The Fae's Bride : A Spiderwick chronicles and Percy Jackson crossover

Chapter 2- In which the walls are explored by vastly different methods

The leaks had made all but three bedrooms on the second floor and one bedroom on the third floor dangerously rotted. Helen got one, and Mallory got the other room Jared and Simon had to share the third, and Selina got the bedroom on the third floor. By the time they were done unpacking, dressers were filled with clothes, nightstands covered in muddy cages and glass terrariums, floors littered in day clothes and shoes, the old grandfather clock chimed signaling it was midnight.

Jared tossed and turned on the lumpy mattress, pressing the pillow over his head like he was smothering himself, but he couldn't sleep. He didn't mind sharing a room with Simon, as they had shared rooms their entire lives, but sharing a room with cages of animals that rustled, squeaked, and scratched was eerier than sleeping alone would have been. It made him think of the thing in the walls. He'd shared a room with Simon and the critters in the city, but the animal noises had dimmed the background of cars, sirens, and people. Here, everything was unfamiliar.

The creak of the hinges startled him into jerking upright. There was a figure in the doorway with a shapeless white gown, and long dark brown hair. Jared slid off the bed so fast he didn't even remember doing it.

"Its just me," the figure whispered. It was Mallory in a nightgown. "I think I heard your squirrel."

Jared stood up from a crouch, trying to decide if moving so fast meant he was a chicken or if he just had good reflexes. Simon was snoring gently in the other bed.

Mallory put her hands on her hips. "Well come on, its not like its going to wait for us to catch it."

Jared shook his twin's shoulder. "Simon, Wake up. New pet....New Peeeeeeet."

Simon twitched and groaned, trying to pull the covers over his head.

Mallory laughed.

"Simon." Jared leaned in close, making his voice deliberately urgent. "Squirrel! Squirrel!"

Simon opened his eyes and glared at them. "I was sleeping..."

"Mom went out to the store for milk and cereal." Mallory said, pulling the covers off of him. "She said Selina's in charge, but she disappeared a while ago and told me to keep an eye on you two. We don't have much time until mom gets back, so if we're gonna catch that squirrel, let's do it now."

The three siblings crept along the dark hallways of their new house. Mallory was in the lead, walking a few paces then stopping to listen. Every now and then there would be a sound like small footsteps inside the walls.

The scuttling grew louder as they neared the kitchen. In the kitchen Jared could see a pan crusted with the remains of Selina's weird Spiced Pomegranate chicken and rice thing they'd had for dinner.

"I think it's in there. Listen" Mallory whispered.

The sound stopped completely.

Mallory picked up a broom and held the wooden end like a baseball bat. "I'm going to knock open the wall...we may be able to grab it then..."she said.

"No way. Mom's gonna see the hole when she gets back, then we'll really get it.." Jared said snarkily.

"In this house? Oh please, she'll never notice."

"Selina will." Simon piped up. "Besides, what if you hit the squirrel?" he asked. "You could hurt–"

"Shhhh!" Mallory said. She padded across the floor in her bare feet and swung the broom handle at the wall. The blow broke through the plaster, scattering dust like flour. It's Settled in Mallory's hair, making her look even more ghostly. She reached into the hole, and broke off a chunk of the wall.