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Was life like that? You could look ahead to the future or back at the past, but the present moved too quickly to absorb.
“This stupid thing won’t even focus,” Seth complained. Kendra smiled.
“A previous caretaker of this preserve had a fascination with naiads.” “The dandelion guy?” Seth asked. “A different guy,” Grandpa said. “It’s a long story. Ask Lena about it sometime; I believe she knows the tale.”
Fairies are vain, selfish creatures. You may have noticed I drained all the fountains and the birdbaths outside. When they are full, the fairies assemble to stare at their reflections all day.” “Is Kendra a fairy?” Seth asked. Grandpa bit his lip and stared at the floor, obviously trying to choke back a laugh.
Have you met a man named Warren?” “Warren?” Seth repeated. “Handsome and quiet? White hair and skin? Dale’s brother.”
“What about Warren?” Kendra asked. “Will he help too?” Grandma frowned. “You have not met him because his mind has been ruined. Dale has remained on this preserve mainly in order to care for him. Warren is lost in a catatonic stupor. Fablehaven has many stories. His is another tragic tale of a mortal venturing where he did not belong. Warren will be no help to us.”
“It does us no good to dwell on dark thoughts.
“Remember how worried you were when we dropped you off?” Mom said as she buckled her seatbelt. “I bet it wasn’t half as scary as you imagined.” Kendra and Seth shared a very special look.
“Sweet dreams,” Vanessa said,
Seth dug into his suitcase. “Can you keep a secret?” he asked. Kendra crouched to unzip her duffel bag. “Yes, but you can’t, so I’m sure you’d tell me either way.”
“What’ll you do if you can’t find a way to cure him?” Seth asked. Dale paused. “I’ll never know that day has come, because I’ll never stop trying.”
“You’re not helping my courage a whole bunch,” Seth complained. He started impersonating Coulter. “Seth, we’ll be just fine. Nothing to worry about. Hugo, when we die, please have us buried in a beautiful cemetery by a stream. I’m sorry, Seth, I meant if we die. Be brave. When the phantom kills you, don’t scream, even though it’s going to hurt a lot.”
“Was I mute? That’s a first. Come inside.”
“You’re saying there isn’t going to be a Welcome-Back-from-Your-Coma Party?” Kendra smiled. “Until we rescue the others, I’m all you get.” “Sooner or later, I want cake and ice cream.
“Telling that guy a secret is like writing it across the sky.
“I have a glove that makes me invisible when I hold still,” Kendra said. “And several magical potions, though I’m not sure what they do.” “Of course you do,” he said,
“Jackpot!” Warren announced. “What?” “Cookies.”
“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.
Suddenly Warren shot downward. Kendra watched him slow to a stop. “I thought you said nothing too drastic,” she called to him. He rocketed upwards, drawing even with her again. “I meant for you,” he said before plunging away below her.
locked your favorite pet in the Box, the way you sulk.” “I’m not pining for her,” Kendra corrected.
“I had some close calls of my own,” Warren mumbled. “Cool ones.”
Warren plopped down on the sofa beside Kendra.
brotp
“I’m just helping Smart Seth defeat Idiot Seth.” “I guess Smart Seth is glad,” he said reluctantly. “But be careful. Idiot Seth is the guy to watch out for.”
“Your presence is irregular,” the Lieutenant informed Warren. “Inducting a minor is irregular as well,” Warren said. “I promised her grandfather she wouldn’t leave my sight.” “You know me, Warren,” the Lieutenant said. “Where would the child be safer than here?” “Again, the operative word is child,” Warren insisted.
protective!warren makes my heart warm
“I’m still around,” Warren said, not elaborating that he had spent the previous few years as a catatonic albino.
I think we can trust Dougan and Gavin, but I don’t want to take anything for granted.
“Scaling the mesa on a festival night would be madness,” Mara said, her voice a resonant alto. “Suicide.” “Sounds like my kind of party,” Warren joked.
“That would look really nifty in a parade,” Kendra said flatly. “You’re sweet to worry.”
“It’s her souvenir,” Gavin insisted.
Stupidity was when you took risks for no good reason. Courage was when you took a calculated risk in order to accomplish something important.
“Don’t try to pretend you’d rather see a dragon than a unicorn.”
gavin versus bracken lol
“Of course it is! In order to grasp at straws, we need straws!
“It was an emergency!” Seth blurted. “Read my lips—emergency reading—not some demented idea of fun. If I were starving, I would eat asparagus. If somebody held a gun to my head, I would watch a soap opera. And to save Fablehaven, I would read a book, okay, are you happy?”
Part of Seth wondered if Warren had wandered to the back of the tent in order to quietly verify whether it was actually as soundproof as purported.
Warren sighed. “If a starving bear ate my family, even though he may have had no wicked intentions, even though he was just being a bear, his nature has made him a menace, and I’m going to shoot him.” He sounded exasperated by the conversation.
“When jumping is the sole option, you jump, and try to make it work.
“I would have left the pond for three minutes.”
Live a fruitful life. Resist evil. Give more than you take. Help others do likewise. The rest will take care of itself.
how Navarog, the demon prince, might factor into them.
lmaO
Stingbulb
im ready to cri
Seth wished Grandma would turn down the heater, but the vents kept gushing warm air. “I’m going to die of heatstroke in the snow,” he mumbled. It was his third complaint about the temperature. Grandma ignored him. He briefly considered taking off his shirt in protest. “It is a little warm,” Warren remarked. “This vehicle is not a democracy,” Grandma replied.
Seth hustled over. “What’s the password?” “Passwords are for sissies,” Warren’s muffled voice responded. “Works for me,” Seth said, unlocking the door and opening it.
“What you call idiot points, I call awesome dollars.”
Want to help set the table for your last meal?” “That isn’t funny! What if it really is my last meal!” Seth rolled his eyes. “It won’t be. I’m sure you guys will grab something at the airport.”
Warren slapped his hands together. “I’m Warren Burgess, a great-great-nephew of the legendary and somewhat infamous Patton Burgess. I’m a Scorpio who enjoys badminton, snorkeling, and Chinese checkers.” He paused for laughter but only earned a couple of smiles. “I’m Kendra’s second cousin. I’ve worked with the Knights for about ten years, part of which I spent in a catatonic stupor at Fablehaven. I’m here to protect Kendra. We brought some useful items, including a knapsack which contains a fairly spacious extra-dimensional storeroom. We loaded the knapsack with lots of supplies, including
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You can only play a certain amount of Yahtzee games in a row before you become a lunatic.”
“Sharp antlers,” Warren gasped. “Not a very impressive way to go. Stabbed by a deer. Don’t put that on my tombstone. Blame the dragon.”
“Perfect,” Tanu muttered. He dropped to his knees beside Warren. “Sorry I’m late.” “Heard you banged your head,” Warren said. Wearing an embarrassed grin, Tanu smoothed a hand over his thick, dark hair. “Don’t know what happened. Must have tripped and hit a rock.” Tanu produced a knife. Warren grimaced as Tanu began to cut away his shirt. “I feel sorry for the rock.” Tanu shrugged. “It smacked me pretty good. I’ve never been knocked out before. Thick skull.” He slashed away a wide section of fabric. Warren eyed the knife. “You’re not dizzy or anything?” “I do my best work dizzy.”
How strange to think that the whole universe was arrayed above him like his own private aquarium.
