Shadows of the Redwood (22 page)

“No chain saws here. It’s probably just an animal.”

She hoped it wasn’t Peascod. She hadn’t heard the familiar dissonant jangle that preceded his arrival.

“Right. I’m ready when you are.”

Whatever was tailing them made a big clatter in the fallen branches of a small tree. Keelie took off at a sprint, with Sean right behind her. She dodged branches, jumped over small logs, and skirted big ferns. She tripped once, but Sean swept her up and carried her until they reached more level ground. Finally, they could see the road ahead. They put on a burst of speed, but whatever chased them was crashing through the underbrush, closer and closer. They hit the asphalt road just as the beast exploded from the ferns and small bushes. It rolled twice and then lay on its side, laughing.

“Coyote?” Keelie shrieked. Her fear ebbed to relief when she saw him.

“Fae prankster, you are dead.” It was an empty threat, because Sean was on his knees, breathless.

“Why were you two sneaking around in the forest?” Coyote sat up, still laughing.

“We’re going to look for Laurie,” Keelie said between gulps of air. “She never came home.”

“She’s in the dwarf’s RV with the human Scott,” Coyote said. “They got lost in the mist on the beach and ended up farther away than they expected. The dwarf went to pick them up, and then it was too late to go through the forest.”

“Well, she could have called me,” Keelie said, grumpy. “Of course, I don’t have a phone. So maybe she couldn’t have.”

A song drifted on the forest mist, and Keelie tried to hear it, but the melody was elusive. “What is that?”

Sean looked puzzled.

“Don’t you hear that music? Someone is singing.” It was a soprano voice, high and clear, and it sang of comfort and safety, as if every mother’s lullaby were rolled into one beautiful and perfect melody.

“I don’t hear it.”

Keelie waded through ferns, heading up the hill toward the voice.

“That way is the Grove of the Ancients,” Coyote noted. “I hear no song.”

“Keelie, stop. We need to go home.”

She heard Sean’s words, but it was more important to go to Mother. Mother needed her and she would make her proud.

Coyote’s voice sharpened. “Elf, grab her. Get her out of here.”

Keelie protested as a strong form knocked her to her knees. She cried out, “Mother!” And then her breath was gone and she was being carried away from the beautiful song. She started to cry.

Coyote followed them for a few steps. Then he stopped, ears pricked up, and turned and raced away.

At seven thirty the next morning Keelie was sipping her fifth cup of coffee, but her headache still had not subsided. Last night seemed like a bad dream. She remembered traveling back up the sap with Sean, and Grandmother and Sariela putting her in bed, but her dreams were haunted by the song. It was not Mom who sang, but some dark, fearful thing. She had not slept well, waking up time and again, only to fall asleep and have the same dream and the melody that haunted her heart.

At least she didn’t have to worry about Laurie, who’d been delivered bright and early by Sir Davey. Laurie was dressing for the festival, but first chance she had, Keelie planned to have a serious talk with her friend.

She sipped her coffee as Risa treated her cuts and scrapes with one of her salves, which actually made them feel better.

“She’s not going to fall in love with her coffee cup, is she?” Sir Davey asked. He was resting on the couch. After traveling the sap for the first time, he was still recovering.

Risa gave him a dirty look. “I need to go check on my herbs.”

“I needed to open Heartwood,” Keelie said. The shop would be a full-time project through Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, she desperately needed to reach Dad on Sir Davey’s iPhone. She didn’t dare say so aloud, however, with Kalix and Tavyn possibly within earshot.

“Well, I’m not looking forward to traveling the sap again,” Sir Davey said. “It’s unnatural for dwarves to fly. Just lower me on a rope.”

“It’ll be over in a second,” Keelie assured him.

When they were walking to the festival grounds, Keelie told him about the Tavyn-Bloodroot possession.

“Sounds like dark Under-the-Hill magic, if you ask me,” Sir Davey said gravely. He offered Keelie his iPhone and she eagerly dialed Dad’s number, but there was no reception.

Keelie had already tried her telepathic link with Dad, but her head pounded painfully with each effort. Knot stayed with them, and they glimpsed Coyote watching them through the trees.

The familiar routine of setting up for a day of business was comforting. Heartwood was the one normal thing in her life right now. She was plugging in the coffeemaker when Risa floated into Heartwood. “I’ve made five sales already,” Risa sang out cheerily.

Keelie stared at her.

Risa flinched. “What is wrong with you? You’re still green.”

“Tree shepherditis. The green lingers. Why are you so cheery?” The cheeriness made her teeth grate, but Keelie didn’t say so.

“I like working with the humans. I think of myself as an elven fairy godmother, here to brighten their day with my beauty and my knowledge of the Earth. Who knows? I may do what the tree shepherds can’t.” She skipped out to her cart, where Laurie was already looking over her wares. Laurie was wearing one of the gorgeous Francesca gowns that she’d bought at the Wildewood Faire, which still made Keelie jealous.

Keelie imagined Risa selling her products on the Home Shopping Network and cringed. She would probably be a hit, and romantic havoc would spread across the world.

Laurie finally came in, just as Keelie was pouring herself the first cup of coffee. She gaped. “Your skin is green!”

“Yeah, chlorophyll poisoning, like in the Wildewood,” Keelie muttered. “What happened to you and Scott? I was so worried and went looking for you. Then Coyote told me you were at Sir Davey’s.”

“I’m sorry, but there was no way to let you know,” Laurie said earnestly. “You know the phone problem. Still friends?”

“Of course.” They hugged, and Keelie was suddenly happy to just get to spend time with Laurie.

