Tess sat on the back steps of the main house, she had tried to show her parents the fairies, she had even taken them by the hand and lead then the biggest group of fairies in the yard, but it was no use. Her parents never saw anything but butterflies. Though Tess had noticed that when she had tried to show her parents her fairies, auntie Marla and uncle Scott had shared knowing looks and a smile at Tess.
Tess guessed that her aunt and uncle already knew about the fairies. But she could not confirm, her parents had been hanging around with her aunt and uncle so much, that Tess could not get them alone. Tess missed her brother and cousins, she also missed Mara. Mara was not only aware of the fairies but she had also taught Tess about everything, all the cool tricks, and animals. Tess missed being able to ask questions and get real answers.
"Hey, Tess," The voice startled Tess, she flinched, and whipped her head around to see the approaching person, it was Dale. The lanky man sat down next to Tess on the stairs.
"Your parents are incredibly naive, we have been trying to show them the mysteries of Fablehaven so we can share the situation with them, we have given them the most obvious clues but they remain clueless." Dale lamented, Tess understood, she wished she could talk to her parents about the world they had no idea existed.
"I miss the others," Tess confessed,
"You too? After all the excitement I guess this place can seem a little boring if you stay in the yard." Dale said,
"Ya," Tess sighed
"Have you seen the treehouse?" Dale asked
"There's a treehouse?" Tess perked up excitedly,
"This way, Hugo helped build it."
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Kendra rubbed her eyes and yawned, she had just awoken, when she heard a twig snap, Kendra, whipped around. A deer-like creature stood in the middle of the camp. Kendra recognized the creature as a peryton. Her eyes darted around, who was on watch? Why didn't they alert the group?
The peryton was sniffing through some of last night's fallen leftovers. Kendra saw Bracken, Tanu, and Mara they were the only ones awake. Mara was trying to keep Tempest from pouncing on the peryton, the griffin was snarling and pawing at the air. Kendra realized that they were trying to simply not spook the peryton so that it might just pass by rather than attack.
Kendra made eye contact with Bracken, who made a shushing motion. Kendra heard a faint whoosh of air, and suddenly, two feathered darts appeared in the neck of the peryton. The feathered stag bucked then sank to its knees falling victim to the dart's sleeping potion. Falling 3 feet short of the sleeping form of Warren. Kendra looked to Tanu, he didn't have his blowgun out. She turned and saw Vanessa rising from her sleeping bag blowgun in hand in one hand and a couple of darts in the other.
"Nice work," Tanu complimented, "but, you could have hit someone."
"Thanks, I was being careful, the only person I could have possibly hit was Mara, and she has the reflexes to avoid that. And worst-case-scenario Mara is on forced bedrest and Tanu would secretly be pleased." Vanessa dismissed casually. Tanu opened his mouth to talk then closed it, indirectly affirming Vanessa's words.
"I am glad you have so much faith in me and care so much V," Mara commented sarcastically, rolling her eyes and stroking Tempest.
"Why were you up? Trask told me you didn't have a shift last night." Vanessa inquired,
"Tanu had to change my bandages, when did you wake up? I didn't even hear you." Mara countered,
"I heard the peryton and stayed still waiting for my moment." Vanessa returned offhandedly "I knew Tanu would not want to risk firing his blowgun in case he missed, Bracken does not hit me as someone to use uncalled for violence, and Mara, you are in no condition to wrestle something that size." Vanessa continued, Tanu nodded as did Bracken,
"I hate how people are indirectly calling me weak," Mara muttered sourly,
"It is not your fault you were mauled." Bracken put in,
"You are still plenty strong," Kendra assured. Mara shrugged but Kendra could see the satisfaction flicker in Mara's eyes.
"You know people eerily well, Vanessa" Tanu commented,
"So does Bracken and you don't call him out about it." Vanessa countered.
"That is because Bracken can read minds, you can't." Tanu countered
"I am observant," Vanessa replied, Tanu shrugged and let it drop, All of the talking had woken Warren and Trask, Knox remained asleep, his mouth slightly opened.
"Do you want me to put a spider in his mouth and see what happens?" Warren asked mischievously,
"No!" Mara, Tanu, and Vanessa whispered in horror
"Go for it." Kendra enthused, Bracken and Trask just shrugged. Mara stepped forward to put herself between Warren and Knox, who was still oblivious to everything.
"I was joking," Warren assured.
"Where you?" Mara asked putting her hands on her hips, arching an eyebrow and looking him dead in the eye,
"Mostly," Warren muttered, Mara rolled her eyes and bent over the sleeping form of Knox.
"Knox, wake up before Warren feeds you a spider," Mara said as she gently shook Knox's shoulder.
"What, Warren fed me a spider?!" Knox gasped jolting upright, his head colliding with Mara's face. Both of then let out a cry of pain and shock. Knox let out more of a yelp and Mara let out more of a whimper that reminded Kendra of a wounded animal.
Mara's hands were now clamped around her nose and Knox was rubbing his forehead. "I'm so sorry are you ok? I have a thick skull." Knox apologized, when Mara took her hand off of her face it was covered in blood, she had blood gushing from both nostrils. Kendra cringed.
"You have the hardest skull I have ever encountered," Mara acknowledged, she was pinching her nose to try and stop the blood flow from her nose resulting in her voice sounding squeaky and high pitched. Kendra fought a snicker at the current sound of Mara's voice, she sounded like a manly chipmunk.
"Can I have something to clean my face." Mara pleaded, Trask, handed Mara a handkerchief to clean up her face. She failed and ended up just spreading blood everywhere while trying to stop the bleeding.
It got to the point were Bracken had to stem the bleeding with his unicorn magic, and Trask took pity on Mara and helped her clean up her face while Tanu found food for breakfast. After Mara's face was blood-free she went to go change her shirt that had gotten stained from her epic nose bleed. Kendra noticed a thick purple bruise forming on Knox's forehead.
