by Brandon Mull
“Get onto the drawbridge,” Patton said from astride Captain. “Horses, camel, rabbit—with me!”
Captain took flight, and the other mounts followed. Calvin had climbed back onto Thistleton, and the rabbit took to the air as well.
Kendra hurried onto the drawbridge. The moment her feet were on the wood, the boisterous noise of the festival night ceased. Sword held ready, still facing the oncoming wraiths, Lomo was the last to back onto the drawbridge.
The wraiths hesitated at the edge of the drawbridge. One tried to move forward and was hurled back with a sizzling flash, falling to the ground. Kendra felt some relief. At least she might not die in the icy clutches of a wraith tonight. The fallen wraith arose. The other wraiths milled about for a moment before withdrawing some distance. They huddled together, seeming to watch.
“Why is it so quiet?” Knox asked.
“Because you aren’t talking,” Seth said.
“The defensive barrier of the castle seems to filter everything,” Tanu said. “Even sound.”
“Unusually powerful,” Lomo said.
Drawing his sword, Seth led the way across the drawbridge. At the far side of the bridge, a raised portcullis granted access to the castle.
“Not so fast,” Tanu said. “Give the dragons a moment. We don’t want to enter right behind them.”
“Think we could catch them by surprise?” Lomo asked.
“It would be nice if they don’t know we’re here for a time,” Tanu said. “Celebrant in full armor could be more of a fight than any of us are prepared to handle.”
“It might not be Celebrant,” Kendra said.
“I suspect it is,” Lomo said. “The Wizenstone is too powerful. He would not trust his underlings enough to send any of them unsupervised. He undoubtedly wants the Wizenstone for himself.”
“We have to break the curse by sunrise, don’t we?” Seth asked. “At least that’s when the festival night ends. How long do we wait?”
“Not long,” Tanu said.
“Think they have alligators?” Knox asked, peering off the edge of the drawbridge into the murky water of the moat.
“Probably worse,” Seth said. “We’re at a dragon sanctuary. Think monsters.”
Knox backed away from the edge.
Kendra looked up at the castle. Though enormous, even at night, it did not look terribly sinister. Walls of gray stone topped with battlements stretched from one rounded tower to another. Beyond the outer wall, a mounting series of towers, balconies, terraces, walkways, chimneys, and rooftops piled in an artful jumble up to the highest pinnacles.
“All right,” Tanu said softly. “Stay quiet. We want to keep the element of surprise.”
“This must be where Patton turned back,” Seth said, pointing to the wall just beyond the portcullis.
CONQUER OR WITHDRAW
Kendra looked behind her and saw the wraiths waiting at the other end of the drawbridge. “I’m not sure retreat is an option now,” she said.
“In we go,” Tanu whispered.
As Seth stepped off the drawbridge into the tunnel through the gate, the splash of a gong reverberated from deep within the castle. Kendra flinched at the loud noise, then winced as it sounded again when Lomo entered the tunnel.
“Let’s enter together,” Tanu whispered. He, Kendra, and Knox stepped into the tunnel at the same time and were greeted by three rapid crashes of the gong. After a moment the metallic shimmer faded into silence.
“So much for surprise,” Kendra murmured.
“Will there be monsters?” Knox asked.
“There could be anything,” Lomo said. “Stay loose.”
At the far side of the tunnel through the wall they found a wide courtyard dominated by a large fountain in the center. Water gushed from several spouts to tumble from one level to another before reaching the large basin at the bottom. Life-sized human statues, each composed of silver or gold, stood around the courtyard seemingly at random, most positioned as if running. A few gold statues were locked in frozen combat with silver ones. One pair wrestled on the ground.
“Those look expensive,” Knox said.
Seth crouched down at the far end of the tunnel, where he found large words emblazoned on the floor. Kendra and the others huddled near him.
SHED NO BLOOD
BREAK NO BONE
STOP NO HEART
“Think the dragons will play by the castle rules?” Kendra asked.
“Depends on what they think they can get away with,” Tanu said.
“This warning is likely connected to the curse,” Lomo said. “Whatever the dragons decide to do, we should heed the command.”
Seth sheathed his sword. Lomo did likewise.
“Are those statues pure gold?” Knox asked, crossing to the nearest one.
“Don’t touch it,” Tanu said. “We don’t understand what is going on here yet.”
“The poses are strange,” Kendra said. “Running and fighting.”
“I don’t see any living people,” Seth said.
Kendra scanned the quiet courtyard and the still castle. “Neither do I.”
Lomo leaned in close to the statue beside Knox. “That’s real gold. At least the exterior. Probably not solid gold all the way through.” He glanced around at some of the other statues. “Nobody has that much wealth.”
“Can we still exit?” Seth asked.
“Good question,” Tanu said, trotting back to the tunnel through the wall. He banged against an invisible barrier at the mouth of the tunnel and stumbled backwards, then turned and gave a sheepish grin. “Looks like we’re trapped here.”
“So much detail on these statues,” Knox said, reaching a hand toward a golden face.
“No touching,” Tanu reminded him.
“Exquisite,” Lomo agreed. “Each a true individual.”
