"So you faked your deaths," Kendra prompted.
"Part of it was to explain why Hank would disappear, perhaps for the rest of his life. Part of it was to prevent any chance of our enemies tracing us back to our children and grandchildren. The Society does not know Hank and I are married. To them, he is Steve Sinclair and I'm Clara Taylor."
"When did you last see Hank?" Grandpa asked.
"Three days before he left," Grandma Larsen said.
"Around the time of our mock funeral. I didn't know where Living Mirage was located, because he didn't know. I had not heard from him until a few weeks ago."
"What were you doing all that time?" Kendra asked.
"Establishing deeper trust with the Society elite," Grandma Larsen said. "I have been out of touch with the Knights for years. The Society sees me as one of their most devoted members. Your grandfather and I decided to insinuate ourselves as deeply into the Society as possible, so we could serve as a last line of defense in a worst-case scenario. Good thing we did, since that worst-case scenario is about to transpire."
"How long have you known about the Sphinx?" Warren wondered.
"He covers his tracks very well," Grandma Larsen said. "I didn't know he was leading the Society until last year. And I didn't know he was Captain of the Knights until he was revealed through your efforts."
"How did Vanessa become involved?" Kendra asked.
Grandma Larsen exhaled with exasperation. "Vanessa found me out years ago. She had worked with me once back when she was a false Knight. Even though I had been masked when we met as Knights, and I also typically wear a mask when dealing with members of the Society, she somehow recognized me at a Society event, although she kept the secret to herself at the time. While doing research prior to coming to Fablehaven, she got her hands on a home movie of me and Hank with you and Seth. That was when she connected me to my true identity."
"That girl does her homework," Warren said with admiration.
"Vanessa is a very talented operative," Grandma Larsen said. "In the past, she has caused me more distress than anyone. We should be most grateful that she has defected to our side. And we should take every precaution to prevent her from betraying us again."
"You don't trust her?" Grandpa asked.
"It would be unwise," Grandma Larsen said. "At least not until this crisis has passed."
"But didn't she bring you here?" Kendra asked.
"She has been very helpful," Grandma Larsen said. "She has been in contact with me from time to time using sleepers she had previously bitten. In fact, it was Vanessa who alerted me that you had been abducted by Torina."
"Did you help me get free?" Kendra asked.
"I watched you use the Oculus."
Kendra furrowed her brow. Then she remembered that not long before she had used the Oculus, a masked figure had entered the room with Mr. Lich. The identity of the masked onlooker had never been revealed. "You wore a mask."
"That's right. Thankfully, I almost always conceal my face when I work with the Society. I'm sure you would have had a hard time hiding your surprise. There was nothing I could do in the moment except hope you survived the Oculus. Any action I took would have hopelessly compromised both of us. But afterward, I slipped the knapsack and the stingbulb into your room."
"You gave me the knapsack!" Kendra exclaimed, her mind reeling. "I've wondered who helped me."
"Finesse is everything in my line of work," Grandma Larsen said. "I wish I could have done more. I did what I felt gave us the best chance for success. I was relieved that you were able to do the rest."
"That knapsack was my home for a few months," Warren mentioned.
"Navarog destroyed it and trapped him inside," Kendra explained. "We used the Translocator to rescue him."
"Then you must know Bubda," Grandma Larsen said.
"Both Kendra and I do," Warren said.
"Is he all right?" Grandma Larsen asked.
"He's still inside that room," Warren said. "Stubborn little guy doesn't want to leave, but eventually he'll starve unless we extract him."
"I understand about Bubda not wanting to leave," Grandma Larsen said with a knowing chuckle. "That was why I left him in there in the first place. He loves his home, and, as hermit trolls go, he is extremely mild and sociable. I saw no real harm in letting him continue to reside there."
Grandpa coughed softly into his fist. "We're beginning to stray. How are we on time?"
Grandma Sorenson checked a watch she must have acquired when she had gathered the blankets. "Fifteen more minutes."
