I'm sick of waiting; what's the story? Seth sounded
exasperated.
Olloch the Glutton is a demon enchanted by a peculiar
spell, Grandpa explained. He remains in a petrified state,
inert, until somebody feeds him. He bites the hand that
feeds him and, after that, gradually awakens, driven by an
insatiable hunger. He eats, and as he eats, he grows. As his
size increases, so does his power, and he does not stop eating
until he consumes the person who initially awakened him.
He's going to eat me? Seth cried.
He's going to try, Grandpa said.
Can he get into Fablehaven?
I don't think so, Grandpa said. But the day will soon
come when he will prowl our borders, searching for an
opportunity to strike, gaining more power every day as he
continues to gorge himself. He will be inexorably drawn to
you. The only places to hide are those he cannot access.
There has to be something we can do! Seth said.
That is why I want to bring you to the Sphinx,
Grandpa said. His wisdom has proven equal to situations
more challenging than this. Don't worry, we won't let
Olloch devour you.
Seth put his face in his hands. Why does everything I
do go wrong? He looked up. I thought I was being helpful.
This was not your fault, Grandma said. You were
being very brave, and trying to do the right thing. Sadly,
Errol was taking advantage of you.
Do you know anything about Errol? Kendra asked.
Nothing, Grandpa said.
How did he find out about the fairies?
Grandpa sighed. We have a theory. Last week, we found
an imp, one of the big kind, passing information to a caped
figure through the border fence. We could not catch the person
he was informing-the stranger made a hasty retreat.
But we managed to apprehend the imp.
The rogue would have gotten away if not for your
grandpa, Grandma said.
Choosing between me and Tanu, the imp tried to get
past me, Grandpa said. I tackled him, but he was amazingly
strong. He hurled me into a gully. I felt my arm snap
beneath me, and fractured my tibia. But I managed to slow
the brute long enough for Tanu to use a concoction that paralyzed
him.
Where is he now? Seth asked.
In the dungeon, Grandpa said.
The basement, Grandma clarified.
So that's what's down there! Seth cried.
Among other things, Grandpa said. Unaccompanied,
the dungeon is absolutely off-limits to you two.
Big surprise, Seth mumbled.
Anyhow, Grandpa said, the point is, we believe that
the imp, and perhaps others, must have leaked the experience
Kendra had with the fairies to the Society. Imps are
crafty spies.
Are we going to have to hide here for the rest of our
lives? Kendra asked.
Grandpa slapped his hand down on the arm of the
wheelchair. Who said anything about hiding? We'll be taking
action. Finding and moving the artifact. Investigating
why the Society is interested in you. Consulting with the
Sphinx.
And offering you two world-class training from some of
the most skilled adventurers anywhere, Grandma said. You
need to learn about the world you are being drawn into, and
you could find no better teachers than Tanu, Vanessa, and
Coulter.
They're going to teach us? Seth asked, eyes shining.
They will be your mentors, Grandpa said. At this
point, sitting still would be a mistake. You two will have
opportunities to accompany them on some of their outings
as they search for the artifact.
Not when they do anything truly dangerous, Grandma
amended.
No, Grandpa said. But you'll get to see a new side of
Fablehaven. And learn a trick or two that may help you in
the future. Ignorance is no longer a protection for either of
you.
Coulter may be tough to work with, particularly for
Kendra, Grandma said with a trace of bitterness. He has a
prehistoric outlook on certain issues, and a difficult personality.
But he also has a lot to offer. If all else fails, Vanessa
has agreed to take up the slack.
They do not know the extent of what we have told
you, Grandpa said. They think we informed you that they
are hunting for a hidden relic, and they understand that you
are to accompany them when prudence will allow it. They
have no idea that we revealed the true nature of the artifact
or the fact that Fablehaven is a secret preserve. You must
keep those details to yourselves. I don't want anyone learning
how much you know.
No problem, Seth said.
What do they think we believe the artifact is? Kendra
said.
A magical relic that will help us in our fight against the
Society, Grandma said. An unknown talisman rumored to
be hidden on the property. We told them we would keep it
vague, and that they should do the same.
If we find it, Seth said, why don't we use it against
Errol and his friends?
The artifacts have remained in our possession for millennia
precisely because we have not sought to use them,
Grandpa said. Those watching over them have not even
known where they are hidden. If we use them, it will be only
a matter of time before we misuse them, and they fall into
the wrong hands.
That makes sense, Kendra said. When will we see the
Sphinx?
He should let me know shortly, Grandpa said, dabbing
the corner of his mouth with his napkin. You now know all
we know about the new threat we are facing. We have
treated you as adults, and expect you to behave accordingly.
