Fablehaven: The Complete Series by Brandon Mull & Brandon Dorman

Author:Brandon Mull & Brandon Dorman
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Published: 2011-12-05T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

Darkness

The morning was already hot when Kendra awoke alone in her tent. She felt bleary, having slept late. Patton and Lena had spent the night in the big tent, Seth and Coulter in the other. Lying on her back with a sleeping bag tangled around her legs, Kendra felt sticky with sweat. How had she remained asleep when her tent was this stifling?

The egg-shaped pebble remained in her palm, held the same way as when she had fallen asleep. She fingered the smooth stone, which gave off no heat or light that she could perceive, but had empowered her to restore Coulter from his shadowy state with a brief touch. Would her touch retrieve any creature from the darkened state? The others seemed optimistic.

The task awaiting Kendra made her wish she could return to her dreamless slumber. If the Fairy Queen was right, whoever connected the light pebble with the dark nail would die today. She hoped that Seth and Patton had found a loophole, that throwing the stone or some similar trick would resolve the problem without a fatality. But if all other attempts failed, if nobody else could accomplish the feat, Kendra wondered whether she would have the courage to sacrifice herself. Losing her life would be worth it to save her friends and family. She hoped she would be brave enough to take the necessary action if the decisive moment arrived.

Slipping the pebble into her pocket, Kendra pulled on her shoes and tied them. She crawled to the door of her tent, unzipped it, and stepped outside. The fresh air, though hot, was a relief after the stale confines of the tent. Kendra tried her best to blindly arrange her hair with her fingertips. Sleeping in her clothes had left her feeling in desperate need of a shower.

“She’s up!” Seth hollered, jogging toward her, wearing the backpack with the Chronometer. “Looks like we can do it today after all.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?” Kendra accused.

“Patton wouldn’t let us,” Seth said. “He wanted you rested. We’re all ready.”

Turning, Kendra beheld an impressive crowd of satyrs, dryads, dwarfs, and fairies occupying the field between the tents and the gap in the hedge wall. They were all staring at her. Her eyes swept across the gathering. She was keenly aware that she had just emerged from a hot tent dressed in the same clothes she had worn yesterday.

Hugo approached from a distance pulling the cart, flanked by Cloudwing and Broadhoof. Patton, Lena, and Coulter rode in the cart.

“Where did Hugo get the cart?” Kendra asked.

“Patton sent him to retrieve it at dawn,” Seth replied.

“The centaurs are joining us?” she asked.

“Almost all of the creatures are coming,” Seth enthused. “For one thing, Patton told them how the defenses protecting this area will collapse after we pass beyond the hedge. For another, they all respect him, even Broadhoof.”

“Good morning, Kendra,” Patton boomed joyfully as Hugo came to a stop near the kids. He looked dashing standing with one foot on the side of the cart.

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