"Is your head ok Knox?" Kendra asked,
"It feels a little sore," Knox admitted
"Have you seen it." Kendra wondered,
"No," Knox replied cluelessly.
"I think that Mara's face is almost as thick as your skull." Kendra laughed, Knox shrugged. "Both of you are pretty hard-headed." Kendra acknowledged,
"I still feel sorry about her nose." Knox said, guilt in his voice.
"I think she will forgive you, it wasn't your fault," Kendra assured.
"That doesn't make her nose feel better." Knox countered,
"No, Bracken can though." Kendra kidded trying to lighten the mood of her cousin.
"Ya, we are lucky your boyfriend decided to tag along." Knox conceded. Kendra blushed and turned away.
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Seth could not believe his eyes, how had Ronodin found him? Seth knew for certain that he could not become Ronodin's prisoner again. But how could he evade the dark unicorn without docking on the island or just floating in the boat until Ronodin left? It wasn't dark enough for Seth to shade walk, and Ronodin had already seen him so that would be useless.
Suddenly waves tipped the boat precariously. Seth could not see the source of the rocking, the water had been still. He looked over the side of the boat, something was under the water.
Seth was freaking out, what was in the water? Suddenly, he heard a voice. It was rich and melodious like a choir of teenage boys speaking in unison.
"Seth, you don't remember me but I can help, my name is Raxtus I am currently invisible, if you trust me I can fly you to shore and keep you out of reach of Ronodin."
"Will that actually work?" Seth wondered skeptically, he wouldn't believe his luck if this worked."What do you think Calvin?" Seth wanted to make sure that his tiny partner was on board with this.
"Go for it, Seth, your sister knows this dragon, we can trust him," Calvin assured,
"Won't Ronodin see us though?" Seth wondered.
"To Ronodin, it will look like you suddenly gained the ability to fly." Raxtus assured,
"Ok, go for it, just let me grab my bag." Seth conceded,
"Sure, let me know when you are ready," Raxtus said. Seth snatched up his bag and put Calvin in his pocket so that the little nipsie would not fall off.
"You ready Calvin?" Seth asked
"Yep," Came a small response from his pocket.
"Ok, I'm ready," Seth announced, something burst from the water and Seth felt an invisible talon wrap around his waist. He panicked at first, but then realized at it was only Raxtus, Seth felt his insides lurch as he flew into the air supported by the unseen dragon.
Raxtus was fast they made it to the island in record time. Seth looked down just in time to see Ronodin's surprised face as Seth flew over. It was the funniest thing Seth had ever seen, Ronodin standing on the shore of the beach, his mouth open and his eyes wide. It wasn't until the shore of the island had become a speck in the distance when Seth perked up, "Where are you taking me?" Seth asked.
"Do you want to find your sister?" Raxtus asked,
"Kendra is here?" Seth asked,
"Along with 7 others, they have been looking desperately for you," Raxtus informed,
"Really?" Seth wondered,
"Really, your family is desperate to get you back, we just have to find them now," Raxtus affirmed,
"Do you know where they are?" Seth asked,
"I have no idea, but I know that they are heading for the dragon temple."
"But I want to find Humbuggle I wasn't heading for a dragon temple," Seth said, bewildered,
"They know that, but they need something from the temple," Raxtus responded.
"What is it?" Seth asked his curiosity now peaked,
"The dragons have declared war, your friends are looking for a powerful artifact to try to stop the dragons." Raxtus relayed, "Aren't you a dragon, why aren't you trying to stop them?" Seth asked.
"I am a unique dragon, I have sided with your family against my own kind," Raxtus related,
"Wow that's pretty brave," Seth acknowledged,
"I never thought of myself as very brave," Raxtus conceded
"Well, you are" Seth assured,
"Your sister tells me the same thing all the time."
"Where did you meet Kendra?" Seth asked
"At Wyrmroost, I'll let her tell that story," Raxtus responded,
Seth put it into his head to ask Kendra later.
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Knox rubbed his forehead if Kendra hadn't told him he had quite the bruise, he would have assumed that he had one. Knox wished he had an earlier shift, it had sounded like others had quite the morning. First, a deer with venomous antlers walks into camp and starting eating stuff, then Vanessa shoots it with her blowgun, and finally, Warren threatened to feed Knox a spider, Knox was awake for everything after that.
He had to admit that it had been the most interesting way Knox had ever been awoken, having been almost been fed a spider in his sleep by his distant cousin-in-law while on a dangerous dragon preserve, but saved from having to consume the arachnid by this good looking native American woman, who Knox had promptly smashed into her face with his head almost breaking her nose in the process.
It sounded too ridiculous to be true if you said it out loud like that. Other than that his morning had been calm, there had been no further incidents, Warren, and Tanu had dragged the unconscious peryton into the woods. Bracken had helped Knox by taking away most of the pain in his forehead, the bruise remained but it was now faint, according to Kendra and Bracken.
Mara had been teased about being able to dodge a sword that came flying in her direction but could not avoid Knox's skull. Knox wished that they had something to eat other than granola and sandwiches for breakfast, well, he could have eaten a spider if Mara had not intervened. He tried to tell himself that someone else would have stepped in if Mara hadn't, but, part of him was slightly doubtful. Knox wished that they could just get to the dragon temple and end the suspense hanging over all of them, but Mara had shown Knox the map, they had quite a ways to go.
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Thank you for all the lovely reviews, guys, your comments keep me going :) There will be a break between this chapter and chapter 10 due to the fact that my dog is going to have 15 puppies so I am going to have my hands full and no time for writing, unfortunately, but you can expect chapter ten in about 2 weeks