“They could be real people,” Kendra said. “Turned into gold and silver.”
“The thought crossed my mind,” Tanu said.
“The silver ones should be tarnished,” Lomo said, investigating a silver woman running with a sword in her hand. “But they look brand-new.”
“Magic,” Seth said.
“Greetings,” a voice boomed.
They all turned.
A large, bearded man had exited one of the nearest castle doors. Broad-shouldered and large-bellied, he walked toward them. He wore princely attire and had a silver glove on one hand. “I would say welcome, but there is little to recommend this ill-fated place.”
“Greetings,” Lomo said, placing himself between the newcomer and the others. “May I ask whom we have the pleasure of meeting?”
The man gave a light chuckle. “That question is mine, being master of this castle.”
“King Hollorix?” Lomo asked.
“The king is . . . unavailable,” the man said. “I am his eldest son, Tregain, regent of Stormguard Castle.”
Seth put a hand on his sword. “Tregain?”
“Draw the sword, boy,” Tregain encouraged.
Seth drew it and held it up.
“Bless my soul,” Tregain said. “My boyhood weapon. How did you come by that?”
“The armory at Blackwell Keep,” Seth said.
“Then you are friends of the caretaker,” Tregain said. “Hold.” He held up a hand, looking at Kendra. “I see the medallion? Has one so young truly taken charge of Wyrmroost?”
“We’re both caretakers,” Seth said. “It’s her turn to wear it today.”
“I can’t help noticing your glove,” Tanu said.
Tregain gave a charming smile. “You have a good eye.”
“Might it have anything to do with the silver figures?” Tanu asked.
“A worthy inquiry,” Tregain said. “I’ll not blame you for keeping some distance. Come with me. We must
talk. The night is never long enough.”
“Are you the only person here?” Lomo asked.
Tregain’s expression became grave. “There is another. A very dangerous man. He nabbed the attention of the three who came before you.” Tregain turned away from them. “This way.”
Kendra looked at Tanu, who shrugged. They fell into step behind Tregain. He led them through a door, down a hall, up some stairs, and down another hall. Globes of light brightened the hallways much as they illuminated the castle’s exterior. Lomo walked nearest to Tregain, with Seth, Knox, and Tanu trailing behind. Kendra brought up the rear.
She almost cried out when a hand tugged on her sleeve. Kendra whirled to find a skinny young boy of perhaps eight or nine, with tousled black hair and ragged clothes. He held one finger over his lips, dark eyes pleading for silence.
Pausing, Kendra watched the others proceed down the hall. Nobody was looking back. The kid motioned her toward a square hole low in a nearby wall.
Kendra pointed toward Seth and her friends.
The boy scowled and shook his head, ducking nimbly into the hole and gesturing for her to follow. Kendra crouched and looked into the hole. It led into an extremely narrow passage behind the wall.
She felt torn. Seth and the others would be panicked if she vanished. But this boy might know things! He was waving her toward him. Could it be a trick? He seemed eager and nervous.
Kendra crawled into the hole, and the boy slid a panel to cover it, leaving them in darkness.
Real darkness.
Actual darkness.
It had been a long time since Kendra had experienced real darkness. Since she had become fairykind, no darkness had been complete. At least not while she was awake.
“Don’t be scared,” the boy whispered.
“Who are you?” Kendra asked.
“Augie,” he said. “None of them know about me. Everyone forgot me. Just a servant. No fancy connections. I’ve been hiding.”
“All these years?” Kendra asked.
“All these years,” he said. “We don’t get older here.”
“We?”
“Me and the brothers, King Hollorix’s sons,” Augie said. “We’re the only ones not turned to gold or silver.”
“Three brothers?” Kendra asked.
“Well, two,” Augie said. “One disappeared.”
“Hiding?” Kendra asked. “Like you?”
“Maybe,” he said. “If so, he’s good. I haven’t found him.”
“Why did you grab me?” Kendra asked.
“You’re a kid,” Augie said. “I figured I should help you. The other two were too far forward. Too close to Tregain.”
“Will my friends be safe?” Kendra asked.
“Nothing here is safe,” the boy whispered. “Nobody is safe.”
“Will Tregain turn them to silver?” Kendra asked.
“You figured that out already?” he asked. “Good job.”
“Do I need to warn them?” Kendra asked.
“We don’t get many visitors here,” Augie said. “Almost never. Before he makes a move to change them, he’ll try to recruit them.”
“For what?”
“For help,” Augie whispered. “Winning the contest.” He took her hand. “This way.”
A pair of silver guards flanked the tall silver doors that Tregain opened. Seth had noticed several silver blocks among the stones composing the walls of the hallway. And now he noticed something even more important. “Where’s Kendra?”
Seth, Knox, Lomo, and Tanu exchanged worried looks. Kendra was nowhere in view.
Lomo ran back the way they had come, passing out of sight around a corner. Tanu confronted Tregain. “Did you do something?”
“Of course not, friend. Your eyes were on me the whole time,” Tregain replied.
They could hear Lomo calling for Kendra. The tone of his voice suggested that he was searching, not that he had seen her.
