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What do you

Grand clearly becoe My mind was in a haze

To interact with you like a person, even for a moment, required tremendous concentration

Seth nodded toward Muriel Should we stop her? I bet the three of us could take her

If we attack, she will be able to defend herself with ic, Grandma said We would forfeit the protection afforded by the foundational covenants of the treaty

Have weher free, Iher on the loose certainly complicates the situation

Whether my assistance can compensate for her interference remains to be seen Grandrandfather left us in quite a predicament

It wasn’t his fault, Seth said

Grand her hands on her knees

Kendra steadied her I’ht, Kendra Just a little woozy She stood up experis entered the house and took Stan

They took Lena, too, and I think they turned Dale into a statue, Kendra reported We found him in the yard

Grandma nodded As caretaker, Stan is a valuable trophy

Same with a fallen nymph By contrast Dale seemed unimpressive and was left behind Any clue who took them?

We found some footprints near Dale, Seth said

Did they lead you anywhere?

Have you any idea where Grandpa and Lena are being held?

No

Muriel probably knows, Grand of Muriel, Kendra said, where did she go?

They all looked around Muriel was no longer in sight

Grand No matter We aren’t equipped to deal with her now

What do we do? Seth asked

Our first order of business is to find your Grandpa

Learning his location should dictate how best to proceed

Hoe do that?

Grandhed Our nearest option would be Nero

Who? Kendra said

A cliff troll He has a seeing stone If we can successfully bargain with him, he should be able to reveal Stan’s location

Do you know hirandfather had dealings with hierous, but at present he is probably our best alternative We should hurry I’ll tell youfor Grandpa Have you ever heard people conversing while you’re falling asleep? Grandma said The words reach you fro

That happened to me in a motel once ere on a trip, Kendra said Mo I fell asleep, and their conversation turned into a drearasp my state of mind as a chicken You say it is June My last clear memories are from February, when the spell was enacted For the first couple of days I reht consciousness, incapable of rational thought, unable to interpret s as a hunized you kids when you arrived, but it was through a clouded lens My h theThe shock joltedto my elevated consciousness I cannot describe the concentration it required to write that e to you My mind wanted to slip away, to relax I wanted to eat the delicious kernels, not arrange the a wide dirt road Rather than head back toward the house, they had continued on the trail beyond , venturing deeper into the forest The trail had eventually forked and then intersected the road they were currently following The sun blazed overhead, the air was heavy and humid, and the forest remained unnaturally silent all around theht a pair of jeans, but they turned out to be from Grand The tennis shoes belonged to Grandpa and were several sizes too big So Grand suit under her robe, and her feet re as she opened and closed theain, she murmured

How did you become a chicken in the first place?

Seth asked

Pridereers here, even e iine we have the upper hand Let’s save the details for another tie you back? Kendra asked

Grands for his breakfast I like to think that if he had taken me to Muriel in the first place, I could have prevented all this nonsense fro for an alternate cure forMuriel, Seth said

Exactly

Then why did he have Muriel cure me?

I’ insufficient time to discover another remedy

You had no idea Seth had become a mutant walrus and been restored by Muriel? Kendra said

I missed all that, Granded you to takeOnly when I looked up and observed the single knot did I begin to fathom the actual predicament By then it was too late

Incidentally, how did you end up as a walrus?

Seth and Kendra related the particulars about turning the fairy into an i a few clarifying questions

As the path curved around a tall thicket, a covered bridge cae was coed and weathered, it appeared to be in reasonably good repair

Our destination draws near, Grande? Kendra asked

Down in the ravine Grande off to either side of the road I areat tension rests upon Fablehaven today She resu

Because of Grandpa? Seth asked

Yes, and your newfound en more I am anxious to speak with Nero

Will he help us? Kendra asked

He would rather harm us Trolls can be violent and unpredictable I would not solicit information from him if our situation were less dire

What’s the plan? Seth asked

Our only chance is clever bargaining Cliff trolls are cunning and ruthless, but their avarice can be a weakness

Avarice? Seth asked

Greed Cliff trolls are otiators They relish the thrill of besting an opponent Whatever agreement we reach, Nero will have to feel like the undisputed victor I only hope we can deter to part with

What if we can’t? Kendra said

We ement, Nero will not let us leave unscathed

They arrived at the brink of the ravine Kendra placed a hand against the bridge and leaned forward to look down

It was surprisingly deep Tenacious vegetation clung to the steep walls A narrow streaet down there?