"i doubt they could enter the manor," grandma said.

"but they could create a diversion," warren suggested. "draw attention elsewhere. many dark creatures await us beyond the hedge."

"good thinking," grandpa said, becoming animated.

"we could send out several parties in different directions. fairies and satyrs and dryads."

"ideally centaurs," grandma added.

"good luck," dale harrumphed.

"seth spoke with them earlier today," warren said. "perhaps if we tickled their pride."

"maybe coming from the children, if they sounded sufficiently desperate," grandpa mused. "regardless, i'll speak with representatives from the other creatures here. we'll drum up enough help to cause a commotion tomorrow. remember, no walrus butter in the morning. tomorrow the pond should appear encompassed by butterflies, goats, groundhogs, and deer."

"what about the golden owls?" kendra asked. "the ones with faces?" "the astrids?" grandma said. "little is known about them. they rarely acknowledge other creatures."

"i'll prepare the cart," dale said. "if we're all blind and covered, hugo might be able to smuggle us to the manor unnoticed."

"won't they go after hugo?" seth asked.

"a golem is not an easy target," grandma said. "many potential enemies may not care to bother him if he appears to be alone."

grandpa clapped his hands together and rubbed them briskly. "time is short. let's start making the arrangements."

the sun was setting as kendra and seth trudged across an empty expanse of lawn toward the centaurs. the golden glow highlighted the bloated muscles of their chests, shoulders, and arms as the pair stood gazing stoically toward the pond.

"i don't think you should come," kendra hissed. "you have too much of a temper. we need to sincerely beg."

"how dumb do you think i am?" seth replied. "anyone can beg!"

kendra gave him a dubious glance. "can you humbly plead for a favor from a jerk who rubs your nose in it?"

he hesitated. "of course."

"you better not blow this," kendra warned, lowering her voice to a whisper. "remember, by groveling, we're manipulating them. pride is their weakness, and we're exploiting that in order to get what we need. they may gloat, but if they do what we ask, we're the ones in charge."

"and if they turn us down flat?" seth asked.

"we'll have tried," kendra said simply. "and we'll leave it at that. we can't afford extra problems, not with so much riding on tomorrow. can you behave?"

"i will," he said, sounding more certain than he had earlier.

"follow my lead," kendra said.

"let me introduce you first."

as they approached, the centaurs did not watch them. when kendra and seth finally stood directly before them, the centaurs kept their solemn eyes steadily fixed upon some inscrutable subject of interest elsewhere.

"broadhoof, cloudwing, this is my sister, kendra," seth said. "she wanted to meet you."

cloudwing glanced down at them. broadhoof did not.

"we come to you on an urgent errand," kendra said.

cloudwing regarded her momentarily. the silver fur on his quarters twitched. "we already declined the invitation to counsel with your grandsire."

"this isn't a repeated invitation," kendra said. "we've devised a plan to recover an item that may help reverse the plague. many of the other creatures here have offered their help, but without you, we're leaderless."

now both of the centaurs regarded her.

kendra continued. "we need to divert the attention of the darkened creatures watching this area so my grandpa and a few others can slip away to pursue the item. none of the other creatures have the speed or ability to lead the charge through the main gap in the hedge."

"only tainted centaurs could truly challenge us," cloudwing considered, eyes on broadhoof.

"we could outdistance the satiric sentries at will," broadhoof said.

"how do we know this scheme warrants our leadership?" cloudwing asked.

kendra faltered, glancing at seth.

"my grandpa is willing to risk his life, and the lives of his family, to carry out the plan," seth said. "we can't guarantee it will work, but at least it gives us all a chance."

"without your help, we'll never know," kendra exaggerated. "please."

"we need you," seth said. "if the plan works, you'll have rescued fablehaven from my grandfather's incompetent management." he glanced at kendra for approval.

the centaurs leaned together, conferring inaudibly.

"your lack of leadership is indeed a problem," broadhoof pronounced. "but cloudwing and i do not perceive it as our problem. we must decline."

"what?" seth cried. "are you serious? then i'm glad half the preserve is here to watch who stood idly by when fablehaven was endangered."

kendra glared at her brother.

"we care little for the fate of satyrs and humans, and less for their reactions to our indifference," cloudwing stated.

"thanks anyhow," kendra said, grabbing seth's arm to pull him away. he shook free of her. "fine," seth spat. "but i'll be going out there tomorrow. good luck ignoring the fact that you don't even have the courage of a human boy."

the centaurs stiffened.

"am i deceived, or did the whelp label us cowards?" cloudwing asked in a dangerous tone. "our verdict not to lead your diversion had nothing to do with fearfulness. we recognized the activity as futile."

broadhoof fixed seth with a fierce stare. "surely the human youth misspoke."

seth folded his arms and stared back silently.

"if he means to stand by his insult," broadhoof said forebodingly, "i will demand immediate satisfaction. no one, great or small, tramples my honor."

"you mean a duel?" seth asked incredulously. "you're going to prove your courage by beating up a kid?"

"he raises a valid concern," cloudwing said, laying a hand on broadhoof's shoulder. "consorting with hogs will only leave us soiled."

"the two of you are dead to us," broadhoof declared. "depart."

kendra tried to drag seth away, but he was too strong.

"all muscle and no backbone," seth snarled. "let's go find some satyrs to lead us. or maybe a dwarf. leave the frightened ponies to pretend they have honor."

kendra wanted to strangle her brother.

"we overlooked your insult out of pity," broadhoof fumed. "yet you persist?" "i thought i was dead," seth said. "keep it straight, you nag."

broadhoof balled his fists, huge muscles bunching in his forearms. veins stood out in his beefy neck. "very well. tomorrow at sunrise, you and i will resolve the issue of my honor."

