Keys to the Demon Prison (Fablehaven #5)(115)

"You're right," Bracken said. "I'll try to contact the Sphinx. Meanwhile, get us out of here."


Chapter 23 Vasilis


Seth sat on the rocky hillside while Vanessa consulted the hand-drawn map he had received from the Singing Sisters. She compared it to a second map, consulted her compass, and checked the GPS reading. Up ahead, Newel and Doren were fencing with their walking sticks, wood clacking sharply as they slashed and blocked and stabbed. Hugo loomed over Seth, waiting silently as Vanessa got her bearings.


After leaving the paved roads of British Columbia, Vanessa had driven almost tentatively. Seth supposed isolated dirt roads that skirted sheer drops of hundreds of feet would make anyone a little cautious. Vanessa had piloted them along obscure, pitted roads for hours, winding among rugged mountains and picturesque bodies of water until, with dawn approaching, the latest road had ended at a small camping area, where she had proclaimed they would proceed on foot.


"We're close," Vanessa said. "If I'm correlating these maps correctly, around this hill, we should find a long valley that narrows into a ravine. The Totem Wall awaits at the end of the ravine. Let's make this a real break and have a snack."


"Foo-ood!" Seth called. The satyrs quit their duel and trotted over, opening their packs.


"Would you care for a sandwich, Mike?" Newel asked, referring to the false passport Vanessa had used when bringing Seth over the Canadian border. It was the same passport he had used when traveling to Obsidian Waste. Elise had held their documents, so his passport had made it home to Fablehaven with her. Vanessa had recovered it during her foraging at Fablehaven, and had added forged documents establishing her guardianship. Her extensive experience with international travel had come in handy.


"Pretzels, Mr. McDonald?" Doren asked, using the last name from Seth's passport. He held out an open bag and shook it enticingly.


"Sure," Seth said, accepting a pretzel. "At least I didn't have to walk over the border and then get picked up on the far side."


"Best to assume the Canadians would have objected to foreign goats," Newel said, handing Seth a deli sandwich.


"Or a huge dirt pile in the back of the truck," Doren added. "Or weapons. We did you guys a service, kept all the possible contraband out of your vehicle."


Newel flung his arms wide, stretching. Appraising the nearest mountaintops, he filled his lungs with the cool morning air. "I'm surprised more people don't live up here. This is some of the prettiest country I've seen, and it's also the least populated."


"Harsh winters," Vanessa said. "We're lucky they seem to be having a gentle spring. At higher altitudes or farther north I bet we could still find deep snow."


Seth compressed the tall deli sandwich with his hands and bit into it, crisp lettuce crunching. The satyrs had kept the sandwiches in a cooler, so it was chilled. The sandwich had more mustard and pickles than he liked, but helped satisfy his hunger nonetheless.


Doren tossed pretzels at Newel, who caught them in his mouth. Vanessa ate half her sandwich, then leaned back and closed her eyes. After all the driving she had done, she had to be exhausted.


Seth tried not to obsess about the upcoming task. He wished they could reach the Totem Wall and get started. The anticipation was driving him crazy.


The satyrs returned to fencing with their walking sticks. Vanessa didn't stir. Seth supposed she had earned a brief rest. To distract himself, he pulled out the coin Bracken had given him.


"You hear me?" Seth mouthed.


I hear you. I should have tried to reach you earlier. We failed to protect another Eternal. Only one left. We're on our way to Texas. How are you?


"I'm about to carry out one of the hard parts of my mission. If I succeed, maybe we can meet up before long. Is Kendra all right?"


We're all fine. Uninjured, I mean. Just a little discouraged. Hopefully we'll both have more success in the near future.


"I'll be in touch," Seth whispered.


Keep that coin handy.


"Talking to Bracken?" Vanessa asked, sitting up.


"They lost another Eternal," Seth said. "Only one left."


"Which makes our role in this ever more important." Vanessa arose. "You shouldn't communicate too much with the coin. With our enemies in possession of the Oculus, everything we say and do can give away our purposes."


"I've been keeping my language vague," Seth assured her. "For all we know, they've been watching us all along."


"Not so," Vanessa said. "I expect their gaze has been directed elsewhere. To the Eternals, mostly, and to Zzyzx itself. If they knew what we were after, we would have encountered opposition long before now. Thanks to all they're dealing with, our little road trip seems to have escaped their notice thus far. Of course, that could change at any moment."


Newel's walking stick broke. Doren started chasing him around the hillside, poking him in the back.


"No fair!" Newel cried. "I'm unarmed!"


"Touche!" Doren exclaimed with each new stab.


"We need to move on," Vanessa said.