Rise of the Evening Star

Page 10

The artifacts have remained in our possession for millennia precisely because we have not sought to use them,
Grandpa said. Those watching over them have not even known where they are hidden. If we use them, it will be only a matter of time before we misuse them, and they fall into the wrong hands.
That makes sense, Kendra said. When will we see the
Sphinx?
He should let me know shortly, Grandpa said, dabbing the corner of his mouth with his napkin. You now know all we know about the new threat we are facing. We have treated you as adults, and expect you to behave accordingly.
Get to know our new arrivals, Grandma said.
Learning from them will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
When do we start? Seth asked.
Immediately, Grandpa answered.100Tanu
When Kendra and Seth exited the study, Dale was waiting on the other side of the door. Ready to start summer school? he asked.
If it means we get to see cool monsters, absolutely,
Seth replied.
Follow me, Dale said. He led them into the parlor, where Tanu sat reading a leather-bound book. Your pupils have arrived, Dale announced.
Tanu stood up. Dale was tall, but Tanu was half a head taller. And much thicker. He wore a rugged, long-sleeved shirt and jeans. Please have a seat, he said in his deep, mild voice. Kendra and Seth sat down on a sofa, and Dale departed. Your grandparents told you about the relic we are hunting? he asked.101 They weren't very specific, Kendra said. What exactlyis it? She figured that if she didn't sound curious, it would look suspicious.
We don't know many of the details, Tanu said, his dark eyes flicking back and forth between the two of them. Only that it is rumored to be quite powerful, and could help us keep the preserves safe from the Society. You two will be helping in the pursuit of this hidden treasure. But first we need to get acquainted.
Tanu asked them several standard questions. He found out that Seth was going into seventh grade, that he liked to ride his bike and play practical jokes, and that he had once captured a fairy using a jar and a mirror. He learned that
Kendra was heading into ninth grade, that her favorite subjects were history and English, and that she played halfback on the school soccer team. He did not ask Kendra about the fairy army.
It's only fair that I now tell you about myself, Tanu said. Do you have any questions?
Are you from Hawaii? Seth asked.
I grew up in Pasadena, Tanu said. But my ancestors are from Anaheim. He flashed a broad smile, showing big white teeth. I'm Samoan. I've only been there as a visitor, though.
Have you traveled a lot? Kendra asked.
More than my fair share, he admitted. I've been around the world many times, seen many strange sights. My father made potions, and his father before him, going back many generations. My dad taught me what I know. He101 102 retired a few years back. He lives in Arizona in the winter,Idaho in the summer.
Do you have a family? Kendra asked.
I have my folks, some brothers and sisters, and a bunch of nieces and nephews and cousins. No wife, no kids. Drives my folks crazy. Everybody wants me to settle down. Dad once tried to slip me a love potion to make me fall for some neighbor girl that he liked. He already has seventeen grandkids, but he says he wants some from his eldest. I'll throw down roots someday. Not yet.
You know how to make love potions? Seth asked.
And avoid them, Tanu grinned.
What else can you make? Seth asked.
Potions to cure illnesses, potions to induce sleep, potions that awaken lost memories, Tanu said. It all depends on what I have to work with. The toughest part of being a potion master is collecting ingredients. Only magical ingredients yield magical results. I study cause and effect, and I benefit from the studies of many who came before me.
I try to figure out how to combine different materials to achieve a desired outcome.
Where do you get ingredients? Kendra asked.
The most powerful ingredients are usually by-products of magical creatures, Tanu explained. Viola, the milch cow, is a potion master's dream. Her milk, her blood, her dung, her sweat, her tears, her saliva-they all have different magical properties. At an icy preserve in Greenland, on the coast, they get their milk from a gigantic walrus, nearly a thousand years old, one of the eldest animals on the planet.103 The derivatives of the walrus have different properties fromthe cow's. Along with certain similarities.
Cool, Seth said.
It is fascinating, Tanu admitted. You never know what skills you'll need. I've climbed mountains, picked locks, ventured deep underwater, and learned foreign languages.
Sometimes you can trade for ingredients, or purchase them. But you have to be careful. Some potion makers are unscrupulous. They get their ingredients in horrible ways.
