Shadows of the Redwood (5 page)

Sean was staring at the puddle. Knot ambled over and gave the puddle an inquisitive sniff, then lapped it up. He loved mead.

Keelie’s eyes met Sean’s, and she knew they were thinking the same thing. Why would Risa bring a drink, taste it, and offer it to Sean, then pitch a fit when Scott jokingly took it? They looked down at Knot, who had consumed most of the spilled mead.

Risa backed away. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I knew it was hot work, and I wanted to bring Sean a nice drink, and then—” Her eyes fell on the spilled goblet and widened. Then she saw Knot, and her expression softened.

Keelie almost heard a chime as Knot looked up at the elf girl.

“Oh, such soft fur, such big green eyes. You are the loveliest kitty in the world. I love you.” Risa reached down toward Knot. The cat arched, and his fur stuck out as he backed away.

“She’s bespelled herself,” Sean said.

“That was meant for you, you know.” Keelie watched Risa stalk Knot farther into the Heartwood shop. “Must have been a love potion.” It occurred to her that she could look it up in the Compendium. Yeah, if she had ten years.

Scott shook his head. “Lucky cat. But why isn’t Knot in love with her? Are animals immune?”

“No,” Sean said, looking at Keelie once more. “But fairies are.”

Keelie had to find how long the potion would last, and what else Risa had up her sleeve. Wait until Grandmother found out what the elf girl had done. Using magic against another elf was forbidden. Risa would be in a lot of trouble, once she got over her kitty love.

“Keelie, are you ready to go?” Grandmother stepped out from the shadows at the back of the shop, pushing stray strands into her heavy braid. “I’m really tired, and I need to rest. I think we can finish up tomorrow.”

“Almost done, Grandmother,” Keelie called back.

Grandmother looked behind her. “You would not believe what I just saw. That foolish girl Risa chased Knot out the back door. I’ve never seen that cat looked frightened before.” She chuckled, then turned her piercing glare on Scott. “Who are you, young man?”

“I’m Scott. I’m your neighbor across the street.”

“You’re our competition?”

“Here at the festival, we like to think of ourselves as an extended family.” Scott looked at her curiously.

“He was Zeke’s hu …” Sean stopped himself, looking over at Keelie as he tried to control his face. “He was Zeke’s assistant, the one who abandoned him before the start of the Wildewood Faire.”

Grimacing, Scott turned toward Grandmother. “I had a better job offer, and it was closer to my family. My mother got sick and sent for me.”

Keelie reeled with surprise. “Why didn’t you say that your mother was sick? You just left a message saying that you had a better job offer in California.”

“Because it was a family matter. I wanted to keep it private.”

“I understand.” Grandmother’s glare eased.

Scott’s expression was tinged with relief. Grandmother was the type of person whose disapproval you didn’t want. A flicker of irritation flashed in Sean’s eyes. Keelie didn’t know whether to laugh or kick him.

“If you need help with anything at the festival, give a shout out. Like I said, we’re all one big family.” Scott seemed at ease with the old dragon.

“Thank you. I’m sure we won’t need any assistance,” Grandmother said. “May I see your shop? I’m curious as to how you arranged your wares in that tiny building.”

Scott forced a smile. “Of course. Be my guest.” He watched her stalk across the street, then circled around to Keelie. “I’ll be seeing you.” Lifting his head so that he was eye-to-eye with Sean, he looked at his rival for what seemed a long time before turning to stride back to Tudor Turnings.

Scott had definitely changed. Who knew a geeky woodcarver could transform into such a take-charge guy?

Sean cleared his throat.

Keelie blushed. Sean stared down at her disapprovingly. “You like him.”

Indignation gushed through Keelie. “He’s a friend.” Then an image of Risa popped into her head. “Just like Risa is your friend.”

Sean pulled her close. He brought his face to hers, then kissed her full on the lips. “But you’re not just a friend.” He let her go and stepped back. “I’ll see you at the camp tonight.” He sauntered away, his walk the one of a man who was totally pleased with himself.

Keelie stood there, stunned by the kiss and by Sean’s reaction to Scott. The kiss had been great. But Sean hadn’t given her this much attention in weeks, and now, just because a cute guy acted as if he liked her, he decided he was going to act like a boyfriend again. A jealous boyfriend.

“I won’t be there,” she shouted after him.

Sean turned quickly, eyebrows raised in surprise.

“Grandmother and I are staying in the forest.”

His eyes widened and he took a couple of steps back toward her. “At the Redwood Forest elven village?”

“I guess. Is that good?”

“The redwood elves don’t let anyone into the deep parts of the forest.” Sean seemed impressed, then looked over at Tudor Turnings and laughed. “Guess you won’t get to hang around here much after all.” He waved to Grandmother, who was walking back toward them, and walked out.

Meow.

Keelie looked down to find Knot at her feet. “Did you ditch your girlfriend?” Knot gagged as if he was about to hack up a hairball.

“Yeah, I figured as much.”

“Well, Keelie, I see that you and Sean have mended your rift.” Grandmother leaned against one of the Heartwood shop’s posts, trying to suppress a smile and looking almost human. “You must be pleased. Are you ready to go?”

Confused, mad, and tired, Keelie decided Grandmother was right. “Yeah, let’s go to the camp. I’m starting to crave a shower, something to eat, and bed. Clean sheets, too.” Maybe sleep would clear her head, unless she ran into Sean again.

