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"You have unleashed unnatural fiends on centaur lands," Cloudwing said "Surrender as our prisoner or die Sae" His tone called for iave us until sundown," Seth protested "Are centaurs liars?"

"We gave you until sundown to depart," Cloudwing said sternly, "not to ression nullifies our concession"

"My aggression?" Seth blurted, getting ainst you? Or did you run into wraiths when you tried to steal our property?"

"The locations in question were abandoned," Cloudwing said "You loosed evil on territory under our protection We will not risk the possibility ofthe possibility of more mischief," Seth said, unsure what to do besides bluff "Do you really want to deal with an undead ar said "Which explains our presence As our prisoner, you will order the wraiths to depart At the first sign of undead aggression, you will die"

"Enough eerunner, seize the slapped his neck as if bitten by an insect He swayed unsteadily, dropped his bow, and flopped to the ground

"Hold," Stor trees A centaur with bluish fur stooped to exa, while the other three turned defensively to survey the area The light rain pattered down,his meaty shoulder, he plucked out a small, feathered dart He held out his mace in the direction the dart had coh in a tree, reloading her blowgun

"A Mud splattered as he slapped the ground

Hugo ca the trees Three of the centaurs wheeled to face hi their weapons The bluish centaur threw a javelin at Vanessa, who dropped gracefully to a lower branch to evade the projectile Producing his sling, Newel crouched, grabbed a s into the back of a blond centaur’s skull, o’s charge, one holding a spear as if jousting, the other brandishing a longsword Hugo batted the spearhead aside and then lunged forward, his extended arsword ended up buried in the top of the goleo pulled the weapon free and tossed it aside

While the bluish centaur prepared to hurl a second javelin, a blowdart lodged in his chest, dropping hied with the stone fixed his eyes on Seth and charged, holding aloft a double-bitted battle-ax Doren launched an arrow, but, turning his ax like a shield, the centaur deflected the shot

Dropping the case with Patton’s iteo was coh to stop the centaur Vanessa was reloading Newel grasped for another rock Doren reached for a second arrow

There was no ti his knees, Seth angled his shield and held his sword high, hoping the centaur would believe he e head-on As the furious centaur bore down on hih the air above hiain, but was suddenly ishly Seth saw the s froolden-haired centaur collapsed

Vanessa used another pair of darts to silence the centaurs Hugo had injured Descending frooleht?"

"Better now," Seth replied "Those darts really knocked the people to sleep," Vanessa said "While foraging last night, I caon I killed at Wyrmroost It’s the on?" Newel said in awe

"What a woot Patton’s ite up the case and brushing it off

"Excellent," Vanessa said "We need to get away from Fablehaven We bested those centaurs thanks to surprise Sorry to use you as bait, by the way Once they had tracked you to the leprechaun’s cave, it seey"

"It worked," Seth approved "How long will these jerks sleep?"

Vanessa walked over to Cloudwing and prodded him with her toe "It was a small dose, and they are powerful creatures Still, they should be out at least a day The substance Tanu derived is truly a Our problem is that other centaurs undoubtedly knew of thisNext tireater nuone," Doren said

"That’s the hope" Vanessa knelt beside Cloudwing, opened herthe pose for a few seconds, she pulled back, wiping her lips

"Are you going to control him?" Seth asked

"In a minute" One by one, she bit the other centaurs "The penalty for clai one You never knohen a ht coround and closed her eyes Cloudwing stirred and then rose to his feet Newel and Doren sca his ar into swollenreared, lashing the air with his front hooves "I could get used to this"

"Don’t we need to hurry?" Seth re "Drape my body over the back of the centaur I’ll need someone to ride with me and steady me"

Newel and Doren immediately raised their hands

"I’ll keep you steady," Doren assured her

"I could lash you in place," Newel said, taking a length of rope fro retrieved his bow "Newel, I like the idea of using rope" Cloudwing raised his voice "Hugo! Coo placed Vanessa’s unconscious body on the centaur, and Newel bound her to the back of the human torso as well as to the horse "I’ll ride with you to be certain," the satyr added, atteo picked up Seth and Doren Seth looked down at the five sleeping centaurs "I e had saddles," he said "I’d love for the saddles"

Newel and Doren cackled

"We should give the tattoos!" Doren cried "Maybe kittens Or ested

"Trusta sh"

"I think Vanessa is becohed

"Their sense of hu off on her," Newel teased

"I’ them, I’ve made nedhalt," Newel said