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"I have a problem," Kendra said quietly

"Speak, Kendra," the Fairy Queen invited "We are all forever in your debt If our aid is desired, it will ever be yours"

"My parents and grandparents and e preserve Can any of you help us rescue theons can be very-persuasive"

"As can astrids," Bracken promised

"I expect the Sphinx himself would help convince his ested

"Fablehaven is kind of a mess too," Seth reht at Fablehaven and Living Mirage," Agad pledged

"And I second the promise," Bracken added

Kendra felt relieved, mostly because her family would be safe and have Fablehaven restored to theet to see more of Bracken before he went away

"There will be other odds and ends to tidy up," Agad said "For example, Bracken mentioned to ess I would like to travel back toward the end of his life and tell hiood e the infore how all of this turns out?"

"You already knohat he told you," Agad said "Your visits to Patton are already part of the past, even the visits you haven’t made yet The information he left for you is a consequence of all those visits I’ what information to share and what to withhold I will make sure he knows that the information he shared was exactly what you needed Everyone involved walked a delicate path to reach this victory"

"Could we have Patton let Coulter knoin?" Seth asked "Coulter visited hiht before he died"

The wizard winked "I think we can help h I can e When we try to alter the past, we inevitably find our involvement was already part of the past The feizards I have knoho actively chased ti, so I strive to keep my interactions with history simple"

"A wise policy," the Fairy Queen said

Seth cleared his throat uncomfortably "While I have your attention, I have one ency kit "We had a wooden servant naot destroyed in the process I have the hooks that held hiad his palad picked up a hook and held it up to one eye, squinting "Yes, I recall Caood start You said he ooden Did any of the wood happen to survive?"

Seth frowned "It all got dissolved by Siletta’s poison"

Agad scowled thoughtfully "Then I’m not sure I can--"

"Wait," Kendra said "Soo ju piece of hi it when I went out to scout It should still be in the knapsack"

"And we can get to the knapsack room with the Translocator," Seth added excitedly

"In that case, I believe I can restore your autoad assured them

"And I can perhaps add a spark of free will," the Fairy-Queen said "It would help the servant learn and grow"

"Thanks," Seth beaot Morisant sends his regards He told es He seemed sorry for what he beca "It gladdens me to hear that reat wizard, perhaps the greatest of our order It was his wisdom that allowed for a shrine to the Fairy Queen so near to Zzyzx It is trulyit to Kendra worked out pretty good too," Seth said

The old wizard laughed, placing one hand on Kendra’s shoulder, the other on Seth’s "You two have been through a grueling ordeal Your nao down in history We are all so very proud of you I wish there were a way to fully express our gratitude For the present, this will have to suffice: You can finally rest"

Chapter 29 Prisoners

I bet you thought you’d never have to pay up," Newel said,on a piece of fruit "Let’s just say I’et your reward," Seth replied

"You’ll confir a grape into the air and catching it in his mouth

"You really think we should tell hiiti away our generator or our flat screen Our claim is just We need him on board at the outset"

"What if Stan prohibits the deal?" Doren asked "What if he tries to change the terives us a certificate?"

"We stand up for ourselves," Newel replied "The terms were set We followed Seth to the ends of the earth and confronted soreed with a wince "And tough Without our astrids ould have been goners"

"Nonsense," Newel spat "Those astrids barely survived thanks to our heroics Don’t you forget it"

"I’ll do o My parents are waiting You should slon on the grapes, you’ll spoil your appetite"

"Spoil ht you knew us!"

"Newel’s right," Doren conceded "We could each down aour appetites"

"I’ll talk to you later," Seth said "Kendra and Warren are waiting"

Seth and Kendra had only recently arrived at Living Mirage A few days ago, the Sphinx had used the Translocator to travel to his secret preserve with Trask and Warren to prepare his minions for surrender Warren had promptly returned with news that their friends and faht news that Seth’s parents and grandparents had insisted Kendra and Seth wait until Agad was in control of Living Mirage before they journeyed there

After the dragons obliterated the insufficient rear guard left behind by the dead to seal off the fairy shrine Coons had employed an impressive spell to transport the enorateway of Zzyzx over to cover the shrine Once conditions on Shoreless Isle had been stabilized, Agad and ons had departed for the fifth secret preserve

Now that Agad had been established as the new caretaker of Living Mirage, Kendra and Seth had finally been pero, the satyrs, Vanessa, and Bracken had co The Fairy Queen re to inherit the former demon prison as their new home

"What was that about?" Kendra asked

"I made some promises to the satyrs," Seth said "They want to make sure I deliver"

"What did you promise?" Warren asked