Now that Agad had been established as the new caretaker of Living Mirage, Kendra and Seth had finally been permitted to use the Translocator to visit. Hugo, the satyrs, Vanessa, and Bracken had come along. The Fairy Queen remained on Shoreless Isle with her people, preparing 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.
"A real television of their own," Seth said. "I think they've earned it."
"Does your grandfather know?" Warren asked.
Seth shook his head.
"Good luck with that," Warren said.
Warren led Kendra and Seth down a lavishly decorated hall to an ornamented door. The upper floors of the great ziggurat all featured luxurious furnishings. Warren knocked. Seth felt suddenly nervous. It had been a long time since he had seen his parents. He wondered how they were dealing with being forcibly inserted into the world of magical creatures he and Kendra had discovered two summers ago.
His dad answered the door. He looked good, maybe a little slimmer. "It's the kids," he called, face breaking into a huge smile. As he stared at Kendra, tears gathered in his eyes. He wrapped her up in a huge hug, rocking her from side to side.
"Hi, Daddy," Kendra said, resting her head on his shoulder.
Seth put his hands on his hips. "Of course Kendra gets all the attention because you thought she was dead. I had a bunch of near misses, you know. Probably more than her!"
"We love you, too, son," Dad said, still holding Kendra.
Mom came to the door in a rush and clung to Kendra, shedding hysterical tears. After she stole Kendra away, his dad finally put an arm around Seth. "I hear you were quite the hero," his dad said.
"I'm sure things got exaggerated," Seth said. "I did manage to kill two of the most powerful demons who ever lived. I pretty much got revenge for all humanity on the villains who opened Zzyzx. I wish you could have been there with the video camera."
"I heard Kendra played a role as well," Dad said.
"Yeah, she has this habit of trying to top me. I had a really good day, but guess what I didn't do? I didn't kill the Demon King. Kendra upstaged me again."
"I heard she did it with the sword you found," Dad said.
"That's what I keep trying to tell everyone! Finally, somebody gets it! I think Mom is going to choke Kendra to death."
The comment brought his mom over to him. She embraced him tightly.
"Hey, Mom," Seth grunted. "I thought I was kidding about the strangulation."
"Come inside," Dad invited, shaking hands with Warren.
Seth could not believe the opulent room his parents were occupying. From the art on the walls to the rich drapes, from masterful tapestries to bejeweled furnishings, the room seemed designed to flaunt limitless wealth.
"You guys know we've been staying in a tent?" Seth complained.
"We weren't in quite so nice a room until a few days ago when the Sphinx returned," Dad reminded him.
Grandma and Grandpa Larsen came out of an adjoining room. "I thought I heard voices," Grandpa Larsen said.
Suddenly Seth understood why his parents had gotten so emotional when they saw Kendra. Intellectually, he had known that his Grandma and Grandpa Larsen were not actually dead. But on some level, that knowledge had not been real until now.
He raced to Grandma Larsen and hugged her.
"What happened to my little Seth?" she exclaimed. "I can't believe how tall you are."
"I can't believe how alive you are," he replied, nose stuffy with tears.
Kendra was hugging Grandpa Larsen.
"You were so brave to be here all that time," Kendra said. "It must have been horrible."
"All for nothing," he chuckled. "I set you up for disaster. I may have blown it as a spy, but I hear you two are carrying on the Sorenson family tradition."
"You risked your life for us," Seth said, hugging his Grandpa Larsen. "I have the best family ever."
"I'll second that," Grandpa Sorenson said, entering the room with his wife. "My grandkids will be happy to know that their parents were brave and stalwart throughout their captivity."
"The Sphinx never mistreated us," Mom said. "Our room wasn't terrific, but it wasn't in a dungeon like I've heard others describe."
"The food was actually pretty good," Dad said. "If this had been voluntary, it could almost have been a vacation."
"What's happening with the Sphinx?" Seth asked.
"Agad said he will report about that at dinner," Grandpa Sorenson said. "Apparently they've organized quite a feast."
"Shall we catch up over the meal?" Dad asked.
Mom poked him. "Can't we finish saying hello?"
"I'm with Dad," Seth said. "I'm starving."
Warren led them all to a magnificent dining hall. Seth had never seen a table so burdened with food. As it was long enough to accommodate all of them, the Sorensons found seats with plenty of room for friends. Agad sat at the head of the table. Seth noticed that Warren sat by Vanessa, and Bracken by Kendra. Tanu joined them, and Maddox, and Berrigan, and Elise, and Mara, all fully healed by the Sands of Sanctity.
Newel and Doren rushed into the room after most of the others had claimed seats. Doren wore a dapper vest. They sat as close to Seth as they could--across from him and down a little, beside his mom.
"Mom, these guys are Newel and Doren, my best friends at Fablehaven," Seth said.
"Very good to meet you," his mom said politely, with a couple of uneasy glances at their legs. "I'm Maria."
"You've had milk, right?" Seth asked.
"Yes, I can see them," his mom assured him with a brittle smile.
"Don't worry," Newel said with a casual wave of his hand. "Babes always get shy around us."
Doren swatted Newel. "Stop! That's his mother!" He turned to Maria, spreading a napkin on his lap. "Seth is such an exemplary young man. He has been a terrific influence on me. He's not a shirtless ruffian like others I know."
"Ruffian?" Newel spluttered. "How about hypocrite? Know who you look like in that vest? Verl!"
"I told you," Doren murmured out the side of his mouth, "I'm trying to make a good impression."
"Well, I'm trying to make an honest impression," Newel complained. "Who wants to have a gravy-drinking contest?"