down the driveway, through the gate, and up to the house. The gardens surrounding the house remained incongruously in bloom. Seth realized that the fairies must be responsible for the improbable verdure.
When they skidded to a stop, Tanu vaulted out of the car and dashed into the house. Ever since the call, he had been sorting through his potions and ingredients. Seth jogged inside after him.
Dale stood in the entry hall. "Hi, Seth."
"Where's Maddox?" Seth asked, unable to tell which way Tanu had gone.
"Up in your grandparents' bedroom. The nearest bed to the washtub."
"How is he?"
Dale whistled softly. "He's seen better days, but he'll pull through. You keep getting taller."
"Not as tall as you yet."
Grandpa and Grandma came through the front door together. "Where is he?" Grandma asked.
Dale led them up the stairs and down the hall to the room where Tanu sat in a chair beside the bed, rummaging through his potion bag. Coulter leaned against the wall in the corner. Maddox rested on the bed, lips dry, cheeks flushed, a filthy red beard hiding half of his face. "Good to see you, Stan," he croaked, craning his neck forward.
"Lie still," Tanu admonished. "Save words for later." The Samoan turned to look at Grandpa. "He's feverish, malnourished, and badly dehydrated. Probably has parasites. Broken wrist. Sprained ankle. Mild concussion. Cuts and bruises everywhere. Give me some time with him."
Grandpa shepherded the others out of the room. Coulter came with them. They gathered not far down the hallway.
"Has he divulged anything?" Grandpa asked in a hushed tone.
"He doesn't have the artifact, nor does the Society," Coulter said, passing his hand over his mostly bald head, matting down the tuft of gray hair in the middle. "He knows the location of the vault where the artifact is housed. I don't have details. Dale and I were trying to make him rest."
"Still no leads on the room beyond the Hall of Dread?" Grandpa asked.
Coulter shuddered. "Just a blank wall. I've spent some real time investigating, even though it isn't my favorite environment."
"You haven't found the room from Kendra's letter?" Seth asked. "I figured as caretaker you would already know all about it."
"The secret was not handed down," Grandma said.
"We aren't even convinced that we want to learn the possible artifact locations," Grandpa explained. "For now we just want to know we have access to the information should the need arise."
"What exactly is in the Hall of Dread?" Seth asked. "You guys never get very specific."
"Dangerous creatures that require no upkeep are jailed there," Coulter said. "They need no food or drink. Beings like the revenant we met in the grove."
"Do they radiate fear?" Seth asked.
"Some of them do," Coulter said. "Makes working down there a pain and a half. I'd normally prefer to stay far from those cells."
"Maybe I could help search for the room, since magical fear doesn't bother me."
Grandma shook her head. "No, Seth, in some ways that makes it more perilous for you. The threat posed by those creatures is real. Fear can be a good thing. It keeps us respectful of their power. Many of those entities could destroy Fablehaven if loosed."
"I wouldn't free them! I'm not a nut job!"
"But it might be interesting to see what they looked like," Grandpa suggested.
"Have you seen them?" Seth asked. "What do they... wait a minute, you're testing me."
"Curiosity killed the cat," Grandpa said. "And it has almost leveled Fablehaven in the past, if I recall accurately."
"I'd follow your rules," Seth said. "If the rule is no peeking, I won't even consider it."
"If we find a need for your special immunity, we'll make use of it," Grandpa promised.
"If you find a need," Seth muttered. "I bet you won't be looking very hard. Say, Coulter, how did you know Maddox had come through? I mean, he could only exit the bathtub he entered, isn't that how it works? To come out on our side, somebody needed to physically lift him out."
"That's exactly right," Coulter explained. "We posted Mendigo as a permanent sentry, watching the tub. Truth be told, we probably wouldn't have kept the overgrown puppet stationed there much longer. After all these months, there was scant room for hope."
Tanu opened the bedroom door and poked his head out. "I have him stabilized. He responded well to the treatments. I've advised him to sleep, but Maddox insists he wants to speak with you sooner rather than later. All of you."
"Is he up to it?" Grandma asked.
"He'll be all right. He's determined. He'll