“An accomplice?” Seth asked.
“My accomplices are frozen in silver, lad,” Tregain said, holding up the glove and flexing his fingers. “My aim right now is to talk.”
“What could have happened to her?” Tanu said.
Tregain shrugged. “The dangerous man is occupied with the three other strangers. He does not haunt the halls in this wing.”
“Then what happened?” Seth asked.
“There is nobody else here,” Tregain said. “She must have wandered off. Which is odd, because I was trying to keep my eyes on you.”
“Should we spread out and search?” Knox asked.
“We need to talk first,” Tregain said. “There are things you must know and matters we must settle.”
“We need to make sure Kendra is all right,” Seth said.
Lomo ran back into view. “I retraced our steps to the courtyard,” he reported. “No sign of her. No answer to my calls.”
“Talk to me before you search,” Tregain said, walking through the silver doors.
“I’ll keep looking,” Lomo said.
“I’ll help,” Knox offered.
“Try not to disappear,” Tanu said.
“We’ll meet you back here,” Lomo promised.
Seth and Tanu followed Tregain into a posh room where all the furniture was made of polished silver. Many of the floor tiles and blocks in the wall were silver as well.
“You turn things to silver?” Seth asked.
“With this glove, yes,” Tregain said, sitting down on a silver chair. “Sit if you wish.”
“We’ll stand,” Tanu said.
“It isn’t contagious,” Tregain said. “You won’t turn to silver by sitting on the furniture.”
“Why turn things to silver?” Seth asked.
“Why indeed?” Tregain asked. “The blasted contest.”
“What contest?” Tanu asked.
“After all this time, word has never spread?” Tregain said.
“Word doesn’t get out,” Tanu replied.
“A vile dwarf named Humbuggle tempted my father,” Tregain said. “He established a contest, to be won by one of the king’s three sons. Until the contest ends, the castle remains cursed.”
“What is the contest?” Seth asked.
“More about that later,” Tregain said. “For now, let it suffice that my glove can turn people and objects to silver. My brother Heath can similarly change objects to gold. Gold and silver help establish allegiance.”
“You turned all of those people to silver?” Seth asked.
“They are not dead,” Tregain said. “Just preserved that way for now. Which is partly why you interest me. I could use some fleshy partners. Swear to serve me in helping me win the contest, swear to help me win the prize, and we can work together.”
“What is the prize?” Tanu asked.
“A bauble, really,” Tregain said casually. “A stone that serves as the trophy. What I most want is to break the curse and free my parents.”
“Where are your parents?” Seth asked.
“Trapped in the highest room of the castle until the contest ends,” Tregain said. “I must claim the stone to free them.”
“Why not work with your brother?” Seth asked.
“Because it is a contest,” Tregain said. “And he cannot be trusted.”
Seth glanced at Tanu. Tregain was obviously not being honest about the Wizenstone. Was it possible he didn’t know?
“How do we win the contest?” Tanu asked.
“I may tell you after you pledge,” Tregain said. “You would be wise to work with me. None of us can leave the castle until the contest is won.”
“And it has been going for a long time,” Seth said.
Tregain seemed to gaze into the distance. “A great while, yes. Years upon years.”
“Any chance we solve it tonight?” Seth asked.
Tregain gave a hearty laugh. “Not unless you work with me and work quickly.”
“Why not be content if we win the contest and break the curse?” Tanu asked. “Why must we work for you?”
“I want the stone,” Tregain said. “I want the prize. It is a matter of pride. I have been after it for centuries. I will have the stone, sooner or later. If you help me, we will all gain our freedom sooner.”
“Why don’t we just agree to work together?” Tanu asked. “Must there be pledges?”
Tregain’s eyes hardened. “There must. I am lord of this castle. I have labored here a long time. I have the know-how. You work either for me or against me.”
“And if we work against you?” Tanu asked.
Tregain raised his gloved hand, waggling his fingers. “There are other means of persuasion.”
“You’ll turn us to silver,” Tanu said.
“I’ll claim you for my side,” Tregain said. “But let’s keep this pleasant.”
“Threats are not pleasant,” Tanu said. “Seth, run.”
“But—” Seth began.
“Now,” Tanu said, his stern tone allowing no argument. “Warn the others.”
Tregain leaped from his chair, grabbing for Tanu. The potion master avoided the gloved hand as Seth backed toward the open doors. When Tregain changed course for Seth, the potion master tackled him from behind.
The last thing Seth saw before he fled the room was the gloved hand on Tanu’s shoulder. From that point of contact, silver spread quickly across Tanu until he was a solid silver statue.
Contest
“Kendra! Kendra?”
She heard Lomo calling her name. “Can I answer?” Kendra whispered.
“Not if you want my help,” Augie said, halting in the darkness.
“You can trust my friends,” Kendra said.
“I can’t trust you,” Augie said. “I’m not going to show you the best secrets. I just can’t. I survived this long by staying out of the contest. Because you’re a kid, I wanted to give you a chance.”
“Kendra?” Lomo called again, his voice more distant. “Make a noise if you can hear me.”
