Curse of Deadman's Forest (Book two)

The 'Oracles of Delphi Keep' series is currently constitued of three books: The 'Oracles of Delphi Keep', the 'Curse of Deadman's Forest' and 'Quest for the Secret Keeper'. They were released between May 2010 and Feburary 2012. This series was written by New York Times Best Selling Author Victoria Laurie. The second book, the 'Curse of Deadman's Forest', was published on June 14, 2011 by Random House Children's Books.

Synopsis
After opening the second treasure box, Ian and the others find another prophecy as well as an ancient sundial which works as a tracker. The new prophecy warns them of another danger - the rising of Lachestia the Wicked. To stop this from happening, the children must re-enter the portal. However, they also discover a different prophecy, which states that Ian, the Guardian, stands the risk of dying at the hands of Lachestia should he enter the portal once more. Due to this, Theo and the others agree that it would be best for Ian to remain behind at the keep.

However, when a new girl arrives at the keep, inadvertently bringing along a horrible disease, Ian, Theo and Carl are foreced to travel through the portal in hopes of returning with the Healer. As they neared the portal however, Magus's hellhounds caught the children off guard, and delivered a nasty bite to Ian's hand.

On the other side of the portal, the children encounter a young Polish girl named Eva, who takes Ian to an ancient crone to be healed. As price, the crone demands that Ian surrender the bronze sundial to her, and Ian reluctantly complies. The crone also takes the Eye of Zeus (Theo's crystal) as payment for healing Eva, who was injured as when she saved Ian's life from invading German soldiers. However, when the crone finds out the childrens' true identities as the Oracles of Delphi Keep, the crone returns the trinkets to the children, bequeathes her healing powers to Eva, and reveals her own identity, as the mother of Lachestia the Wicked. Then, she gave the children one last gift; blinding Lachestia, before she died at her daughter's hands. With Eva the Healer, the children head back through the portal. They then travel to Ynys Môn, where Ian seeks the answers of Theo's previously ambiguous lineage, finding out that she is the daughter of the Great Oracle Laodamia's would-be-sister-in-law, Jacinda, who travelled through time. They also manage to retrieve another silver treasure box.

Characters
Ian Wigby                                     Young orphan boy living at the orphanage of Delphi Keep and main character.

Theodosia 'Theo' Fields             Young orphan girl living at the orphanage of Delphi Keep, surrogate sister of Ian,                                                       and possessor of the Sight.

Earl of Kent                                  Sponsor of the orphanage of Delphi Keep.

Carl Lawson                                 Young orphan boy living at the orphanage of Delphi keep and best friend of Ian.

Magus the Black                          Child of the Demogorgon, master of fire, and main antagonist of story.

Eva                                                A young girl living at the Polish border, beside Deadman's Forest, with her                                                 grandmother. She is revealed to be the Healer, the third Oracle.

Crone                                            An old woman residing in Deadman's Forest to guard her daughter Lachestia.

Lachestia the Wicked                 Child of the Demogorgon and the crone, mistress of the earth.