Grandpa rubbed the edge of his blanket between his thumb and forefinger. "I know I can speak for all of us when I say we're shocked and relieved to find you alive, Gloria.
I'm sure you have more to tell us. You mentioned that Hank contacted you recently."
"Once Hank learned that Scott and Maria were in custody at Living Mirage, he began planning a rescue. When Seth showed up there, Hank hastened his efforts."
"Seth's alive?" Kendra exclaimed. "You're sure?"
"The Sphinx healed him with the Sands of Sanctity," Grandma Larsen said.
"He and my parents are all at Living Mirage," Kendra muttered. "Where is it?"
"Eastern Turkey," Grandma Larsen answered. "We have a way in. The plan is to recover as many artifacts as we can while rescuing our lost family members."
"Tell us more," Grandma Sorenson said.
"Hank risked everything to get information out of Living Mirage. The Sphinx's preserve remains his most closely guarded secret. He derives his immortality from the artifact he discovered there centuries ago. But in recent months, as the Sphinx has grown certain of victory, his caution has finally begun to slacken. Hank runs the logistics of Living Mirage, and he has built up enough trust that when the Sphinx is absent from the preserve, Hank becomes the de facto caretaker.
"In his first communication, which arrived via homing canister, Hank told me that if we acquired the Translocator, he had a way to smuggle us in. The day I learned you had recovered the Translocator, I sent word to Hank, journeyed to a predetermined location in Istanbul, and found a dwarf awaiting me."
"The dwarf you brought here tonight," Warren said.
"Correct. His name is Tollin. The dwarf used to work at Living Mirage. Hank smuggled him out. With Tollin and the Translocator, we can penetrate Living Mirage."
"Who else knows about this?" Grandpa asked.
"Only the dwarf, Hank, and myself," Grandma Larsen assured him. "Not even Vanessa knows that Hank is at Living Mirage. His communiques have arrived untampered with, bound by cryptic seals as verification. Hank released the canisters just outside the gates of Living Mirage, and the messages flew directly to me. I have traveled in disguise, employing a brand-new set of masks. Tollin and I have worn masks the entire time since Istanbul. We got back to the United States through illegal, untraceable means. No passports, no credit cards."
"Our greatest risk is the Oculus," Grandma Sorenson said.
"Which is why we've constantly worn the masks," Grandma Larsen said. "I destroyed the messages as soon as I received them. All the Oculus could have seen so far, had the Sphinx even known to look in my direction, is masked figures travelling. This is the first time I have discussed our plans aloud."
"Is Hank confident we can trust the dwarf?" Warren asked.
"As sure as he could be," Grandma Larsen said. "It's a small miracle Hank got him out. One man at Living Mirage drives a truck to a local town when supplies are needed. Making supply runs has been that man's job for hundreds of years. Hank ordered a supply run and, unbeknownst to the driver, smuggled Tollin out in the truck. The dwarf then made his way to Istanbul. Hank has never given the Sphinx any reason to distrust him. Nor have I, until I came to Fablehaven tonight. Hank has worked closely with the dwarf, and he feels confident that Tollin, along with most of his kind, would welcome the arrival of a new caretaker at Living Mirage."
"We'll have to act swiftly," Warren said. "Every moment we spend back in our proper time increases the chance that the Sphinx might catch on. What are the chances the Sphinx will notice Tollin is gone?"
"Hank manages the dwarfs," Grandma Larsen said. "Living Mirage is an immense preserve. He doesn't expect anyone to notice Tollin missing for weeks, and can cover if they do. But I agree that we need to move swiftly. The Oculus is powerful, and it is often focused at Fablehaven."
"What do we know about the layout of Living Mirage?" Grandpa asked.
"Along with several outlying buildings, there are three main ziggurats," Grandma said. "The Sphinx has his headquarters in the Great Ziggurat, with the dungeon underneath. He stores the artifacts in his office. Hank will secure the artifacts. He sent duplicates of all the relevant keys with the dwarf, along with a map to the Great Ziggurat, including rarely used service tunnels."
