Keys to the Demon Prison (Fablehaven #5)(41)

Seth pounded a fist into his palm. "Which brings us back to my goal. We have to find a way out of here. You may have tried in the past, but it has never been more urgent."


Bracken and Maddox exchanged a glance.


"What do you think?" Maddox asked.


Bracken sighed. "All right. Since the world is about to end, why not give an impossible jailbreak one last try?"


Chapter 9 Assignments


K endra knew the sun was up, but she hid under her covers nonetheless. She missed Lena. She missed Patton. She missed her parents. She missed her brother. And she was hesitant to confront a new day.


The conversation with Patton the day before had galvanized her grandparents. Grandpa had been contacting Knights of the Dawn, Grandma had been researching in the attic, and everybody was busy making plans.


Kendra had a role to play in those plans. She had put on a brave face, enthusiastically accepting her responsibilities, but they made her nervous. What if she failed? There was so much riding on her participation.


This morning after breakfast, Kendra, Warren, and Tanu would use the Translocator to visit a Scottish preserve called Stony Vale. Both Warren and Tanu had been there before. As Patton had prompted, Grandpa wanted Kendra to have a conversation with the Fairy Queen, and, thanks to the Translocator, the shrine at Stony Vale was readily accessible.


The others seemed to take for granted that Kendra and the Fairy Queen were Best Friends Forever. In reality, the Fairy Queen might very well strike Kendra down for treading on hallowed ground if she found the intrusion unwarranted. Of course, Kendra had been cautioned to trust her instincts on the matter of whether a visit was appropriate, and she felt confident the Fairy Queen would agree that this was a genuine crisis. As an archenemy of the Demon King, the Fairy Queen would be anxious to keep Zzyzx intact.


But just because Kendra might have access to the Fairy Queen, that did not mean she could cajole the mysterious personage to provide actual help, as her family expected. Kendra worried that she would let everyone down, including herself.


Her second assignment made Kendra even more nervous than the first. The others had determined that she had the closest relationship with Vanessa, and hoped that Kendra's genuine grief over the abduction of Seth and her parents might finally persuade the narcoblix to divulge her big secret. Again, Kendra understood the reasoning behind the task, but it was too much pressure! She was supposed to speak with Vanessa after returning from Stony Vale.


Within the close space beneath her covers, Kendra reluctantly accepted that procrastinating these challenges would not make them go away. If she tried, she might fail, but hiding in her bed would certainly not bring her family home. Still, if she stole a few more minutes of sleep, her problems might temporarily melt from her mind ...


No! She kicked off her covers and rolled out of bed. The mere act of standing up helped her feel a little more ready to tackle her upcoming obligations.


After showering and getting dressed, Kendra found Warren and Tanu enjoying a pancake breakfast. Spatula in hand, Grandpa hovered over the griddle, and he encouraged Kendra to have a seat.


"Nobody came and got me?" Kendra asked, taking a couple of pancakes from the stack and placing them on her plate.


"We heard you in the shower," Grandpa explained. "I have some hot ones coming if you want to wait a second."


Kendra tested the spongy surface with her finger. "These are still warm." She poured maple syrup over them.


Coulter strolled into the room. "Uh-oh, Stan is fixing pancakes! Must be time for another death-defying mission!"


"Way to ease the tension," Warren muttered.


"Can I have some?" Coulter asked. "Or are they only for the condemned?"


"No pessimistic geezers allowed," Warren declared.


Chuckling quietly, Coulter took a seat at the table. Tanu tried to pass him some pancakes, but Coulter held up a dismissive hand. "I'll wait for those hot ones."


Kendra cut into her pancakes with the side of her fork, speared two pieces, put them in her mouth, and relished the sweet, fluffy perfection. "Good job, Grandpa," she said. "These are delicious."


Warren smeared homemade jam on a pancake and took a bite. "You'll like Stony Vale, Kendra."


"It's very picturesque," Tanu agreed.


"The caretaker is one of our most reliable Knights," Coulter said, accepting fresh pancakes from Grandpa's spatula.


"He won't know we're coming," Warren clarified. "This is a secret operation, in and out, quick and quiet. We'll teleport away at the first sign of trouble."


"If you have to travel," Coulter said, "I can't think of a better way than the Translocator."


"I know, I'm getting spoiled," Warren replied. "I'm not sure I'll be able to do airports ever again."


Tanu nodded. "No customs, no checked bags, no tiny seats for ten hours at a time."


"What are you griping about?" Warren said. "You hibernate like a grizzly on those long flights."


"I sleep to escape the torture," Tanu maintained.


"There's my problem," Warren said, tossing up his hands. "I haven't learned to sleep during torture."