. From above, the grooves would look like a target, with the socket at the center of the bull’s-eye.

Warren placed the complicated end of the key into the round socket. He had to twist the key back and forth, lining up various protuberances with notches in the socket to gradually work it in deeper. Once the tall key was approximately a foot into the hole, it clicked home.

You sure you’re up for this? Warren asked. There will be no turning back once we go inside.

What do you mean? Kendra asked.

These sorts of places are designed so that unless you make it to the end and claim your prize, you do not make it out alive. The designers don’t want explorers solving the378 puzzle piece by piece. The traps guarding the way back willbe much less forgiving than the traps protecting the way forward.