Keys to the Demon Prison (Fablehaven #5)(108)

Seth held his breath as Berna studied him. "He makes a reasonable bargain," she assessed. "Three gifts: the sword, a wraith, and one of our choosing. Consider the possibilities."


"I am inclined to accept as well," Orna said. "Is it unanimous, sister, or shall we outvote you?"


"Very well," Wilna declared bitterly, casting a venomous glare at Orna. She turned to Seth. "We will accept your dubious proposition, upon one condition. You must not divulge the terms of our proposal to anyone, or share the particulars of our other offers."


"Agreed," Seth said.


"Gromlet," Wilna cried. "Bring us a covenant knife."


A stubby troll waddled over, an embroidered cushion in his hands. A sleek dagger with a black hilt rested on the cushion.


"Let the knife taste your blood," the three women sang in unison, eyes focused on the puddle.


Seth picked up the knife and pricked the side of his thumb. The blade was so keen that he hardly felt the incision, but when he pulled the knife away, blood oozed from the tiny slit.


"We vow to show you how to find Vasilis," the sisters chanted in an eerie harmony. "Knife in hand, make your vow!"


Seth kept hold of the knife. "I promise to bring you Vasilis within a year after I find it, to bring you a wraith bound to serve you, and to retrieve an additional item for you upon your request."


"Once we perform our obligation, you will be bound," the women sang. "If you fail to perform your duties, or if you divulge the particulars of our arrangement, this knife will take your life. So be it."


The women relaxed, seeming to awaken from a trance. Seth replaced the knife on the cushion, and the top-heavy little troll toddled away, overlarge head tilting from side to side.


"What now?" Seth asked.


"You'll see," Orna answered.


"Concentrate," Wilna commanded.


The conjoined sisters raised their inseparable arms above their heads and began to hum. At first they held a single note in unison, but soon the humming became a tangle of discordant harmonies. The humming grew to singing, although Seth comprehended none of the words. The harmonies became beautiful for certain stretches, but most of the time the chords they sang were unsettling.


The puddle at the center of their attention started to glow, and the maggot inside began to writhe. Droplets splashed as the maggot thrashed with increasing vigor. The singing grew more urgent. During a long, minor chord, the maggot burst. An inky cloud of deep purple roiled in the luminous puddle. The light in the puddle began to pulse unevenly. Amid the agitation, Seth glimpsed a ravine and several emaciated faces.


The sisters finished their song abruptly, and the puddle went dark, the water almost black. Berna began to cough violently, and the other sisters were breathing raggedly.


"We should have called for a steeper price," Orna wheezed, drool seeping from the corner of her mouth.


Wilna scowled, blood leaking from one nostril. "Had you forgotten what it required to seize such guarded knowledge?"


"It has been so long," Orna apologized.


"Quit wasting words," Berna panted. "The bargain is made." Her eyes had become badly bloodshot.


"Seth Sorenson," Wilna intoned. "You will find Vasilis behind the legendary Totem Wall."


"What's the Totem Wall?" Seth asked.


"The Wall serves an oracular purpose similar to ours," Orna said. "We never knew it also hid Vasilis."


"The Totem Wall awaits you in Canada," Wilna continued. "Our servants will produce a map of British Columbia."


"Tibbut!" Berna called.


A troll with a bulging forehead tottered forward. Berna closed her eyes, and he closed his. A moment later he bowed and hastened away.


"How do I get past the Totem Wall?" Seth asked.


"The Totem Wall demands sacrifices in exchange for favors," Berna said. "Everything depends on which totems you involve."


"The Wall can be more finicky than we are," Orna tittered. "Chance plays a major role."


"Without our help," Wilna corrected. "Insights gained through our vision can eliminate much of the chance. We will provide guidance. After all, it is in our interest to see you succeed."


"Unless we would rather watch you fail and die than collect on your promises," Berna mused.


"We have already expended much effort to view the way to Vasilis," Wilna asserted, jowls flapping. "We will impart what knowledge we can."


"The Totem Wall has many heads," Orna said.


"You will have to select four totems to treat with," Berna added.


Wilna stared at Seth purposefully. "In order to open the hidden door, speak with Anyu the Hunter, Tootega the Crone, Yuralria the Dancer, and Chu the Beaver."


"Addressing them by name should surprise them," Orna said.


Seth practiced the names.


"They will require an offering to open the hidden door," Wilna said. "Tell them you will eradicate the evil entombed within."