"We might have a chance," Warren said.
"We really might," Grandma Larsen agreed. "Secrecy has protected Living Mirage for so long that security inside the compound has grown rather lax. Hank even sent official paperwork for us to retrieve Scott, Maria, and Seth if we want to try to bluff our way into the dungeon. The great advantage with the Translocator is that once we get to the prisoners, we don't have to figure out an escape. The escape is instantaneous."
"And we can abort the mission at any point," Grandma Sorenson said.
"With nothing to stop us from trying again later," Warren added. "Although we need to get it right the first time in order to take advantage of the element of surprise. How large of a strike force should we gather?"
Grandma Larsen shrugged. "That is open to debate. The Translocator carries only three people at a time. A small team can move in and out more easily, but a larger team could split up and might have a better chance of fighting their way through obstacles."
"The dwarf will obviously have to bring in the first pair," Grandpa said. "Then we can shuttle in whoever we want."
"We mustn't let the Sphinx get the Translocator," Kendra reminded them.
"Somebody reliable should have the Translocator at all times," Warren agreed. "If things go wrong, their top priority must be to teleport away."
"We don't necessarily have to leave the Translocator with the strike force," Grandma Sorenson considered. "Of course, without the Translocator on hand, escape from Living Mirage will be much more complex, even if we coordinate with satellite phones and establish rendezvous points."
"Whoever goes into the dungeon needs the Translocator," Grandpa said. "They'll be lucky to make it to the prisoners, let alone get back out. Warren is right--if all else fails, they can abort and jump away."
"This is risky," Grandma Sorenson said.
"Any option we have left is risky," Grandpa said. "This scenario is much more promising than any option I had hoped to encounter. If it pays off, we could rescue Seth, Maria, and Scott, and retrieve the other artifacts."
"And if it fails," Grandma Larsen cautioned, "we could lose the Translocator, and soon thereafter the Chronometer."
Kendra's insides fluttered nervously. "She's right. The Sphinx has been to Fablehaven. So has Mr. Lich. If they had the Translocator, they could come straight here, and that would be the end of everything."
Grandpa pinched his lip absently, eyes far away. "Gloria, you've had much more time than us to think this through. What would you recommend?"
"A team of six," Grandma Larsen said. "Two fighters and I rendezvous with Hank. The dwarf leads two other fighters to the dungeon. The dungeon strike force should keep the Translocator and leap home with the prisoners. Tollin has had some prior access to the vicinity of the dungeon, so those who go there with him will be able to teleport somewhat on the way to their objective. After the captives are secure, a designee will return to a prearranged rendezvous to claim us and the other artifacts."
"How will Hank know when to move?" Warren asked.
"He'll check from his window at two in the morning every night until I send him the signal. Which means we'd want to launch the assault around 6:30 P.M. our time to account for the seven-hour time difference."
"I would propose an extra participant," Warren said. "The dwarf should drop off an extra man first, a good distance from the others. He can serve as a fail-safe, to clean up the mess if the mission goes awry. A human insurance policy. For now, let's call him ... Warren."
"Are there fairies at Living Mirage?" Kendra asked.
"I'm sure," Grandma Larsen said. "We can ask Tollin for details."
"Fairies have to follow my orders," Kendra explained. "I should come."
Grandpa reddened. "Absolutely not. The idea is not to jeopardize the entire family."
"I've had a little success in the past," Kendra reminded him. "The idea is to make this work, right?"
Grandma Sorenson nodded thoughtfully. "Maybe she could enter with us at first, issue commands to some fairies, then leap directly home."
"Do you have other participants in mind?" Grandma Larsen asked.
Grandpa cleared his throat. "I'd lead the assault force to the dungeon. Trask can accompany me with the dwarf. Elise and Tanu can join you to help Hank."