Maybe this shadowman had once been able to enter the yard, and now that he was evil, he was using that status to trick Seth! Or maybe this was whoever had started the plague! The thought made Seth shiver. It had a ring of truth to it-the inky black figure looked like a likely candidate for starting a plague that replaced light with darkness.
Seth tugged the curtains shut and backed away from the window. What should he do? He had to tell somebody!
Seth clomped down the attic steps and raced to his grandparents' room. The door was shut, so he banged on it.
"Come in," Grandpa invited.
Seth opened the door. Neither Grandpa or Grandma had changed into their nightclothes yet. "There's something outside my window," Seth whispered hastily.
"What do you mean?" Grandpa asked.
"A shadowman. A living shadow in the shape of a man. He wanted me to let him in. What creatures can enter the yard besides fairies?"
"Hugo and Mendigo," Grandma said. "And of course the brownies live under the yard and have access to the house. Anything else, Stan?"
"Everything else is by invitation only," Grandpa said. "I've let satyrs into the yard on occasion."
"What if this shadow guy started the plague?" Seth speculated. "A creature we didn't know was on the preserve, some shadowy enemy who can come into the yard but not the house."
Grandpa scowled thoughtfully. "The yard has fail safes to prevent most creatures, even surprise guests, from entering. Whatever the nature of this shadowman, not all of the rules seem to apply."
"At least it couldn't enter the house," Grandma said.
Grandpa started toward the door. "We had better fetch Tanu and Dale."
Seth followed Grandma and Grandpa as they collected Tanu and Dale and explained the situation. They mounted the steps to the attic in a line, Grandpa in front, Seth at the rear. Moving the telescope out of the way, they gathered around the curtained window, Grandma with her crossbow, Tanu holding a potion ready.
Grandpa pulled aside the curtains to reveal an empty stretch of roof barely visible in the dying twilight. Seth pushed his way forward to the glass, peering in all directions. The shadowman was gone.
"He was here," Seth promised.
"I believe you," Grandpa said.
"He really was," Seth maintained.
They waited, watching as Grandpa shone a flashlight through the slightly warped panes. They located no sign of an intruder. Grandpa clicked off the flashlight.
"Keep the window closed tonight," Tanu admonished. "If he returns, come for me. If not, I'll search the roof in the morning."
Tanu, Dale, and Grandpa left the room. Grandma waited at the top of the stairs. "You'll be all right?"
"I'm not scared," Seth said. "I just hoped I'd found something useful."
"You probably have. Keep that window shut."
"I will."
"Good night, dear. You did the right thing to come and tell us."
"'Night."
Grandma left.
Seth changed into his pajamas and flopped onto his bed. He began to suspect that the shadowman had returned, perching outside the window. The fiend had probably not wanted the others to see him. But now if Seth peeked, he would be there, silently asking to enter.
Unable to banish the suspicion, Seth went to the window and threw aside the curtain. The shadowman had not returned.
The next morning, Tanu crept around on the roof outside the window but found no trace of a visitor. Seth was unsurprised. Since when did shadows leave footprints?
At breakfast, Grandpa tried to inform Seth he would be restricted to the house all day. After Seth's persistent complaining, Grandpa agreed to let him play with Mendigo in the yard if somebody supervised them from the deck.
Grandpa, Grandma, Tanu, and Dale spent the day poring over journals and other books from their extensive library, trying to find any hint of something like the plague afflicting the creatures of Fablehaven. They took turns reading on the deck. Mendigo had orders to bring Seth inside at the first appearance of anything suspicious.
The day passed uneventfully. Seth played football and baseball with Mendigo, and went swimming in the afternoon. At lunch and dinner, Seth listened as the adults discussed how frustrated they were about the lack of any information that explained what was transpiring at Fablehaven. Grandpa had still been unable to get a call through to the Sphinx.
After dinner, Seth begged his way outside for a few minutes. Hugo was there, having recently finished some chores in the barn, and Seth wanted to see what happened if Mendigo pitched to the golem.
The baseball bat looked tiny clutched in Hugo's massive hand. Seth told Hugo