"no we won't," seth said. "i don't fight with mules. the fleas are my biggest concern. that, and the actual problems that need solving. you're welcome to murder me in my tent."

"broadhoof is within his rights to challenge you to a duel after a deliberate insult," cloudwing asserted. "i stand as a witness of the exchange." he extended a hand, indicating the surrounding area. "furthermore, this place is a refuge for creatures of light. as a human, you are a trespasser here. like the naiads in the pond, broadhoof could slay you at will with utter impunity."

kendra felt her stomach drop. seth looked shaken.

"which would prove nothing about your honor," seth said, his voice almost steady. "if you care about honor, lead the diversion tomorrow."

the centaurs put their heads together and spoke quietly. after a moment they parted.

"seth sorenson," broadhoof intoned weightily. "never in my long years have i been so openly affronted. your words are unforgivable. and yet i am not ignorant to the reality that they were spoken in a misguided ploy to gain my assistance, in counterpoint to the awkward flattery you attempted at first. for the insolence of denying my challenge, i should strike you down where you stand. but in acknowledgment of the desperate valor behind your words, i will stay my hand for the moment, and forget this conversation ever occurred if you drop to your knees, beg my forgiveness, claim insanity, and declare yourself a craven coward."

seth hesitated. kendra elbowed him. he shook his head. "no. i won't do that. if i did, i really would be a coward. all i take back is saying my grandfather mismanaged the preserve. you're right that we were pretending to flatter you."

with a ring of metal, broadhoof unsheathed an enormous sword. kendra had not previously noticed the scabbard hanging at his side. the centaur held the blade aloft.

"this brings me no pleasure," broadhoof growled broodingly.

"i have a better idea," seth said. "if you lead the diversion tomorrow, and i come back alive, i'll duel with you. then you can satisfy your honor the right way."

kendra thought the centaur appeared relieved. he spoke briefly with cloudwing.

"very well," broadhoof said. "you have accomplished your aim, though not without a price. tomorrow we will spearhead your diversion. the day afterward, at dawn, we settle the matter of your impudence."

kendra seized seth's hand. this time he allowed her to conduct him away. she waited to speak until they were far from the centaurs. "what's the matter with you?" it required all of her control to resist screaming the words.

"i got them to help us," seth said.

"you knew they were arrogant, you knew they might not help, but you insisted on insulting them! not only is getting yourself killed a bad idea, it hurts our chances of saving fablehaven!"

"but i'm not dead," he said, patting his torso as if shocked to find himself intact.

"you should be. and you probably will be."

"not for two days."

"don't speak so soon. we haven't told grandma and grandpa what happened yet."

"don't tell them," seth pleaded, suddenly desperate. "things are bad enough. i'll do whatever you want, just don't tell."

kendra threw up her hands. "now you beg."

"if you tell, they won't let me go to the manor, but they'll need me. also, they'll worry needlessly. they'll lose focus and make mistakes. listen. you can tell them eventually. you can make me look as stupid as you want. just wait until after we raid the manor."

the reasoning behind his plea made some sense. "all right," kendra consented. "i'll wait until tomorrow afternoon."

his grin tempted her to change her mind.

chapter eighteen

the old manor

alone, kendra leaned against the smooth gazebo railing watching dozens of creatures take up positions around the field. dryads and hamadryads clustered around indentations where the hedge was penetrable. doren led a band of satyrs to the main gap by the path. groups of fairies patrolled the air in glittering formations. broadhoof and cloudwing took up positions in the center of the field near hugo and the cart.

not all of the creatures were participating. the majority of the fairies flitted about the trellises of the boardwalk, playing among the blossoms. the dwarfs had unanimously taken refuge in their tents, having complained to grandpa that running was not their strong suit. the more animal-like creatures had gone into hiding. many satyrs and nymphs observed the proceedings from other gazebos.

even in the shade, the midday heat was uncomfortable. kendra limply fanned herself with one hand. she could not see seth, grandma, warren, or dale. they had collapsed a tent, and lay hidden beneath it in the bed of the cart. grandpa stood in the front of the cart, supervising the final preparations, hands on his hips.

kendra had kept her word and refrained from telling anyone about seth's agreement with broadhoof. grandma and grandpa had been overjoyed to hear that the centaurs would assist with the diversion. kendra had done her best to appear equally pleased.

grandpa raised a handkerchief in the air, waved it briefly, and then let it fall. as the silky square fluttered to the ground, cloudwing reared, equine muscles churning beneath his silver fur. he clutched a huge bow in one hand, and across his broad back hung a quiver of arrows the size of javelins. broadhoof unsheathed his tremendous sword with a flourish, the burnished blade catching the sunlight.

together the centaurs raced across the grass toward the gap in the hedge, blurred hooves flinging up tufts of turf, galloping with such fluid speed that kendra found herself breathless. shoulder to shoulder they charged through the gap, stampeding over the dark satyrs who sought to impede their passage.

with a victorious shout, twenty satyrs detached themselves from the hedge at either side of the gap and followed the centaurs through, spreading out in all directions. a few hamadryads ran with them. while the satyrs were quick and nimble, the nymphs put them to shame, seeming more to fly than to run, effortlessly outdistancing any pursuers.

kendra smiled to herself. no smitten satyr would ever chase down a hamadryad who did not wish to be caught!

around the field, dryads and satyrs snuck through hidden openings in the hedge, often on hands and knees. fairies flew over the hedge wall, angling skyward as their shadowy sisters gave chase. the satyrs watching from the boardwalk whistled, stamped, and shouted huzzahs. many naiads surfaced, heads dripping, eyes wide as they observed the tumult.

amid the commotion, hugo charged forward, towing the cart. grandpa had hidden himself under the tent with the others. kendra held her breath as the hulking golem stormed through the gap in the hedge unmolested and the cart rumbled out of sight.