Part 20 (1/2)

Can we trace the handwriting? Coulter asked.

Grandma shook her head. They used a stencil.

Apparently they weren't in a rush.

Perhaps all of us should leave, Tanu suggested. The evidence is too glaring to ignore. Kendra and Seth are above suspicion, as are Ruth and Stan. Maybe the rest of us should depart.

The thought crossed my mind, Grandpa said. But now that we have two foes on the preserve, it is hardly a good time to send away our protectors, even if one is probably a traitor. At least until we can summon replacements.

I am stuck in this chair, and the children are young and untrained. The situation is maddening. As I consider each of you individually, you seem above suspicion. Yet someone wrote in the register, and since you all appear equally innocent, you consequently appear equally guilty.

I hope we find another explanation, Grandma said.

For the moment, we must acknowledge the likelihood that one of us is a master deceiver working for our adversaries.

It gets worse, Grandpa said. The phone lines are down again. We've been trying to summon aid via Vanessa's cell phone, but our chief contact has not been answering.

We will keep calling, but none of this bodes well.

The other immediate problem is Olloch himself, Grandma said. As he gorges himself on whatever edible matter he can find, he will continue to gain both size and Power. He quit trying to enter the yard hours ago, which210 means he realizes that if he gets big enough, he could gainsufficient power to overthrow the treaty, access the house, and claim his prize.

Like how Bahumat almost overthrew the preserve last year, Kendra said.

Yes, Grandpa said. Olloch could conceivably muster sufficient power to plunge Fablehaven into lawless chaos.

Kendra glanced at Seth, sitting silently. She had rarely seen him so quiet and contrite. It looked like he wanted to melt away into the love seat and vanish.

What can we do? Tanu asked.

Olloch the Glutton will not stop until he has devoured and digested Seth, Grandpa said. Slaying Olloch is well beyond our power. We have an ally who suggested there might be a way to subdue the demon, but we have not been able to reach him. The glutton has already reached a size that will allow him to ingest just about whatever he chooses, and his appet.i.te will not abate. We cannot sit idly by. Our peril is literally growing by the minute.

We must a.s.sume our benefactor is on the move, Grandma said. He is a heavily desired target of the Society.

We'll keep trying to telephone him, and a.s.sume that he'll make himself available as soon as he can. Otherwise, we're just not sure how to find him. He moves too frequently.

How long before Olloch becomes strong enough to countermand the treaty? Vanessa asked.

Grandpa shrugged. With the kind of game he can find inside Fablehaven, magical and nonmagical, it is a worst-case scenario. He'll grow much faster than he would out in211 the normal world. He must have had help getting to his currentsize, probably from that Christopher Vogel character.

My best guess? A day, more likely two, maybe three. I can't imagine it would take much longer.

Maybe you should just feed me to him, Seth said.

Don't talk nonsense, Grandma said.

Seth stood up. Wouldn't it be better than letting Olloch destroy all of Fablehaven? Sounds like he'll get me sooner or later. Why should I make him go through all of you first?

We'll find another way, Coulter said. We still have some time.

He'll have to eat me to get to you, Dale said.

Whether you like it or not.

Seth sat down. Grandpa pointed at him. Now is not the time to leap to rash solutions. We have not yet spoken with our most knowledgeable ally. Seth, I repeat, you are not culpable for awakening Olloch. You were tricked and are not to blame. You should not have been out in the woods alone ---- that was a most foolish error in judgment, the exact kind of nonsense I hoped you would have abandoned by now-but you are far from deserving a death sentence. Since the satyrs were involved, I take it you were trading for batteries? I haven't asked, what did they give you?

Seth lowered his eyes. Some gold.

May I see it?

Seth went and retrieved his emergency kit. He pulled out the gold bar. Grandpa examined it. You do not want to be caught out in the open with this in your pocket, he said.212 Why? Seth asked.Grandpa handed the bar back to Seth. It was clearly stolen from Nero's h.o.a.rd. What did you suppose the 'N'

stood for? He will be scrying for it in his seeing stone. In fact, the presence of the gold could grant him the power to see within the walls of our home. The satyrs must have only recently stolen it, or Nero would have already reclaimed it.

Seth placed a hand over his eyes and shook his head.

When will I do something right? he moaned. Should I go chuck it into the woods?

No, Grandpa said. You should go set it on the porch, and we'll return it to its rightful owner as soon as reasonably possible.

Nodding sheepishly, Seth exited the room. We also have some encouraging news, Grandpa said. Coulter made an important breakthrough today. We may be close to uncovering the relic we have been seeking. The latest revelation harmonizes with the information we already possess.

At this juncture, I believe there is more wisdom in sharing this information openly than in hiding it. No matter which of us is the traitor, the rest of us must continue functioning.

Better we make our knowledge common than become paralyzed.

Not that the traitor will be sharing secrets with us, Vanessa said bitterly.

All the same, Coulter will disclose his discovery, Grandpa said.

The fog giant Burlox reported that Warren was213 investigating the four hills area before he turned white,Coulter said.

One of the main areas Patton mentioned suspiciously, Vanessa said.

And the same area I investigated today, Tanu said.

The grove on the north end of the valley is definitely cursed. I did not risk treading there.

Seth came back into the room and reclaimed his spot on the love seat.

Many areas of Fablehaven carry terrible curses and are protected by ghastly fiends, Grandpa said. The valley of the four hills is one of the most infamous. At the moment, the evidence seems to suggest a pair of related mysteries. We may very well find not only that the grove contains the relic we have been seeking, but also that it is guarded by whatever ent.i.ty transformed Warren.

Of course, all that would need to be confirmed, Grandma said.

Carefully, Grandpa admonished. As with several of the most dread regions of Fablehaven, we have no idea what evil haunts the grove.

What is our next move? Vanessa asked.

I say we need to focus on Olloch before we try to penetrate whatever secrets lie inside the grove, Grandpa said.