Fablehaven_ Rise of the Evening Star Part 11

Is it safe for him to be here? Kendra asked. I mean, with all the creatures in the woods?116 The cabin enjoys the same protections as the house,Dale said. Although creatures can come into the yard.

What if he has to go to the bathroom? Seth asked.

Dale looked at him as if the question were perplexing.

Then the lanky man tipped his head back in realization.

Oh, you mean the outhouse. The cabin has an indoor toilet now.

Dale started walking again. They reached the plank porch of the cabin, and Dale used a key to open the front door. The cabin had a large central room with a door in the rear that led to another room, and a ladder that granted access to a loft. On pegs beside the front door hung a sombrero, a slicker, and an overcoat. A long table dominated the room, surrounded by six chairs. Pyramids of firewood flanked the dark fireplace. A bed stood against the wall, and a man was curled up under the covers, eyes staring flatly toward the door.

Dale crossed to Warren. You have some visitors, Warren, Dale said. You remember Tanu. And this is Kendra and Seth Sorenson, two of Stan's grandkids. Dale pulled back the covers and straightened his brother's legs.

Then he placed a hand behind Warren's head and guided him into a sitting position. Warren wore a dark orange T-shirt and gray sweatpants. Contrasted against the shirt, his arms looked white as milk. Dale turned him so that he was seated on the edge of the bed. When Dale let go, Kendra half-expected Warren to topple over, but he remained seated upright, eyes vacant.

He looked to be in his twenties, at least ten years116 117 younger than Dale. Even with pale skin, white hair, andempty eyes, Warren was unexpectedly handsome. Not quite as tall as his brother, Warren had broader shoulders and a firmer jaw. His features were more finely sculpted. Looking at Dale, she would not picture his brother handsome.

Looking at Warren, she would not picture his brother plain.

And yet seen together, a family resemblance persisted.

Hi, Warren, Seth said.

Pat him on the shoulder, Dale suggested. He's more aware of touch.

Seth patted Warren. The action elicited no response.

Kendra wondered if this was how people acted after a lobotomy.

I like to think that in some corner of his mind, he might be aware of us, Dale said. Although he doesn't show much recognition, I suspect he absorbs more than it seems.

Left to himself, he curls up into a fetal position. Does it faster if things get too noisy.

I've tried some doses of different emotions, Tanu said.

I was hoping something might pierce the fog. But that style of therapy looks like a dead end.

Kendra gently patted his shoulder. Hi, Warren. Warren turned his head and looked at her hand, a slow smile creeping onto his face.

Would you look at that! Dale gasped.

Kendra left her hand on Warren's shoulder, and he kept staring at it. He was not smiling with his eyes, they still appeared far away, but the grin on his face was as wide as it could be. He lifted a hand and placed it over Kendra's.118 In all this time, this is the biggest reaction I've seen,Dale marveled. Put your other hand on his shoulder.

Standing in front of Warren, Kendra rested her other hand on his other shoulder. The action caused Warren to take his eyes off her hand. Instead, he looked up into her face. The grin appeared artificial, but for an instant, Kendra thought she saw a flicker of life in his gaze, as if he almost focused on her.

Dale stood with his hands on his hips. Wonders never cease.

She was fairystruck, Tanu said. It must have left a lingering effect that Warren can sense. Kendra, come stand by me.

Kendra walked over to Tanu. Warren did not follow her with his eyes. He stared directly ahead, unmoving, as if the flicker Kendra noticed had been only her imagination. Once again, Warren looked utterly mindless-except tears were welling up in his eyes. It looked peculiar, those vacant eyes br.i.m.m.i.n.g with tears above a slack expression. The tears overflowed and streamed down both white cheeks.

Dale had a fist in his mouth. Warren's tears stopped flowing, though his cheeks remained damp. Warren made no move to wipe the tears away, showed no evidence he knew he had cried. When Dale pulled his fist from his mouth, there were teeth marks on his knuckles. What does this mean? Dale asked Tanu.

