Part 33 (1/2)

Kendra took a sip from one of the gla.s.ses. Just barely too strong, she said.

Seth picked up the other gla.s.s and took a drink. A little weak, if you ask me.

What is your plan again? Kendra asked, rubbing her eyes. I'm so tired, I feel like I can barely concentrate.

We should go after the artifact, Seth restated.

And how do we get past the revenant? I thought it totally froze you.

Seth held up a finger. I already figured it out. See, we have that courage potion in Tanu's pouch. You know, the bottled-up emotion. I think if I take a big enough dose, the courage will counteract the fear from the zombie.

Kendra sighed. Seth, he has to mix in all sorts of stuff to get the emotions to balance each other out right.

The fear from the revenant will balance it out plenty.

You heard Vanessa and Errol. I just have to pull out the nail.

I know I can do it!

What if you can't?

Seth shrugged. If I can't, I end up an albino like the others, and you'll have to make a new plan.346 After everything that has happened, do you think theriskiest plan imaginable is the best way to go?

Unless you have a better one.

Kendra shook her head and wiped her hands down her face. She felt so weary that it was tough to focus. But obviously they couldn't just charge off and battle a revenant and then try to survive all the traps guarding the inverted tower.

There had to be better alternatives.

I'm waiting, Seth said.

I'm thinking, Kendra said. It's what some people do before they talk. Let's consider the other options besides deliberate suicide. We could hide. I'm not wild about that option, because it just prolongs an actual decision, and I'm not going to be able to keep awake much longer.

You have circles under your eyes, Seth said.

We could attack. They only have one imp left.

Mendigo is a pretty tough fighter. If he had a weapon, he could maybe take out their last imp, and then beat up Errol and Vanessa.

If we can lure them all out of the yard, Seth said.

Which I doubt will happen. After they find the injured imps, they'll be careful. You never know, they might have other tricks up their sleeves. Vanessa could come after us as Dale, for example.

I hadn't thought of that, Kendra admitted. Do you think she's doing that right now?

I would be, Seth said. And this is the first place I would look.347 What if Dale shows up and Mendigo hurts him?Kendra wondered.

At this point, if Dale shows up, Mendigo better hurt him. His legs will heal.

We should probably leave Fablehaven, Kendra said.

Escape and find the Sphinx.

How? You have his phone number? Know where he hides out?

Kendra rubbed the side of her head.

Seth looked at her adamantly. And guess who is probably waiting on the driveway just outside those gates?

Your friend the kobold. And that big monster made of hay.

And about a zillion other members of the Society of the Evening Star, guarding the gates in case somebody tries to do exactly what you're saying. And probably hoping Vanessa figures out how to let them in.

Do you have a better idea? Kendra huffed.

I told you a better idea. They won't be expecting it.

Kendra shook her head. Seth, even Tanu and Coulter weren't sure how they were going to get past the traps in the tower. Even if you could defeat the revenant, we'd never make it to the artifact.

Seth got up out of his chair. Outside of Fablehaven, the Society of the Evening Star can send everybody they have after us. We wouldn't last five minutes. In here, they only have Vanessa, Errol, and that imp. Either way is dangerous.

But I'd rather take a risk trying to fix everything than take a risk running away.

Running for help, Kendra stressed.348 You didn't run away when you went to the FairyQueen, Seth reminded her.

That was different, she said. You and Grandma and Grandpa were about to die for sure, and I had n.o.body to help me. If I had run away, I would have been abandoning you. I knew I could save you if the Fairy Queen was willing to help me.

And if we get the artifact we can save Grandma and Grandpa, Seth said. It probably has powers we can use.

n.o.body even knows what it does, Kendra said.

It does something. They're all supposed to be really powerful, letting us control time or s.p.a.ce and stuff like that.

You didn't know exactly what the Fairy Queen could do. You just knew she was powerful. Whatever the artifact is, at least it would give us a chance. Would you rather go hide under a log? In the morning, we'd be no better off than we are right now.

At least we wouldn't be dead.

I'm not so sure, Seth said. All it takes is one of us falling asleep, and we'll be in all sorts of trouble.

I'm not saying we hide under a log. I say we bring Mendigo, and take our chances trying to find the Sphinx.

We don't have to use the driveway; we can climb the gate and loop way around, stay out of sight. There's a better probability we'll succeed.

How is there a better chance? We have no idea what is waiting outside the gates! We have no idea where the Sphinx is! We don't even know if he's still alive!349 Kendra folded her arms. He's been alive for hundreds ofyears and all of a sudden he gets killed?

Maybe. These artifacts have been hidden for hundreds of years and all of a sudden they're being found.

You're exhausting, Kendra said.

That's what you say when I'm right! Seth said.