Dragon tears, for example. A very potent ingredient, but hard to come by. Dragons cry only when they are in the deepest mourning or when they have committed a terrible betrayal. They cannot fake the tears. There are bad people out there who would capture a young dragon and then murder its dear ones just to collect the tears. You don't want to support that kind of barbarity, so you have to be careful who you trade with, and who you buy from. Most of the best potion makers prefer to find their own ingredients. Which is why some of the best potion makers don't live very long.
Do you collect your own ingredients? Seth asked.
Most of the time, Tanu said. Every now and again I
barter with reputable dealers. I can find much of what I need on preserves. Other items I locate in the wild. My grandfather lived to retirement and died in his sleep. My dad lived to retirement and is still with us. They taught me some good tricks that help keep me safe. Hopefully I can pass some of that knowledge along to you.
Tanu picked up a pouch that was sitting next to his chair. He began removing small bottles with narrow necks105 and arranging them in a single row on the coffee table.What are those? Seth asked.
Tanu glanced up. Part of a demonstration, to prove that
I know my trade. A family specialty-bottled-up emotions.
Drinking them will make us feel a certain way? Kendra asked.
Temporarily, yes, Tanu said. In large doses the emotions can be overpowering. I want each of you to choose an emotion to sample. I'll mix you a small dose. The emotions will pass quickly. You can try fear, rage, embarrassment, or sorrow. He removed more items from his pouch-jars, vials, and a small sandwich bag full of leaves.
Are they all bad emotions? Kendra asked.
I can do courage, calm, confidence, and joy, among others. But the negative emotions make better demonstrations.
They are more shocking, and less addictive.
I want to try fear, Seth said, coming to stand near.
Good choice, Tanu responded. He unscrewed the lid of a jar and used a tool that looked like a small tongue depressor to scoop out some beige paste. I'm mixing this so the effect will come and go very quickly, just giving you a brief sample of the emotion. Removing a small leaf from the bag, Tanu scraped the paste onto the leaf. He then dripped four drops from one of the bottles onto the leaf, added a single drop from a different bottle, and mixed the liquid into the paste with the tongue depressor. He handed the leaf to Seth.
Eat the leaf? Seth asked.106 Eat it all, Tanu said. Sit down first. When the emotionhits, it will be distressing, much more real than you probably expect. Try to remember that it is artificial and that it will pass.
Seth sat down on a brocaded armchair. He sniffed the leaf, then popped it into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed quickly. Not bad. Tastes a little like peanuts.
Kendra watched him intently. Is he going to freak out?
she asked.
Wait and see, Tanu said, suppressing a grin.
I feel fine so far, Seth announced.
It takes a few seconds, Tanu said.
A few seconds for what? Seth asked, an edge of anxiety creeping into his voice.
See? Tanu said, winking at Kendra. It's starting.
What's starting? Seth asked, eyes darting. Why'd you wink at her? Why are you talking like I'm not in the room?
I'm sorry, Seth, Tanu said. We mean no harm. The effects of the potion are hitting you.
Seth's breathing was becoming ragged. He was shifting in his seat, rubbing his thighs with his palms. What did you give me? he said, raising his voice and sounding paranoid.
Why'd you have to mix so much stuff? How do I know I can trust you?
It's all right, Kendra said. You're just feeling the effects of the potion.
Seth looked at Kendra, his face contorting, tears brimming in his eyes. He raised his voice more, sounding hysterical. Just the potion? Just the potion! He chuckled107 bitterly. You don't get it? He poisoned me! He poisoned me,and you're next. I'm going to die! We're all going to die! He was curling up on the chair, quivering and hugging his knees. A single tear leaked from one eye and slid down his cheek.
Kendra looked at Tanu, distressed. Tanu raised a calming hand. He's already coming out of it.
She looked back at her brother. He sat still for a moment, then straightened his legs and sat up, wiping the remnants of the tear from his cheek. Wow, Seth said. You weren't kidding! That felt so real. I couldn't think straight. I
thought you had tricked me into drinking poison or something.