Kendra transmitted something to him by touch, Tanu said. This is very encouraging. Somewhere deep inside, I believe his mind is intact. Kendra, take his hand.118 119 Kendra approached Warren and took his left hand in herright. Again, he came half to life-glancing down at her hand, the dazed smile returning.

See if you can pull him to his feet, Tanu said.

Kendra did not have to pull hard before Warren arose.

I'll be jiggered, Dale said. He never moves so willingly.

Lead him around the room, Tanu said.

Keeping hold of Warren's hand, Kendra led him around the room. He followed wherever she went, taking shuffling steps.

She didn't have to move his legs to get him walking, Dale murmured to Tanu.

I noticed, Tanu replied. Kendra, lead him over to that chair and have him sit. Keep hold of his hand.

Kendra did as instructed, and Warren complied woodenly.

Tanu came and stood beside Kendra. Would you mind giving Warren a kiss?

The thought of it made her feel shy, mostly because Warren was nice-looking. On the lips?

Just a peck, Tanu said. Unless it makes you too uncomfortable.

You think it might help him? she asked.

Fairy kisses have potent restorative powers, Tanu said.

I realize you're not a fairy, but they did work a change in you. I want to see how he responds.

Kendra leaned in toward Warren. Her face felt warm.

She hoped desperately that she wasn't blushing. She tried to120 think of Warren as a catatonic patient who needed a strangecure, tried to make the kiss something detached and clinical.

But he was cute. It put her in mind of the crush she'd had on a teacher, Mr. Powell, a couple of years ago.

How would she have felt about kissing Mr. Powell, had circ.u.mstances ever called for it? About how she felt right now. Secretly excited in a very embarra.s.sing way.

They all crowded around as Kendra gave Warren a quick peck on the lips. He blinked three times. His mouth twitched. He tightened his grip on her hand for a moment.

He squeezed my hand, Kendra reported.

Tanu had Kendra stroke Warren's face and lead him around some more. Whenever she stopped touching him, all signs of life would vanish, but he never wept again.

Whenever they were in contact, he wore the smile, and occasionally he made simple fidgety motions, like rubbing his shoulder, although all his actions seemed to lack deliberateness.

After having experimented with how Warren reacted to Kendra for more than an hour, they stood outside, watching the albino perform jerky jumping jacks. Dale got him going by patiently moving his arms and legs until Warren began repeating the action on his own. Warren was wearing the sombrero. Dale had explained that Warren sunburned easily.

This is not what I expected, Tanu said. I'm hoping this response to Kendra will help us as we seek a cure. It is the first real breakthrough we've had so far.

What did those fairies do to me? Kendra asked.121 n.o.body has been fairystruck in a long time, Kendra,Tanu said. We know of it-we don't know much about it.

What about when the fairies attacked Seth? she asked.

Was he fairystruck then?

That's different, Tanu said. Fairies use their magic all the time, sometimes for mischief, sometimes to beautify a garden. Being fairystruck is when fairies mark you as one of their own and share their power with you. We can't even be sure that is what happened to you, but the evidence looks very suspicious. The Sphinx should be able to tell you more.

I hope someone can, Kendra said.

You really think this is a breakthrough? Dale asked.

Figuring out what Warren's condition is, and what variables affect that condition, will be the key to curing it, Tanu said. What happened here today is a big step in the right direction.

He'll just keep doing jumping jacks forever? Seth asked.

Eventually he'd collapse, I guess, Dale said.

Otherwise, he'll go until I stop him.

You just leave him out here alone? Kendra asked.

Many nights I stay with him, Dale said. Some nights Hugo watches over him. An interesting consequence of his condition is that the creatures of Fablehaven never come near him, even when I bring him outside. Foul or fair, they keep their distance. Of course, I'm out here every day, to check on him and feed him and see to his hygiene.122 If we were all quiet, couldn't we find him a room backat the house? Kendra asked.

I take him there from time to time, like on his birthday.

But he never seems comfortable. He curls up more, goes limp more. Out here he seems more peaceful. This is where he stayed before it happened.

