Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary

I have key information. They found one of the artifacts! The Chronometer is in their possession at Fablehaven! They also have a journal from Patton Burgess. He claims to know the location of other artifacts. Those locations are not described in the journal, but are hidden at Fablehaven in a secret room beyond an area in the dungeon called the Hall of Dread.

I’ll try to write again if I learn anything essential. Before I finish here, I will try to hide Patton’s journal near the old tree house at the creek along Hawthorn Avenue.

Faithfully yours,

Kendra Sorenson

Seth looked up at Warren. "What is going on?"

"Good thing we screen letters, although we never expected a note like this. Imagine the consequences if this message fell into the wrong hands."

"It looks like her handwriting."

"I’m confident that Kendra wrote it."

"Is Vanessa out of the Quiet Box? Maybe she was controlling Kendra in her sleep."

Warren shook his head. "I considered the possibility and contacted your grandfather. He checked. Vanessa remains in her prison. But that sort of thinking may be along the right lines."

"Somebody must be blackmailing her or controlling her. She would never just betray us! Not on her own!"

"I can’t imagine that she would. Yet it is tough to read this letter and not see a deliberate attempt at crippling betrayal. Elise doesn’t know Kendra very well. She wants to take her into custody."

Seth stood up. "She can’t lock up Kendra!"

"Simmer down. I’m not saying that is the only option. But whatever the method, given all that is at stake, immediately silencing Kendra has become necessary. I don’t want to incarcerate your sister, but we have to get to the bottom of this."

"Do we confront her?" Seth wondered aloud. "Spring this on her and watch how she responds?"

"I’d love to hear an explanation. I haven’t managed to conjure up a reasonable one."

"Unless somebody is using mind control."

Warren shrugged. "After reading that letter, nothing would shock me. Whatever we do, we mustn’t disturb your parents."

"You want to confront her right now?"

"We can’t wait on this. Besides, moving now should catch her off balance. If she’s a little groggy, it may help us extract honest answers."

"Okay." Seth led Warren to his door. "You’re right that we don’t want to wake Mom and Dad."

"They don’t appreciate strange men visiting their home in the middle of the night?"

Seth chuckled darkly. "It wouldn’t be a good scene."

"Let’s go find out why your sister is mailing potentially disastrous letters."

Seth led Warren into the hall and tiptoed to Kendra’s door. He gently tried the knob. "Locked," he mouthed. He leaned close to Warren. "We don’t need a key. Just a pin or a paper clip. Something skinny to poke in the hole and pop the lock."

Holding up a finger, Warren removed what looked like professional lock-picking gear from a pocket. He quietly inserted one of the slender instruments into the tiny hole by the doorknob, and the lock clicked. Pocketing the tools, Warren swiftly opened the door and strode into the room with Seth right behind him.

Kendra sat cross-legged on her bed reading a letter. She looked up, annoyed at first, then perplexed as she recognized Warren. "What is it?" she asked.

Seth closed the door.

"You’re up early," Warren said.

"I’ve had trouble sleeping," Kendra replied, folding the letter.

"We need to talk," Warren said. Kendra shifted uncomfortably. "Why?" Warren held up the envelope she had mailed earlier in the night.

For a moment her face betrayed pure terror. Then she scowled. "How dare you go through my personal–"

"Don’t even try it," Warren cut her off. "I need honest answers right now or we’re carting you away. There was nothing personal about this note. It was naked treachery. Why, Kendra? We need an immediate explanation."

Kendra’s eyes darted around the room as she flailed for a response. "I wasn’t sending it to an enemy."

"I never said you were," Warren replied. "Sending this type of information to anyone outside our circle of trust would qualify as a major betrayal. I have never heard of Torina Barker. Who is she?"

"Please, Warren, you have to trust me, you know I would never–"

‘"I will try to hide Patton’s journal near the old tree house at the creek along Hawthorn Avenue,’" Warren read. He lowered the letter. "You’re right, Kendra, I would never have suspected you capable of this kind of disloyalty. Explain yourself."

Her mouth opened and closed wordlessly. Suddenly her eyes filled with pain and worry. "Please, Warren, don’t ask more questions, I had to do it, they made me, I can’t explain."

Warren studied her shrewdly. "This feels like an act. Seth?"

"She’s lying," he agreed.

Abruptly Kendra looked angry. "I can’t believe you would treat me like this."

"What I can’t believe is how clumsily you keep jumping from tactic to tactic," Warren said. "Who am I speaking with? I’m not convinced that Kendra’s mind is behind these words."

"It’s me, Warren, of course it’s me. Remember how I

helped restore you from being an albino? Remember how we faced that three-headed panther with Vanessa? Ask me anything."

"Why did you forget the combination to your locker?" Warren wondered.

"What?"

"I was watching you at school today. You had to go get help from the office to open your locker. Why?"

"Why does anybody forget anything?" Kendra protested, her voice unsteady. "The numbers just slipped my mind."

"Why did you come home early from day care?" Seth asked.

"Rex was out sick. The lady replacing him said she didn’t mind if I ducked out early."

Seth took a step toward his sister. "That is not a very Kendra-like thing to do. You’re right, Warren. This isn’t her. I don’t think it has been her all day."

"I’m your sister," Kendra insisted, eyes pleading. She jammed her hands into her pockets.

Seth waved a finger. "No. You are definitely not my sister. Know what you are? You’re a pig! I’ve never seen anyone down so many Cocoa Krispies!"

Warren grabbed Kendra’s arm. "I need you to come with me, whoever you are, until we can ensure you have released your hold on Kendra’s mind." He spoke harshly.

Kendra slapped her free hand to her lips and swallowed. Warren pushed her back onto the bed, trying to swab her mouth with his finger. Kendra laughed. "Too late, Warren," she said around his intrusive finger. She started to cough.