You said you knew a place Warren had been exploring before he turned white, Coulter said. We had a deal.
More after, Burlox grunted threateningly.190 If we give you anything else, it will be out of kindness,not obligation. A deal is a deal. Was the buffalo not delicious?
Four hills, the giant spat, before pivoting and stalking away.
The four hills, Coulter repeated softly, watching the enormous figure vanish into the mist. He clapped Seth on the back. We just got what we came here for, my boy. A
bona fide lead.
Kendra reached into the sack and then sprinkled raisins into the glass cylinder. The orange mass at the bottom oozed toward the raisins like living pudding, covering them and slowly darkening to a deep red. You have gross pets,
Kendra said.
Vanessa lifted her gaze from the journal she was studying.
Wizard slime looks unappetizing, but no other substance can equal its ability to draw out the poison from infected tissue. All of my darlings have their uses.
Unusual animals occupied most of Vanessa's room.
Cages, buckets, aquariums, and terrariums contained a stunning variety of inhabitants. Whether they looked like reptiles, mammals, arachnids, amphibians, insects, sponges, fungi, or something in between, all were magical. There was a colorful lizard with three eyes that was nearly impossible to pick up because it could see slightly into the future and avoid your every move. A hairless mouse that transformed into a fish if you dropped it in water. And a bat who shed her191wings biweekly-if the discarded wings were quickly pressedagainst another creature, they would take hold and grow.
Vanessa had used them to create a flying rabbit.
Aside from the dozens of life forms in their respective containers, stacks of books dominated the room. The majority were bulky reference books and leather-bound journals of previous Fablehaven caretakers. Bookmarks protruded from the journals, marking pages of interest Vanessa had discovered during her research.
I'm not sure I could sleep surrounded by so many freaky animals, Kendra said.
Vanessa closed the journal she was reading, marking the page with a silk ribbon. I've rendered the truly dangerous whirligigs harmless, like the drumants. None of the creatures
I brought into Fablehaven could cause anyone serious harm.
I got nipped last night, Kendra said, holding out her arm to show the bite marks in the crook of her elbow. Slept right through it.
I'm sorry, Vanessa said. I have fifteen in the cage now.
Which means four are running loose, Kendra said gruffly, imitating Coulter.
Vanessa smiled. He means well.
He's not winning any points by taking off with Seth and leaving me behind. If he gave me the choice, I would probably volunteer to skip some excursions. I mean, I could probably go my whole life without seeing a buffalo eaten192 alive and be just fine. But being told to stay behind feels different.Vanessa stood up and crossed to a chest of drawers. I
suspect I would feel the same way. She opened a drawer and started rummaging. It seems only fair that I should share a secret with you. She removed a candle and what looked like a long, translucent crayon.
What are those? Kendra asked.
In rain forests around the world, you can find tiny sprites called umites that make honey and wax like bees. In fact, they dwell in almost hivelike communities. This marker and candle are both composed of umite wax. Vanessa wrote on the front of the drawer with the clear waxen marker. See anything?
No.
Watch. Vanessa struck a match and lit the candle.
Once a flame burned on the wick, the entire candle glowed yellow, as did the marker, as did a vivid message on the front of the drawer:
Hi Kendra!
Cool, Kendra said.
Try to wipe it off, Vanessa said.
Kendra tried to wipe away the words to no avail. As soon as Vanessa blew out the candle, the message vanished.
Vanessa handed the crayon and the candle to Kendra. For me? Kendra asked.
I have spares. Now we can send each other secret messages, and none of the boys will know. I always carry one of those markers on me. They write surprisingly well on nearly193 any surface, the messages are difficult to erase, and onlythose with a properly enchanted umite candle can read them. I've used umite wax to mark myself a trail, to send a sensitive communique to a friend, and to remind myself of important secrets.
Thanks, what a great gift!
Vanessa winked. We're pen pals.
Seth watched Coulter mount the steps to the back porch and enter the house. He knew his window of opportunity might be brief, so he hurried past the barn to a tree beside a path into the woods. It was the same path that led to the greenhouse where he and Kendra had harvested pumpkins the previous year. That morning, before anyone was awake,
Seth had left a note at the base of that tree under a rock.
The year before, after Kendra had saved Fablehaven and while she slept for two days straight, Seth had held a private meeting with the satyrs, Newel and Doren. Most of the inhabitants of Fablehaven were not permitted in the yard uninvited, so the satyrs had stood at the edge of the yard and beckoned Seth over. They had agreed that when Seth returned to Fablehaven, he would bring size C batteries and leave a note under the rock. Newel and Doren would recover the note and leave instructions for a meeting, where they would exchange gold for the treasured batteries that would bring new life to their portable television.
Seth squatted at the base of the tree. Even though he had left the note in the morning and it was now late194 afternoon, it was almost too much to hope that the satyrswould have already responded. Who knew how often they would check? Knowing them, maybe never. Seth picked up the rock. On the back of his note the satyrs had scrawled a message:
If you get this today, follow this path, take your second left, first right, keep on until you hear us.
You'll hear us. If you get this tomorrow, it will say something else!
Excited, Seth stuffed the note in his pocket and set off down the path. He had eight size C batteries in the bottom of his emergency kit. After he sold those, and the satyrs were hooked, he figured he could sell the rest for even more. If everything panned out, he would be retired before reaching high school!
Walking briskly, Seth took about six minutes to reach the second left, and about four more to reach the next right.
At least, he hoped it was the next right. It was a scant trail, less inviting than the fake one Coulter had shown him in the swamp. But the satyrs had said first right, so they must have meant this little trail. He wasn't too far from the yard, so Seth felt confident it would be safe.
The farther he went, the thicker the woods and undergrowth around the little trail became. He was beginning to consider doubling back and waiting for a second message from the satyrs when he heard shouting up ahead. It was definitely the goatmen. He jogged forward. The closer he got, the more clearly he could hear them.195 Are you out of your skull? one voice griped. That wasright on the line!