Your mind was searching for threats to justify the emotion,
Tanu said. It helped that you knew beforehand the emotion was coming. Had I drugged you by surprise, it would have been much more difficult to make sense of the experience afterwards. Let alone if I used a higher dosage. Imagine if I made that emotion much more intense and longer lasting.
You have to try it, Seth said to Kendra.
I'm not sure I want to, Kendra said. Can't I feel something happy?
You should try an emotion you would normally resist if you want to appreciate the potency, Tanu said. It's alarming in the moment, but you'll feel fine afterwards. In a way, it's cleansing. An occasional foray into negative emotions makes feeling normal that much sweeter.
He's right, I feel great now, Seth said. Like the riddle.108 Why do you hit yourself in the head fifty times with a hammer?Why? Kendra asked.
Because it feels so good when you stop!
Try an emotion other than fear, Tanu said. For the sake of variety.
Pick one for me, Kendra said. Don't tell me what it is.
You sure? Tanu asked.
Yeah, if I'm going to do it, I want you to surprise me.
Tanu put another glop of beige paste on a leaf and mixed in drops from three bottles. He gave the leaf to Kendra, and she popped it into her mouth and chewed it up, sitting down on the carpet in the middle of the room. The leaf was a little tricky to chew. It did not taste like something you were supposed to eat. The paste was pretty good. It melted in her mouth and was a little sweet. She swallowed.
Seth edged over to Tanu and whispered something to him. Kendra realized he was probably asking what emotion to expect. Kendra focused on remaining aware that a phony emotion was about to surface. If she concentrated hard enough, she should be able to keep it under control. She'd feel it, but she wouldn't let it overwhelm her. Tanu whispered something back to Seth. They were both staring at her expectantly. What was their deal? Did she have a piece of the leaf caught in her teeth? Seth whispered something else to Tanu.
Why are you whispering? Kendra accused. It came out a little harsher than she intended, but they were being so109 secretive all of a sudden. Had she whispered to Tanu? No!She had spoken so everyone could hear her. It seemed obvious they were no longer talking about the potion-they were gossiping about her.
Seth laughed at her question, and Tanu grinned.
Tears stung Kendra's eyes. Did I say something funny?
she challenged, her voice cracking a bit. Seth laughed harder. Tanu chuckled. Kendra ground her teeth, her face flushing. Once again, she was the outcast. Seth always made friends so quickly. He had already turned Tanu against her.
It was fourth grade all over again; she was eating lunch alone, silently hoping for somebody to talk to her. Hoping somebody besides a teacher would notice and include her.
It's all right, Kendra, Tanu said kindly. Remember, it isn't real.
Why was he trying to reassure her? All of a sudden she realized what Seth must have whispered to him. He had pointed out the pimple on her chin! Seth had said that her face was erupting like a volcano, that grime was clogging her pores and turning her into a freakish sideshow. That was why they had laughed! Seth had probably accused her of not washing enough, even though she scrubbed her face every night! But of course Tanu would believe Seth, because the evidence was right there on her chin, as subtle as a lighthouse.
And now that Tanu had noticed, the pimple would be all he saw. She hung her head. Tanu would almost certainly tell Grandpa. And all the others! They'd laugh behind her back. She would never be able to show her face again!
Her cheeks burned. She began to weep. Grudgingly, she110 glanced up. They both looked astonished. Seth wasapproaching her. It's okay, Kendra, he said.
She buried her face in her arms, sobbing. Why did they keep staring at her? Why wouldn't they leave her alone?
Hadn't they done enough? Enduring their pity was much worse than suffering their scorn. She wished she could just disappear.
It'll be over soon, Tanu assured her.
What did he know? This could be just the beginning!
She had been lucky so far, with only the occasional pimple now and again, but soon she might be disfigured by vast constellations of acne. Red lumps would pile up until she looked like she had thrust her head into a beehive. Now that Seth had set the tone of mocking her, things would never be the same. From here on out, all she could look forward to were cruel jokes and false sympathy. She had to get away.
Kendra jumped to her feet. I hate you, Seth! she yelled, not caring what anyone would think of the outburst.
Her reputation was already damaged beyond repair. She ran from the room. Behind her, she heard Tanu telling Seth to let her go. Where could she hide? The bedroom! She raced to the stairs and started charging up them two at a time.