That he was going to dance on our graves, Kendra
said.
Seth spun around and cupped his hands beside his
mouth like a megaphone. Only if they bury us in your
cruddy cell, he yelled. He glanced at Grandma. Think he
heard me?
Coulter
He's not here, Seth said, checking his wristwatch.
He'll be here soon, Kendra said.
They sat together on a stone bench at the edge of an
oval section of lawn with a marble birdbath near the center.
The sun had not been up long, but the day was already getting
warm. A cluster of fairies played among the blossoms of
a nearby shrub. Others hovered over the birdbath, admiring
their reflections.
The fairies haven't been very friendly lately, Seth said.
Kendra scratched her temple. They probably just need
their space.
They were so friendly before we left last summer, after
you led them against Bahumat.
They were probably just extra excited.
Try to talk to them, Seth said. If you can understand
imps, I bet you can understand fairies too.
I tried last night. They ignored me.
Seth glanced at his watch again. I say we go do something
else. Coulter's like ten minutes late. And he picked
the most boring spot in all of Fablehaven to make us wait.
Maybe we're in the wrong place.
Seth shook his head. This is where he said.
I'm sure he'll come, Kendra said.
By the time he does, we'll have to leave to visit the
Sphinx.
Coulter suddenly appeared in front of them, standing on
the lawn not ten feet away, blocking their view of the birdbath.
One instant there was nothing, the next, he had
popped into existence, leaning on his walking stick. I suppose
I wasn't meant to hear that, Coulter said.
Kendra shrieked, and Seth jumped to his feet. Where
did you come from? Seth yelped.
Take more care what you say out in the open, Coulter
said. You never know who may be listening. I'm sure your
grandparents wanted your visit to the Sphinx kept a secret.
Why were you eavesdropping? Kendra accused.
To prove a point, Coulter said. Believe me, if I
weren't on your side, and you had given me that information,
I would not have tipped my hand by revealing myself.
By the way, Kendra, fairies are jealous by nature. There's no
surer way to earn their dislike than to become popular.
How did you do that? Seth asked.
Coulter held up a fingerless leather glove, letting it hang
limp. One of my prize possessions. I deal in magical trinkets,
tokens, and artifacts. Tanu has his potions, Vanessa has her
critters-I have my magic glove. Among other things.
Can I try it? Seth asked.
All in good time, Coulter said, pocketing the glove
and clearing his throat. I understand Tanu got you off to a
fine start yesterday. He knows his business. You'd do well to
heed him.
We will, Kendra said.
Before we begin, Coulter said, shifting his feet as if he
were feeling a tad uncomfortable, I want to make one thing
clear. He gave Kendra an uncertain glance. No matter how
careful you are about personal hygiene, it is perfectly natural
for a teenage girl to develop an occasional pimple.
Kendra hid her face in her hands. Seth grinned.
Such things are a natural part of the maturation
process, Coulter continued. You may begin to notice other
changes as-
Kendra raised her head. I'm not embarrassed about it,
she insisted. It was just the potion.
Coulter nodded patronizingly. Well, if you ever need to
talk about… growing up-
That's very kind, Kendra blurted, holding up both
hands to stop him from saying more. I'll let you know if I
want to talk. Zits happen. I'm okay with it. Seth looked like
he was about to explode with laughter, but he managed to
contain himself.
Coulter wiped a hand across the top of his head, flattening
his little tuft of gray hair. He had reddened slightly.
Right. Enough said about hormones. Shifting gears. He
paused for a moment, rubbing his hands together. What do
the two of you want me to teach you?
How to make ourselves invisible, Seth said.
I mean generally, Coulter clarified. Why do you want
to apprentice with me?
So we can learn how to protect ourselves from magical
creatures, Kendra said.
And so we can help out around here, Seth said. I'm
sick of staying in the yard.
Coulter wagged a finger. A preserve like Fablehaven is a
dangerous place. In my line of work, any degree of carelessness
can lead to disaster. And by disaster I mean death. No
second chances. Just a cold, lonely coffin.
The new soberness in his tone had quickly changed the
mood. Kendra and Seth listened attentively.
Those woods, Coulter said, sweeping a hand toward
the trees, are teeming with creatures who would love nothing
more than to drown you. To cripple you. To devour you.
To turn you to stone. If you let your guard down for a
moment, if you forget for a second that every one of the
creatures on this preserve is potentially your worst enemy,
you won't have any more chance of surviving than a worm
on a henhouse floor. Am I getting through to you?
Kendra and Seth nodded.
