Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary (Fablehaven, #4)

by Brandon Mull

Know what you are? You’re a pig! I’ve never seen anyone down so many Cocoa Krispies!”

But I do know that there is a difference between hearing and listening. You can’t always help what you hear. But you can control what holds your interest, what you choose to dwell on.”

Seth hustled over. “What’s the password?” “Passwords are for sissies,” Warren’s muffled voice responded. “Works for me,”

“I got to push the most buttons,” he gloated while reclaiming his suitcase. “Plus you earned fifty idiot points,” Kendra said. “A new record.” “What you call idiot points, I call awesome dollars.”

“I hate how my past actions keep messing up my future options,” Seth muttered. “Then you’ve started down the road to wisdom,” Grandpa replied.

“We’ve spent the last four thousand years appreciating nature,” Newel groaned. “We get it. Plants are pretty and smell nice. For us, the new and exotic frontier is season finale cliff-hangers.”

He was about to trespass alone into the centaurs’ secret stronghold armed only with a banana.

What would Patton have done?” Warren chuckled. “He would have shaved the centaurs, dipped them in honey, covered them with feathers, and hung them up like a bunch of piñatas.” Kendra, Seth, and Tanu laughed. “I’m just saying.”

“You don’t have to do everything.” “Nope. Just the boring stuff. Maybe I’ll write the Sphinx a stern letter.”

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.”

Bubda capered in a circle, slapping one hip while twirling a finger over his head. Seth regretted having shown the troll that every Yahtzee deserved a victory dance.

“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.”

“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. “I have a little headache. My pride took the biggest hit.” “Your pride?” Warren griped, his speech slurred. “I was vanquished by a deer!” “A giant magical flying deer with fangs,” Seth said, parroting a description Gavin had shared earlier. “That sounds a little better,” Warren conceded. “Seth is in charge of my tombstone.”

“I don’t want to get killed either,” Seth said agreeably. “I’d much rather live. Partly because I know you’d write ‘I told you so’ on my gravestone.

“Except it’s hard to make my brother feel as guilty as he deserves when he saved my life.”

Sorry to be a bear. Excruciating agony makes me cranky.

“I’m about as intimidating as a puppy. Wearing diapers. With a pacifier in its mouth.

Not that any dragon worth a nickel would wear a saddle. They would die of shame. But shame is where I live. I own the whole neighborhood.

“Why aren’t you choking?” Siletta asked. “We’re not in the mood,” Seth replied.

“Stop slinking around,” Siletta hissed, her voice thick with irritation. “We’ll stop hiding when you stop being poisonous,” Seth called. “Seems like you’re the one stalling. Come on out so we can get our photo and go home.”

“You know,” the dragon said, still chewing, “for such a bad guy, he tastes pretty good.”