Elliot and the Pixie Plot (Underworld Chronicles 2)

Elliot stood. All the Brownies were still watching him, and he had a sudden itch on his backside. He wondered what kings were supposed to do when they needed to scratch in an embarrassing place and everyone was watching them.

"Pay attention, Elliot," Agatha said.

Elliot turned to her, hoping that whatever she had to say was so important it would help him forget the itch.

"I have a gift for you," she said, rummaging through a bag hanging from her arm.

A gift? Maybe it was a bottom scratcher.

"I heard a rumor that you have agreed to help the Pixies," she continued. "I have a guess at what they've asked you to do, but I'm not going to say what I think it is because I can't do anything more to help you. Do you understand?"

"Sure," Elliot said, although he really didn't understand at all.

"Ahh, here it is." She pulled a flashlight from her bag.

"Oh," he said, reaching for it. "Thanks."

Agatha yanked the flashlight away from him and added, "This isn't a human flashlight. It's not for seeing in the dark. It will see through the dark."

Same thing, Elliot thought, but he said nothing.

Agatha continued. "It can be turned on only once, so you don't want to use it until you're sure you need it."

Fudd tapped Elliot's arm. "Like when it's light outside. Whatever you do, don't turn it on in the light."

"Right." Elliot figured that was obvious.

"If it's a little light and a little dark, don't turn it on then either," Fudd added. "Or if it's mostly dark but you can still see."

"Got it," Elliot said.

Agatha continued, "This flashlight doesn't run on batteries. It runs on the sun."

"There's no sun in the Underworld," Elliot said.

"But the flashlight doesn't know that," Agatha said with a sigh. "Honestly, Elliot, I thought you were a smart boy. The flashlight doesn't know why it works, it just does. Why would you think the flashlight knows anything at all?"

Elliot shrugged, still confused.

"Once you turn the flashlight on, it gets its power from the sun at the surface of the earth. It will remain on until the su

n is blocked by a solar eclipse. Then the light goes out and the flashlight is used up."

With that, Agatha handed Elliot the flashlight. It was heavier than it looked and made of a shiny silver metal that was a bit greasy.

"The grease isn't from the metal," Agatha explained. "I had fried chicken before coming here and forgot to wash my fingers. Sorry about that."

"Oh, no problem," Elliot said, wiping the flashlight with his shirt. He really didn't care if he ruined the shirt. "Thanks for this."

"I owed you one. You helped me when I was in your world. I'll help you now that you're in mine. Now, sit back down and finish your dinner. You have a long trip ahead of you tomorrow."

Agatha disappeared in a puff of smoke (sometimes called "poofed in a puff," but Elliot doesn't like to think of it that way, because it sounds like something one might do in a toilet). He smiled. The itch was gone. Maybe good luck was finally turning his way.

Elliot slept in Burrow Cave that night. Mr. Willimaker apologized that his own home wasn't large enough for Elliot, but added that it was probably a good thing, since Patches would only keep him up all night with questions.

Elliot was glad for the chance to be alone. He'd been awake most of the previous night, either from Tubs's snoring or with the whole kidnapped-to-the-Underworld thing. And tonight the Brownies had kept him awake very late trying to feed him, or wanting to ask him questions about life on the surface, or thanking him for ending the Goblin war.

Elliot was glad for the time alone, because he really wanted to think about how he was going to sneak into Demon Territory and pluck a hair off the head of the most dangerous Demon of all time.