I don't tell you this out of cruelty, Coulter said. I'm
not trying to shock you with exaggerations. I want you to go
into this with your eyes wide open. People in my profession
die all the time. Talented, cautious people. No matter how
careful you are, there is always the chance of running across
something more terrible than you are prepared to handle. Or
you might find yourself in a situation you've dealt with a
hundred times, but you make a mistake, and you never get a
second chance. If either of you expects to venture out into
those woods with me, I don't want you clinging to a false
sense of security. I've had my close calls, and I've seen people
die. I'll do my best to keep you safe, but it is only fair to warn
you that on any given day, even doing something that might
seem routine, if we're out in those woods, we could all perish.
I'll not have you along without making that clear.
We know it's risky, Seth said.
Something else I ought to tell you now. If we're all in
mortal peril, and it looks like saving you means sacrificing
myself, or worse, sacrificing both of us, I'm probably going to
save myself. I'd expect you to do the same. If I can protect
you, I will; if not… you've been warned. Coulter raised his
hands. I don't want your ghosts showing up moaning about
how I didn't warn you.
We've been warned, Kendra said. We won't haunt
you.
I might haunt you a little, Seth said.
Coulter snorted, hawked up some phlegm, and spat.
Now, I intend to keep us far from situations where our lives
are in jeopardy, but there's always a possibility the worst
could happen, and if that's a risk you're unwilling to take,
speak now, because once we're out in the woods, it may be
too late.
I'm in, Seth said. I'm still sad I didn't get to go yesterday.
I'm in too, Kendra said bravely. But I was fine with
yesterday.
That reminds me, Coulter said, I'm a little old-fashioned
in some ways, and that carries over to this arrangement.
Call it outdated chivalry, but there are some places I
don't feel women should go. Not because they aren't intelligent
or able. I just feel there is a certain respect with which
a lady should be treated.
Are you saying there are places you'd take Seth but not
me? Kendra asked.
That's what I'm saying. And you hold all the feminist
rallies you want, it won't shake my opinion. Coulter spread
his hands. If you want somebody else to take you, and
they're willing, I can't do much about that.
What about Vanessa? Kendra exclaimed incredulously.
What about Grandma? Although part of her didn't even
want to go to the dangerous places Coulter was talking
about, the idea that her gender would prevent him from taking
her was deeply insulting.
as are you. But I'm also free to do as I please, and there are
some places I would rather not take a woman, no matter
how capable she might be, Vanessa and your grandmother
included.
Kendra stood up. But you'd take Seth? He's two years
younger than me and practically brain dead!
My brain is not the issue, Seth said, enjoying the
argument.
Coulter pointed at Seth with his walking stick. At
twelve, he's on his way to becoming a man. There are plenty
of places I wouldn't take either of you, if that brings any consolation.
Places none of us would take you until you're much
older and more experienced. There are even places we
wouldn't go ourselves.
But there are places you'd take my little brother and
not me, just because I'm a girl, Kendra pressed.
I wouldn't have brought it up if I didn't foresee it happening
within the next few days, Coulter said.
Kendra shook her head. Unbelievable. You know that
Fablehaven wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me.
Coulter shrugged apologetically. You did a wonderful
thing, and I'm not trying to detract from that. I'm not
talking about ability. If I had a daughter and a son, there are
certain things I see myself doing with one and not the other.
I know everybody is busy trying to pretend boys and girls are
exactly the same nowadays, but that isn't how I see it. If it
makes you feel better, I'll share everything I know with both
of you, and most places we'll be going, we can all go.
And I'll get somebody else to take me where you
won't, Kendra promised.
That's your prerogative, Coulter said.
Can we move on to something else? Seth asked.
Can we? Coulter asked Kendra.
There's nothing else for me to say, Kendra said, still
frustrated.
Coulter acted like he didn't notice her tone. As I was
telling you before, my specialty is magical items. There are
all sorts of magical items in the world. Many have burned
out-they were once magical but have run out of energy and
lost their power. Others remain functional but can only be
used a limited number of times. And others seem to draw
from an endless supply of magical energy.
Is the glove limited? Seth asked.
Coulter held up the glove again. I've been using it for
years, and the effects never seem to dwindle. For all I can
tell, it will work forever. But like most magical items, it has
certain limitations. He slipped it onto his hand and disappeared.
As long as I hold still, you can see nothing.
Different story if I move around. Coulter began to flicker in
and out of view. He was wiggling his head. When he waved
an arm, he flashed into clear view until he stopped.