Get to know our new arrivals, Grandma said.
Learning from them will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
When do we start? Seth asked.
Immediately, Grandpa answered.
Tanu
When Kendra and Seth exited the study, Dale was
waiting on the other side of the door. Ready to start
summer school? he asked.
If it means we get to see cool monsters, absolutely,
Seth replied.
Follow me, Dale said. He led them into the parlor,
where Tanu sat reading a leather-bound book. Your pupils
have arrived, Dale announced.
Tanu stood up. Dale was tall, but Tanu was half a head
taller. And much thicker. He wore a rugged, long-sleeved
shirt and jeans. Please have a seat, he said in his deep, mild
voice. Kendra and Seth sat down on a sofa, and Dale
departed. Your grandparents told you about the relic we are
hunting? he asked.
They weren't very specific, Kendra said. What exactly
is it? She figured that if she didn't sound curious, it would
look suspicious.
We don't know many of the details, Tanu said, his dark
eyes flicking back and forth between the two of them. Only
that it is rumored to be quite powerful, and could help us
keep the preserves safe from the Society. You two will be
helping in th
e pursuit of this hidden treasure. But first we
need to get acquainted.
Tanu asked them several standard questions. He found
out that Seth was going into seventh grade, that he liked to
ride his bike and play practical jokes, and that he had once
captured a fairy using a jar and a mirror. He learned that
Kendra was heading into ninth grade, that her favorite subjects
were history and English, and that she played halfback
on the school soccer team. He did not ask Kendra about the
fairy army.
It's only fair that I now tell you about myself, Tanu
said. Do you have any questions?
Are you from Hawaii? Seth asked.
I grew up in Pasadena, Tanu said. But my ancestors
are from Anaheim. He flashed a broad smile, showing big
white teeth. I'm Samoan. I've only been there as a visitor,
though.
Have you traveled a lot? Kendra asked.
More than my fair share, he admitted. I've been
around the world many times, seen many strange sights. My
father made potions, and his father before him, going back
many generations. My dad taught me what I know. He
retired a few years back. He lives in Arizona in the winter,
Idaho in the summer.
Do you have a family? Kendra asked.
I have my folks, some brothers and sisters, and a bunch
of nieces and nephews and cousins. No wife, no kids. Drives
my folks crazy. Everybody wants me to settle down. Dad
once tried to slip me a love potion to make me fall for some
neighbor girl that he liked. He already has seventeen grandkids,
but he says he wants some from his eldest. I'll throw
down roots someday. Not yet.
You know how to make love potions? Seth asked.
And avoid them, Tanu grinned.
What else can you make? Seth asked.
Potions to cure illnesses, potions to induce sleep,
potions that awaken lost memories, Tanu said. It all
depends on what I have to work with. The toughest part of
being a potion master is collecting ingredients. Only magical
ingredients yield magical results. I study cause and effect,
and I benefit from the studies of many who came before me.
I try to figure out how to combine different materials to
achieve a desired outcome.
Where do you get ingredients? Kendra asked.
The most powerful ingredients are usually by-products
of magical creatures, Tanu explained. Viola, the milch
cow, is a potion master's dream. Her milk, her blood, her
dung, her sweat, her tears, her saliva-they all have different
magical properties. At an icy preserve in Greenland, on
the coast, they get their milk from a gigantic walrus, nearly a
thousand years old, one of the eldest animals on the planet.
The derivatives of the walrus have different properties from
the cow's. Along with certain similarities.
Cool, Seth said.
It is fascinating, Tanu admitted. You never know
what skills you'll need. I've climbed mountains, picked
locks, ventured deep underwater, and learned foreign languages.
Sometimes you can trade for ingredients, or purchase
them. But you have to be careful. Some potion makers are
unscrupulous. They get their ingredients in horrible ways.
Dragon tears, for example. A very potent ingredient, but
hard to come by. Dragons cry only when they are in the
deepest mourning or when they have committed a terrible
betrayal. They cannot fake the tears. There are bad people
out there who would capture a young dragon and then murder
its dear ones just to collect the tears. You don't want to
support that kind of barbarity, so you have to be careful who
you trade with, and who you buy from. Most of the best
potion makers prefer to find their own ingredients. Which
is why some of the best potion makers don't live very long.
Do you collect your own ingredients? Seth asked.
Most of the time, Tanu said. Every now and again I
barter with reputable dealers. I can find much of what I need
on preserves. Other items I locate in the wild. My grandfather
lived to retirement and died in his sleep. My dad lived
to retirement and is still with us. They taught me some good
tricks that help keep me safe. Hopefully I can pass some of
that knowledge along to you.
