Keys to the Demon Prison (Fablehaven #5)(40)

"He's right on the brink of death," Seth said. "Because his death is so near, he doesn't care about allegiances anymore, so he sometimes helps me out of boredom."


Bracken looked pensive. "Graulas may have been of service in the past, but don't let yourself get comfortable around him. Demons are evil to the center. It is their nature to take advantage of others. Good never comes from them."


"You sound like Grandpa Sorenson," Seth said. "Graulas doesn't pretend to be good, but he really did help me."


"He's just saying to be careful," Maddox said kindly. "Bracken has some experience with demons. They may offer help when they see a selfish advantage in it, but they're always scheming. In the end, bad trees tend to give bad fruit."


"Well, he might be dead by now anyhow," Seth said. "He was pretty far gone last time I saw him. Tell me your story, Bracken. What powers did you used to have? Why do you know so much about demons?"


"We'll get into it some other time," Bracken said, averting his gaze.


"No need for modesty!" Maddox bellowed. "Tell the boy what you are!"


Bracken stared at the ceiling, as if wishing he were elsewhere. "He doesn't even know whether he should trust us yet. This is premature."


"I won't be spilling sensitive information anytime soon," Seth said, "but I think I trust you enough. My instincts say we're on the same side. By the way, you said you could show me other friends."


"I barely met your friend Mara," Bracken said. "She doesn't know me any better than you do. And I know how to reach your friend Berrigan as well. It's kind of a tricky climb. He's injured. I've been helping him heal."


"You have to tell me who you are," Seth insisted. "I'm really curious. You can't dangle stuff like this and then take it back. You're torturing me!"


"I'm a unicorn," Bracken said.


Seth laughed. "No, seriously."


"He's serious," Maddox said.


Seth considered Bracken skeptically. "Don't unicorns usually have horns? And, you know, hooves and fur and all that?"


"This is my human form," Bracken said. "Some unicorns have avatars," Maddox said. "You know, like dragons."



"Can you switch back into your horse shape?" Seth asked. "My sister would be so jealous."


"I can't," Bracken said. "I surrendered my horn, and thus am stuck as a human."


"Don't unicorns have three horns?" Seth asked.


"Right," Bracken replied, appraising Seth as if impressed by his knowledge. "Sort of like humans with baby teeth. We have one horn as a child, then shed it for a larger horn in adolescence, and in turn shed that for our permanent adult horn."


"But yours wasn't permanent," Seth said. "It should have been, but I surrendered it."


"Why? Did somebody defeat you or something?" Bracken's eyes flashed dangerously. "I would never have surrendered my third horn to an enemy!"


"Steady," Maddox soothed.


Bracken calmed, his shoulders sagging slightly. "I gave up my third horn on purpose. I surrendered it to the wizards who made the demon prison."


"Wait," Seth said, forming a connection. "So the Font of Immortality is made from your horn?"


Bracken glanced at Maddox. "Not bad."


"He's a bright kid."


Bracken returned his focus to Seth. "That is correct.


How did you know the Font is fashioned from a unicorn horn?"


"The Sphinx showed it to me," Seth replied.


"He what?" Maddox spluttered.


Bracken looked skeptical. "Voluntarily?"


"Yeah, after he healed me with the Sands of Sanctity."


"He used the Sands on you!" Maddox shouted.


"A little less enthusiasm," Bracken scolded. "We don't need to tell the whole dungeon. I get it now. It makes sense. You're a shadow charmer, so the Sphinx hopes to groom you. He wants to win your trust."


Maddox balled his hands into fists. "I wouldn't trust that skunk to scrub my toilet."


"Me neither," Seth promised. "But we were talking about Bracken."


Bracken cleared his throat self-consciously. "Right. Well, after I gave up my third horn, I could no longer revert to my true shape. I still had my second horn, which I could use as a weapon, and which helped me retain many of my powers. But in the end, the Sphinx trapped me, forcibly took my remaining horn, and cast me into this dungeon."


"You must really hate the demons to have given up your permanent horn to those wizards," Seth observed.


"My kind exist in opposition to demonkind. We are protectors and creators. They are exploiters and destroyers. Where we would bring light, they bring darkness. In addition, I had ... personal motivations. The wizards convinced me that my horn was essential to make the demon prison as impervious as possible. They were not lying to me, but you can imagine my distress that my sacrifice might soon be all for naught."