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Dale was helping Kendra to the house She felt euphoric and distant She was glad her family was safe But she felt so inexplicably blissful, and the troubles of the evening seean to wonder whether it had all been a surreal drea hands with Grandet you back, he said softly

I can guess at the reasons, she said We need to talk about you eating s, Grandpa protested They were the eggs of the hen your lad you can be so detached

There e

Chapter Twenty-Five

Kendra stumbled on her way up the porch steps

Grandpa and Dale helped her onto the porch and into the house The furniture was back! Nearly all of it had been restored, with some alterations A couch had been reconstructed as a chair Some lampshades were made of different material Jewels had been added to a picture frame

Could the brownies have worked so fast? Her eyes were drooping Grandpa was holding Grand in her ear Seth was chattering, but the wordsher

They were almost to the stairs, but she could not keep her eyes open She felt herself falling, and hands catching her, and then consciousness fled

Farewell to Fablehaven Kendra and Grandpa reclined in the wagon while Hugo pulled the was clear and bright, with a few thin, high clouds barely clinging to existence, accidental brush strokes on a blue canvas The day would be hot, but for noas pleasant

A couple of fairies drifting alongside the wagon waved at Kendra She waved back and they sped aeaving around one another The garden now teemed with fairies, and they paid Kendra a lot of special attention They seeed theotten to talk since it all happened, Kendra said

You were sleeping half of the time, Grandpa replied

It was true She had slept for two days and two nights straight after the ordeal-a personal best

All those kisses knocked me out, she said

You excited to see your parents? asked Grandpa

Yes and no It was the third day since Kendra had awakened Her parents were co home will seem bland after all this

Well, you’ll have fewer demons to worry about

Kendra smiled True

Grandpa folded his arms What you did was so special, I don’t kno to speak about it

It barely seems real

Oh, it was real You mended an irreparable situation, and saved all of our lives in the process The fairies have not gone to war for centuries In that state, their power is virtually unrivaled Bahumat did not stand a chance What you did was so brave, and so doomed to failure, I can’t think of anyone I knoould have even tried it

It felt like my only hope Why do you think the Fairy Queen helped ood as mine Maybe to save the preserve

Maybe she sensed the sincerity of your intentions

Your youth must have helped I’irl into battle than souessed it would have worked It was a o stopped the cart Grandpa climbed down and then helped Kendra She held the silver bowl that she had taken from the island They started down a faint path toward an archway in a tall, unkee

Weird how I don’t have to drink theshe awoke after the fairy kisses, when she went to the , she saw fairies fluttering about It had taken a ister that she had not yet consumed any milk that day

I’ll admit that it worries me somewhat, Grandpa said

Creatures of whimsy are not solely confined to the preserves

The blindness ofTake care where you look

I’d rather see things how they are, Kendra declared

They passed under the archway A group of satyrs were playing tag with several slenderflowers in their hair The paddleboat was adrift in the middle of the pond Fairies skiazebos

I’ll be curious to knohat other changes the fairies wrought in you, Grandpa said I’ve never heard of such a thing You’ll let me know if you discover any other oddities?

Like if I turn Seth back into a walrus?

I’lad you can joke about it, but I’m serious

They walked up the steps to the nearest pavilion Just toss it in? Kendra asked

I think it would be best, Grandpa said If the bowl caive it back

Kendra threw the bowl like a Frisbee It landed in the water Almost immediately a hand shot up and snatched it

That was quick, Kendra said It will probably end up doith Mendigo

The naiads respect the Fairy Queen They’ll s

Kendra looked at the pier

She ood-bye, whether she gets it or not

They walked along the boardwalk until they reached the gazebo adjoining the pier Kendra walked out to the end of the pier Grandpa stayed a few steps behind her

Remember, not too close to the water

I know, Kendra said She leaned forward to look down into the pond It was ht She ju up at her was not her reflection The naiad looked like a girl of about sixteen, with full lips and a profusion of golden hair swirling about a face shaped like a valentine

I want to talk to Lena, Kendra said loudly, over pronouncing the words

Sheup at her Get Lena, please, Kendra repeated The naiad say She’ll come, Kendra asserted

They waited Nobody came Kendra studied the water