Tanu picked up a pouch that was sitting next to his
chair. He began removing small bottles with narrow necks
and arranging them in a single row on the coffee table.
What are those? Seth asked.
Tanu glanced up. Part of a demonstration, to prove that
I know my trade. A family specialty-bottled-up emotions.
Drinking them will make us feel a certain way? Kendra
asked.
Temporarily, yes, Tanu said. In large doses the emotions
can be overpowering. I want each of you to choose an
emotion to sample. I'll mix you a small dose. The emotions
will pass quickly. You can try fear, rage, embarrassment, or
sorrow. He removed more items from his pouch-jars, vials,
and a small sandwich bag full of leaves.
Are they all bad emotions? Kendra asked.
I can do courage, calm, confidence, and joy, among
others. But the negative emotions make better demonstrations.
They are more shocking, and less addictive.
I want to try fear, Seth said, coming to stand near.
Good choice, Tanu responded. He unscrewed the lid
of a jar and used a tool that looked like a small tongue
depressor to scoop out some beige paste. I'm mixing this so
the effect will come and go very quickly, just giving you a
the bag, Tanu scraped the paste onto the leaf. He then
dripped four drops from one of the bottles onto the leaf,
added a single drop from a different bottle, and mixed the
liquid into the paste with the tongue depressor. He handed
the leaf to Seth.
Eat the leaf? Seth asked.
Eat it all, Tanu said. Sit down first. When the emotion
hits, it will be distressing, much more real than you
probably expect. Try to remember that it is artificial and that
it will pass.
Seth sat down on a brocaded armchair. He sniffed the
leaf, then popped it into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed
quickly. Not bad. Tastes a little like peanuts.
Kendra watched him intently. Is he going to freak out?
she asked.
Wait and see, Tanu said, suppressing a grin.
I feel fine so far, Seth announced.
It takes a few seconds, Tanu said.
A few seconds for what? Seth asked, an edge of anxiety
creeping into his voice.
See? Tanu said, winking at Kendra. It's starting.
What's starting? Seth asked, eyes darting. Why'd you
wink at her? Why are you talking like I'm not in the room?
I'm sorry, Seth, Tanu said. We mean no harm. The
effects of the potion are hitting you.
Seth's breathing was becoming ragged. He was shifting
in his seat, rubbing his thighs with his palms. What did you
give me? he said, raising his voice and sounding paran
oid.
Why'd you have to mix so much stuff? How do I know I can
trust you?
It's all right, Kendra said. You're just feeling the
effects of the potion.
Seth looked at Kendra, his face contorting, tears brimming
in his eyes. He raised his voice more, sounding
hysterical. Just the potion? Just the potion! He chuckled
bitterly. You don't get it? He poisoned me! He poisoned me,
and you're next. I'm going to die! We're all going to die! He
was curling up on the chair, quivering and hugging his
knees. A single tear leaked from one eye and slid down his
cheek.
Kendra looked at Tanu, distressed. Tanu raised a calming
hand. He's already coming out of it.
She looked back at her brother. He sat still for a
moment, then straightened his legs and sat up, wiping the
remnants of the tear from his cheek. Wow, Seth said. You
weren't kidding! That felt so real. I couldn't think straight. I
thought you had tricked me into drinking poison or something.
Your mind was searching for threats to justify the emotion,
Tanu said. It helped that you knew beforehand the
emotion was coming. Had I drugged you by surprise, it would
have been much more difficult to make sense of the experience
afterwards. Let alone if I used a higher dosage. Imagine
if I made that emotion much more intense and longer lasting.
You have to try it, Seth said to Kendra.
I'm not sure I want to, Kendra said. Can't I feel something
happy?
You should try an emotion you would normally resist if
you want to appreciate the potency, Tanu said. It's alarming
in the moment, but you'll feel fine afterwards. In a way,
it's cleansing. An occasional foray into negative emotions
makes feeling normal that much sweeter.
He's right, I feel great now, Seth said. Like the riddle.
Why do you hit yourself in the head fifty times with a hammer?
Why? Kendra asked.
Because it feels so good when you stop!
Try an emotion other than fear, Tanu said. For the
sake of variety.
Pick one for me, Kendra said. Don't tell me what it
is.
You sure? Tanu asked.
Yeah, if I'm going to do it, I want you to surprise me.
Tanu put another glop of beige paste on a leaf and mixed
in drops from three bottles. He gave the leaf to Kendra, and
she popped it into her mouth and chewed it up, sitting down
on the carpet in the middle of the room. The leaf was a little
tricky to chew. It did not taste like something you were supposed