The glove only works if you're motionless, Kendra
said.
Coulter was no longer visible. Correct. I can talk, I can
blink, I can breathe. Much more movement than that, and I
become visible. He took off the glove, reappearing
instantly. Which is quite an inconvenience. Once I've been
spotted, this glove isn't very handy for getting away. It also
doesn't mask my smell. For maximum effect, I have to slip it
on before I've been seen, in a situation where I can hold still,
and where no being that can discern my presence through
senses other than sight is present.
That's why you had us meet you here, Seth said. So
you could come early and get ready to spy on us.
See? Coulter said to Kendra. He isn't brain dead.
Naturally, if I were really intent on spying on you, I would
have stood behind the bench in the bushes. But I wanted to
make a dramatic appearance, so I trusted to luck that you
wouldn't run into me and ruin my surprise.
Your footprints must have been obvious on the lawn,
Kendra pointed out.
Coulter bobbed his head. The grass was newly trimmed,
and I stamped around a bit before I chose my spot, but yes,
had you been paying proper attention, you could have
noticed the imprints of my feet on the lawn. But I guessed
right. You didn't.
Can I try out the glove? Seth asked.
that you kept my glove a secret. Your grandparents know,
but I would rather keep it from the others. Doesn't pay to let
the world in on your best tricks.
Seth mimed like he was locking his lips shut and tossing
away the key. I won't tell, Kendra said.
Keeping secrets is an important skill to master in my
line of work, Coulter said. Especially with the Society out
there, always scheming to gather information and exploit
weaknesses. I tell my best secrets only to people I know I can
trust. Otherwise the secret becomes a rumor just like that.
He snapped his fingers. You practice keeping the confidences
I share with you. Believe me, if I learn you've told
anyone, you'll never hear another secret from me.
You better keep an eye on Kendra, Seth said.
I never promised to keep that secret, she maintained.
I'll be keeping an eye on both of you. And I'll up the
stakes for the test. He held up a small greenish pod. There
is a species of pixie in Norway that loses its wings at the
onset of winter. The pixie spends the coldest winter months
hibernating m a cocoon like this one. When spring comes,
the pixie emerges with a beautiful new set of wings.
Seth wrinkled his nose. We have to keep that a secret?
I haven't finished. After the proper treatments and
preparations, these cocoons become valuable items. If I pop
this cocoon into my mouth and bite down hard, it will
instantly expand and envelop me. I'll be inside an absolutely
impervious shelter, completely saf
e from any external threat.
Enough carbon dioxide filters out of the cocoon, and enough
oxygen filters into it, to keep me comfortable-even underwater!
The moist inner walls are edible. Together with the
moisture they absorb from the outside, the cocoon walls
could sustain me for months. And despite the impenetrable
outer carapace, from inside, with a little work, I can break
free whenever I choose.
Wow, Kendra said.
This rare, specially prepared cocoon is my insurance
policy, Coulter said. It's my Get Out of Jail Free Card. And
it is one of the secrets I guard most carefully, because a day
will likely come when it saves my life.
And you're telling us? Seth asked.
I'm testing you. Even your grandparents don't know
about this cocoon. You are not to talk about it with anyone,
including each other, because you might be overheard. After
sufficient time passes, if you keep this secret, I may share
others with you. Don't disappoint me.
We won't, Seth vowed.
Coulter bent down and scratched his ankle. You kids
notice any drumants last night?
They both shook their heads.
I got nipped a couple of times on the leg, he said.
Slept right through it. Maybe I ought to try sawdust and
garlic after all.
Vanessa caught two more, Kendra said.
Well, she has eleven to go then, Coulter said. I want
to show you one more item. He held up a silver sphere.
You heard your grandparents talking about how no mortals
can access Fablehaven through the gates. The entire fence
surrounding Fablehaven is reinforced by mighty spells. One
of those spells can be illustrated by this ball.
Coulter walked over to the birdbath. The fairies scattered
at his approach. In my hand the spell remains dormant.
But once I release the ball, it becomes protected by a
distracter spell. He plopped the sphere into the birdbath.
Not nearly as strong as the distracter spell protecting the
gates, but it should do.
Coulter returned and stood beside them. Seth, go get
that ball for me, would you?
Seth studied Coulter suspiciously. It's going to distract
me somehow?
Just go bring it over here.
Seth trotted over to the birdbath. He stopped and
started looking around in all directions. What did you
want? he finally called back to Coulter.
Bring me the ball, Coulter reminded him.
Seth slapped the heel of his hand against his forehead.