"Any luck?" Warren asked, wary gaze shifting from dryad to dryad.
"She didn't know where the Sphinx has my family," Kendra said. "But she understands the danger if Zzyzx gets opened, and she wants to help." Kendra turned to the dryad with auburn hair. "Are there astrids on this preserve?"
The dryad stepped forward. "A few migrate through from time to time, but we have not seen one here for many years."
Kendra nodded and turned to Tanu. "Do we have some at Fablehaven?"
"Astrids go where they please," Tanu said. "They're odd creatures. I haven't seen any at Fablehaven since the shrine lost its power."
"We should go home," Kendra said. She waved to the dryads. "Thanks for welcoming us. Good luck protecting the shrine."
The dryads gave slight bows in response.
Kendra, Warren, and Tanu laid hands on the Translocator, twisted it, and, after the folding sensation, they were back in the kitchen at Fablehaven. Grandma had joined Grandpa and Coulter.
"You're all right?" Grandma asked anxiously.
"No problems," Warren said.
Grandma looked relieved. "I'm sorry I missed seeing you off."
"How did it go?" Grandpa asked.
Kendra related her conversation with the Fairy Queen, including what she had learned about Nagi Luna, and her new mission to restore the astrids. The others listened intently until she finished.
"I've never heard of this Nagi Luna," Grandma said with a scowl. "I'll try to uncover what I can."
"It might be difficult," Grandpa said. "I'm sure she'll be ancient."
"Who would have guessed we would ever end up chasing astrids?" Warren said.
"I always knew they had some significance to the Fairy Queen," Grandpa said. "But until Kendra reported her conversations at Wyrmroost, I had no idea they were once her most prized soldiers."
"The Fairy Queen had a major grudge against them," Kendra said. "The fact that she is restoring them means she's really worried about the Sphinx succeeding."
"Can't you call the astrids telepathically?" Warren asked.
"I can hear their thoughts," Kendra replied, "but I'm not sure how close I need to be."
"How many astrids are we talking about?" Tanu asked.
"There are eighty-seven good ones left," Kendra said. "Six gave up on the Fairy Queen, and three died protecting me from Navarog."
Tanu whistled. "Eighty-seven, huh? It's a big world."
"There were twelve at Wyrmroost," Kendra said.
"When last you checked," Coulter said. "Astrids move around capriciously."
"I got a sense those twelve had been there for some time," Kendra insisted. "It might be worth transporting to the shrine at Wyrmroost. They seemed to stay near it."
Grandpa frowned. "Let's reserve outings to dragon sanctuaries for another day. Tanu and Warren can run the preliminary investigations for tracking the astrids."
Kendra took a steadying breath. "Then I had better go speak with Vanessa."
Warren gave her half a grin. "You know, you've earned a short break. Have a snack! An apple, maybe?"
Kendra shook her head. "I'm feeling good after talking with the Fairy Queen. I want to talk to Vanessa while I'm on a roll, before I psych myself out."
"I'll take her down," Grandma offered.
"I'll tag along," Coulter said.
"Very well," Grandpa agreed.
Kendra followed Grandma Sorenson down the stairs and waited while she unlocked the door to the dungeon.
Grandma rested a hand on her shoulder. "This will work best if we leave you alone with her."
Kendra nodded. If Grandma hadn't made that suggestion, she would have asked. Grandma got along with Vanessa worse than anyone.
"We'll be right outside the door," Coulter assured Kendra. "Call out if you need us."
"She'll behave," Grandma said. "Whether friend or foe, Vanessa doesn't want to resume her stay in the Quiet Box."
"I'll be fine," Kendra said, almost meaning it. She had not spoken with Vanessa alone for some time. At the moment, the prospect of social awkwardness daunted her more than anything.
Grandma led her to the nearby cell, inserted the key, and opened the door. Kendra entered. The door closed behind her.
Vanessa was on the floor doing complicated sit-ups, hands laced behind her head as she touched alternate elbows to the opposite knees, her legs bending and extending without ever quite touching the floor. "Be with you in a moment," Vanessa panted.
Her cell looked cozy. Thick carpeting covered the floor, shaded lamps shed gentle light, and impressionist paintings brightened the walls. Potted plants of various sizes served to further soften the atmosphere. Vanessa had a refrigerator, an exercise bike, a suede beanbag chair, and an impressive sound system. Grandma and Grandpa had clearly gone out of their way to make her comfortable.
Vanessa finished her exercises and rolled to her feet.
"Here for some calisthenics?" she asked. Even sweaty and dressed in boyish exercise clothes, she had an effortless, exotic beauty.
"Your room gets better every time I visit," Kendra said.
"As prisons go, it could be worse." Vanessa walked over and took a seat behind the desk by her bed. "You here to wrench my secret out of me?"
"Could it help me find my family?"
"Are we playing twenty questions? Yes, it could."
"What is the secret?" Kendra blurted desperately.
"Haven't you played twenty questions before?" Vanessa scolded gently. "You can't ask what the secret is, just questions about it."
"Is it bigger than a bread box?"
Vanessa laughed lightly. "Now you get the idea. Actually, yes it is."
"How big is a bread box?"
"That would be relevant. Picture a container for holding a few loaves."
"Animal, vegetable, or mineral?"
"Animal."
Kendra folded her arms. "Is your secret a person?"
Vanessa returned her gaze intently. "This game is over."
"It is! Why do you have to be so secretive about it?"
Vanessa leaned back in her chair. "Hard to say. Maybe because the Sphinx could be watching us right now, and if this secret gets out, we will have no chance of stopping him."
"Is it really that important?" Kendra asked, not daring to believe it.
"You'll know soon."
"How soon?"