He lived out here even before he became albino? Seth asked.

Dale nodded. Warren enjoyed his privacy. Unlike me, he was never a permanent fixture at Fablehaven. He came and went. He was an adventurer, like Tanu here, or Coulter, or Vanessa. He belonged to a special brotherhood-the Knights of the Dawn. It was all very hush-hush. They worked to combat the Society of the Evening Star. The last time Warren visited, he stayed for quite a while. He was on some sort of secret mission. He didn't tell me the details; he was always tight-lipped about his a.s.signments until after the fact. I have no idea if it had anything to do with what turned him white. But he was as good a brother as a guy could hope for. Never hesitated to help me out. Now I get to return the favor, make sure he gets exercise, eats right, stays healthy.

Kendra watched Warren performing his awkward jumping jacks in the absurd sombrero. He was sweating. It was heartbreaking to picture him as an intelligent adventurer fulfilling dangerous a.s.signments. Warren was no longer that person.

Want to see something nice? Dale asked, apparently trying to change the subject.

Sure, Kendra said.122 123 Follow me up to the belvedere, Dale said over hisshoulder.

Leaving Tanu with Warren, Dale led Kendra and Seth back into the cabin and up the ladder to the loft. From the loft, he led them up a second ladder through a hatch in the ceiling. They came out on the roof of the cabin, on a small platform with a low railing. The platform was high enough to see over the nearest treetops down the slope from the cabin, which extended their view quite a distance. The hill was not terribly high, but it was the highest point in the area.

It's beautiful, Kendra said.

Warren used to like to come up here and watch the sunset, Dale said. It was his favorite place to think. You should see it in the fall.

Isn't that where the Forgotten Chapel used to be? Seth asked, pointing to a lower hill not far away, brilliant with flowers and blossoming shrubs and fruit trees.

Good eyes, Dale said.

Kendra recognized the place as well. Up until they had veered off onto the cart track that brought them to the cabin, she knew they had been walking along the same path Hugo had taken them down when they went to rescue Grandpa the previous summer. Her army of fairies had leveled the chapel when they defeated and imprisoned Bahumat and Muriel. Then the fairies had mounded up the surrounding earth over the spot the chapel had occupied and made it bloom as brightly as the gardens back at the house.124 Must look better now without that moldy old church,Seth said.

The chapel had a certain charm, Dale said. Especially from a distance.

I'm getting hungry, Seth grumbled.

Which is why we brought food, Dale replied. And there is more in the cupboards. Let's go fetch Tanu and Warren. I bet my brother has worked up an appet.i.te.

What'll you do if you can't find a way to cure him?

Seth asked.

Dale paused. I'll never know that day has come, because I'll never stop trying.125The Dungeon The next morning, Kendra, Seth, Grandpa, Grandma, and Tanu sat around the kitchen table eating breakfast.

Outside, the sun was rising on a clear, humid day.

What are we doing today? Seth asked, using his fork to chop up his omelet.

Today you're going to stay here at the house with me and your grandmother, said Grandpa.

What? Seth cried. Where's everybody going?

And what are we? Grandpa asked.

I mean, where are the others going? Seth restated.

This omelet is delicious, Grandpa, Kendra said after swallowing a mouthful.

I'm glad you're enjoying it, my dear, Grandpa replied126 with dignity, shooting a glance at Grandma, who pretendednot to notice.

They have some unpleasant business to attend to, Grandma told Seth.

You mean awesome business, Seth accused, whirling on Tanu. You're ditching us? What was all that about teamwork yesterday?

Keeping you and your sister safe was one of our goals, Tanu replied calmly.

How are we ever supposed to learn anything if you only let us do wimpy stuff? Seth complained.

Coulter entered the room holding a walking stick. The top of the stick was forked and strung with an elastic strap that turned it into a slingshot. You don't want to come where we're going today, he said.

How do you know? Seth said.

Because I don't want to come, Coulter said. Omelets?

Who made omelets?

Grandpa, Kendra said.