Fablehaven: Journey to the Eternals' Pass (fanfiction) (HIATUS)

15: Road Trip

If there was anything similar to Seth's previous trip to the Singing Sisters, it was the amount of food he ended up consuming. It was their thirty-sixth food stop in forty hours, originating from the stomachs of three teenaged/twenty-something year old guys with a fair amount of cash and no supervision. The only thing holding them back the previous time had been Vanessa-with Warren leading the road trip, there was no such restraint.

They'd already covered all their fast food bases and moved to takeout. Warren and Evan, the backup driver, had a talent for eating and driving at the maximum legal speed at the same time. Seth figured Evan and Vanessa could start an adrenalin junkie's club.

Seth's seat buddy was the wraith in the orb, which made him slightly uncomfortable, but since he was the only one without a driving licence he automatically got the back seat. "At least we're all human this time," he remarked when they crossed the border. "Last time we had two goats and a pile of rocks." It was taking longer than it had the previous round, but Vanessa had a talent for not getting ticketed that no one else possessed.

"Also a narcoblix." Warren added. They passed the border without having to smuggle anything over. 

"There's a Taco Bell coming up." Evan observed from the GPS. "Anyone?"

Seth nudged aside the trash from the takeout an hour ago. Tacos sounded good, but now that they were approaching the island he was feeling nervous. Plus, he was feeling hungry for peanut butter and marshmallow sandwiches. "Just a coke."

"This car is going to smell disgusting in the heat." Evan commented.

"That's what magic is for." Warren said matter-of-factly.

Apprehension built up as they caught a glimpse of their destination. Across the Mississippi River, a long island was just visible. They pulled onto a dirt road that ended in the sentinel's somewhat shady shack. The truck that had been there previously was no more. "Stop here?" Warren asked.

"Yeah. At the guardhouse."

Seth hopped out of the truck, feeling tension knot in his stomach. The ambiguity of the quest, erased by a whole lot of preservatives and oil, was back to nag at him. He'd narrowly avoided slavery and murder and certain death, but there really was nothing to say that the quest he'd volunteered for wouldn't entail them.

Before he could knock, the door opened and the gruff looking sentinel stared him down. They locked gazes for a minute. Then the sentinel smiled reluctantly.

"Seth Sorenson. Welcome back."

"Hi. Can you bring us across?"

"You haven't got those satyrs again, have you?"

"No, all human."

The sentinel nodded. "Say no more. Here, do you want something to eat before I take you over? I think you should. You'll need the boost."

*

A while later Seth stood on the shore chatting to a river troll. The troll remembered him from the previous visit and was happy to have him back. Seth guessed the Sisters didn't speak Duggish, nor were they very fun companions. "No more satyrs," the troll approved, "they were annoying."

"They're just easily excited." Seth said defensively. He switched the topic. "I can't carry everything myself."

The troll eyed the sphere and the sword in a sheath. "You carry the sword." He said. "I will take the orb. We go now."

"Yeah, okay." Seth hoisted the sphere from Evan's arms and handed it over. "Don't drop that." He warned. "That would be really bad."

"Indeed." The troll agreed. The sphere looked tiny in his arms. Seth accepted the sword from Warren, feeling the tingle on his skin like a long awaited reunion. His fingers itched to pull out Vasilis again, but he resisted the urge. "We go." The troll repeated.