“So what’s new at Heartwood?” Laurie started investigating the shop.

Knot hopped onto the table. He strolled over to Keelie, and placed his paw on her hand. There was a tiny spark of fairy magic, like the ember in a fire beginning to flame. Keelie closed her eyes and focused. She could feel the fairy magic within her growing stronger, dispelling the green tree magic within and bringing balance.

Keelie opened her eyes and looked down at her nails—the green tinge was receding. “Thanks, Knot. I could have used you last night. I hope the Queen’s Alehouse was fun. Coyote would have had fun, too, but he was busy saving my life. Like a guardian does, you know?”

The paw on her hand suddenly sprang claws, pinning her to the counter.

“Okay. Point taken. Lots of sharp little points taken. I’m grateful.” The headache still lingered, but Keelie could deal. She’d just drink coffee all day. After Knot released her, she dug around in the first aid kit for little bandages to cover the punctures he’d left on the back of her hand.

“Wow. You’re getting better at this,” Laurie said.

Risa nodded. “Impressive.” Knot jumped to the floor and flipped the tip of his tail as he walked. The elf girl’s eyes radiated admiration. “He’s so wonderful.”

Laurie snorted. “He’s cute for a cat. Very fluffy. But really, isn’t this going a little too far?”

“You don’t understand the path of true love,” Risa said helplessly. “Knot is the beam of sunlight to my heart on a cold midwinter’s day. He is the first bloom of spring in the garden of my love. He is the wind that blows the sails of my destiny. He has only to meow, and I will be there to do his bidding.”

Keelie’s headache was getting worse. Knot strutted across the floor, tail high in the air. He turned his head and meowed.

“No, I’m not giving you a treat,” Keelie said.

“I’ll bake you catnip oatmeal cookies,” Risa promised. Knot’s lips turned up, then he sprang away.

“You really are a love slave,” Laurie said. “When is that charm going to fade?”

Risa sat down in one of Dad’s fancy crystal-wrapped chairs. “No charm, and I build my potions to last.”

“That’s what happens when you mess with someone’s love life,” Keelie said. “The karma fairy came to see her. That’s why she fell in love with a cat.”

Laurie looked confused. “Is there such a thing as a karma fairy?”

“No. I’m just using it as a metaphor,” Keelie said.

Risa’s face became pinched and she wriggled uncomfortably in her chair. “I don’t know. You never know with fairies.”

Laurie stared at Risa. “I don’t get why you would want to give a love potion to Sean, anyway. He’s with Keelie.”

“He’s supposed to be with me,” Risa snapped. “I was his betrothed.”

“Oh, he dumped you.” Laurie said.

“He didn’t dump me, as you so crudely put it.” Risa turned her head away. “We broke up because of someone else.”

“I understand,” Laurie said.

“What do you mean, you understand?” Keelie glared.

“She’s feeling rejected,” Laurie said to Keelie. “Put yourself in her position.”

Risa turned around. “I am not feeling rejected.”

“Quit trying to deny it. I see all the symptoms. Desperate for attention? Will get him back at any cost? I know, I’ve been there.” Laurie sounded sympathetic.

“You have?” Risa said, surprise in her voice.

Keelie had never thought about this situation from Risa’s perspective. She guessed it would’ve been embarrassing and it would’ve hurt to have your fiancé dump you for someone else. It’s just that Keelie didn’t want to see things from Risa’s perspective. She was getting what she deserved. She’d fallen in love with a cat. Not even a real cat.

“So it’s just going to be the two of us today?” Laurie changed the subject.

Keelie nodded. “I’m grateful for your help.”

“If you get bored selling furniture, you can come help me,” Risa offered. “I can give you a facial. Everyone will see how beautiful you are, and they’re going to want to buy my products.”

Laurie’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“You’re leaving me for a facial?” Keelie muttered.

“Beauty is important,” Risa said. “As I’m sure you’ll discover some day.”

Laurie grinned at Keelie. “Ouch.”

Risa leaned closer to the table and scooted her chair up. She gazed at Laurie. “You and this Scott, is this a new relationship? Tell me all about it. Do you feel about him as I do about Knot?”

Laurie shrugged. “I don’t know about this Knot thing, but I think Scott and I are interested in one another. We walked on the beach. We talked about elves, and we talked about Keelie, too. We’re bonding because of you,” Laurie said, aiming a big smile at her friend.

Keelie slammed her coffee cup down. “What do you mean, you talked about me?”

“You and your tree weirdness.” Laurie didn’t seem concerned by her friend’s anger.

“It was the same way in the Dread Forest,” Risa confided. “Trees walking around. Unicorns coming out of the roots of a tree, and then that little seedling growing into a huge tree. Don’t get me started on the Earth magic and the fairy stuff.”

Keelie had heard enough. If Laurie and Risa wanted to bond, fine. Keelie rose from her chair. “Okay ladies, you can move your conversation to the Green Goddess Cart. I have a business to run.” They left, unperturbed by Keelie shooing them away from her shop.

Moments later, Tavyn stopped by. His skin was a normal elf color. “We’ve found evidence of the Redwood Tree Shepherd,” he said.

“Where?”

“Deep in a grove of hemlock. Bloodroot is investigating with Bella Matera.”

Tavyn didn’t show any sign of ill effects from tree possession, but Keelie still treated him as if Bloodroot was listening. She didn’t trust him.

“Do you mind if I ask you a question?”

The elf ranger smiled, his normal, handsome face friendly as if yesterday’s frightening encounter had never happened.

“Ask away,” he said.

“Do you often let Bloodroot take over your body?”