Adopted Into Fablehaven Book 3: The Shadow Plague

Chapter Five -- The Shadow Plague

Drake watched Seth and Mendigo played catch. Hugo, Tanu, and Coulter were doing chores around the preserve -- the golem had an order to get them back quickly if a Dark creature appeared -- and Stan and Ruth were inside. Starla, Kendra, the twins, and Warren had left for the Lost Mesa immediately after the Knights' gathering, so everything felt a lot quieter.

Drake sensed something Dark approaching the yard rapidly. "Mendigo!"

The puppet had already swerved away from the ball, which had landed on the other side of the pool and shot towards Seth.

"What's going on?" Seth yelped as Mendigo dragged him towards the porch.

Dark fairies streaked over the border -- Stan must have forgotten to ban all fairies from the yard -- and shot after boy and limberjack. Drake stepped between them as the puppet dragged Seth onto the porch and shoved him into the house. Drake heard Seth yelling for Stan as the fairies skidded to a halt.

The fairies scowled at him. Drake folded his arms. "I think you're no longer welcome in the yard. Go back to the woods and stay out."

The swarm of Dark fairies fled.

"If any fairies who are no longer Dark can hear me," Drake called, "I would like a list of your names so you can stay in the yard with our permission. If you aren't comfortable giving me your names, you are welcome to leave."

Silence.

"Or you can give your names to Stan or Ruth," Drake added, realizing they didn't want to come near a Shadow Mage.

Stan came out at that moment. "Where are the Dark fairies?" he asked grimly.

"I told them to leave the yard, and they did," Drake told him. Several regular fairies zoomed over to Stan. "I asked these fairies to give you their names so you could put them in the charter specifically." He glanced at the light creatures. "This means you won't be able to leave the yard, ever."

"They are trying to turn the entire preserve," one of the fairies agreed. Drake recognized Shiara. "You do know that you won't be able to bar them from the yard forever. Especially once they turn the brownies."

"Do you think you can put protections on the entrance to the brownies' home?" Drake asked. "With their permission, of course."

"We will ask," Shiara agreed. "I will go, and I will not ask any of you to come with me."

"I'm coming with you!" a fairy with dark blue wings and hair insisted.

"No-"

"You can't stop me."

Sighing, Shiara and the other fairy flew out of the yard.

Stan pulled out a sheet of paper. "I'm ready for your names now. You might have to tell me how to spell them."

Drake headed over to the edge of the yard, listening and scenting for Tanu, Hugo, and Coulter. All he smelled was the usual: creatures, plants, trees, dirt.

And smoke.

He realized why when Tanu, in gaseous form, floated over the border. "Where are Hugo and Coulter?" Drake asked.

Tanu made a few hand motions that Drake took to mean that Hugo was on his way, but that he didn't know where Coulter was.

"Go inside and explain to Seth and Stan," Drake told him. "I'll go look for Coulter."

Tanu glided slowly over to where Stan was still talking to the fairies, and Drake headed into the forest.

He fount Coulter quickly, but he didn't look like himself. He'd been turned into shadows.