“Knotsie!” Risa’s voice drifted from the small stand of trees behind their shop. “Where did you go?”

Knot leaped up onto Keelie’s jeans, digging his claws into the denim. His eyes looked up beseechingly.

“Aw, Knotsie. Your girlfriend’s looking for you.”

The cat did not let go, and Keelie had to walk to the parking lot dragging her right leg behind her, with Knot clinging to it like a dryer sheet on a cactus. She tried not to turn back to stare at the Tudor Turnings shop, in case Scott was watching. Of course, if he was, he would have seen the kiss. She wondered what would happen with Sean if she spent more time with him. More kisses, for sure. The next three weeks were going to be way interesting.

The road to the elven village snaked between and around tall trees. Grandmother guided the truck along the narrow road, occasionally running her hands over the crystals that Sir Davey had attached to the dashboard.

For once, Keelie was glad to be in the passenger seat, because she could concentrate on blocking the strong tree magic that pressed on her from all sides. She patted her pocket, grateful for the spare rose quartz charms. Her shielding power had grown since she’d learned how to use the rose quartz to boost her elf magic—she could now avoid picking up on individual trees, and just felt their collective force—but that collective force still packed a mighty pow. The magical tree energy in this ancient forest could rival a power plant. Keelie rolled down her window and leaned out, looking up into the canopy far above, feeling tiny.

They were deep in the forest now and even farther away from the players’ campground, which was near the highway. Dad had told her that the players kept bicycles at their camp, to travel back and forth to the festival. She tried to imagine Sean on a bicycle, but the image refused to come. Maybe because he and his men were housed with the horses, on the other side of the festival.

“This sure is far away.”

Grandmother, concentrating on the road ahead, didn’t reply.

They drove past the Redwood National Forest sign. The campground registration was located inside the trees. Grandmother sailed past the registration kiosk and turned right onto a sandy trail that climbed between the giant redwoods. The ground below was filled with ferns and tiny white flowers.

“Are you sure we weren’t supposed to stop back there?”

“I’m on the correct road.”

Keelie shrugged and leaned out the window, taking deep breaths of the spicy-scented woods. This is what she envisioned when she thought of an elven forest. It had an Old World, fairy-tale feel.

A ranger stepped out of a small hut at the side of the road and Grandmother slowed their truck to a halt. There was something odd about the ranger. As he rounded the truck, Keelie realized that he had long brown hair pulled back over his ears, and that his eyes were the jewel green she was now familiar with. Her own eyes were that color, and she was sure he wore his hair like that to hide his pointed ear tips.

The elven ranger bowed his head to Grandmother. “We’re honored by your presence.”

“As are we to be here.” Grandmother said in the I’m-your-leader tone that Keelie had learned to ignore. Funny, how the other elves jumped when Grandmother used that voice.

Greetings, Keliel Tree Shepherdess
, a male voice whispered in Keelie’s mind. Something had broken through her magical shield. At the same time, she saw fog creep toward them from the depths of the forest. Keelie froze. A vampire. Vampires did the fog thing—she’d seen it back home in the Dread Forest.

The redwoods are anxious to meet you.

Keelie shook her head, willing whatever the presence was to leave her mind. She closed her eyes to focus on her magic. She thought about Ariel, the red-tailed hawk she’d rescued and rehabilitated, and her protective magic surged through her. Zabrina had taught Keelie how to fix her mind on someone or something very important, like in meditation, and it helped her to concentrate. If there was a vampire in the forest, Keelie would have to be careful.

The ranger elf handed Grandmother a map. “Follow the road until you feel where to turn.”

Grandmother frowned. “We’ll feel where to turn? Don’t you use the Dread to keep the humans away?”

“We only use the Dread near our village. Out here, we use a charm that Viran created, which holds a hint of Dread. Elves can feel where to turn, whereas humans think the same spot is somewhere they don’t want to go. They feel an aversion, a sense of avoidance. Ours is a gentle magic. It doesn’t give nightmares.”

“That may be part of your problem.” Grandmother pursed her lips as if keeping back other words. “Has this magic worked for you?”

The elf leaned in close to the window, his arms perched on the inch of rolled-down glass. “Milady, it’s not my place to talk about our policies, but since we’re part of the National Park System, we work within the human world. When you arrive in the village, there will be those who will be able to explain our philosophy and our way of life in more detail.”

The elf looked past Grandmother and smiled brightly at Keelie. He seemed young. “It’s our pleasure to have you here, Lady Keliel.” His gaze widened as he looked at her. “Your eyes—the dark fae magic.”

“Yeah, it made these gold circles around my pupils. It hasn’t faded yet.” Keelie liked him, but she hoped he wouldn’t go on and on about dark magic. She’d taken a frightening risk to save Ariel, but it had been worth it. The hawk was flying free and had even met a potential mate, and she had learned that the fae magic could be used for good … although it was risky and hard to control. She smiled back at him. “I look forward to my time here.”

“I’m Tavyn.”

Knot reached over with his right paw and sank his claws into her thigh through her jeans.

Gritting her teeth, she removed his claws. “Will you stop it? What’s wrong with you?”

Tavyn looked awed. “Ah, the infamous Knot. We’ve heard tales about him and his perilous rescue at the Caudex in the Dread Forest.”

Purring echoed impossibly in the truck’s cab. Knot wrapped his tail around his legs in a self-satisfied manner.

“Perilous rescue? You mean audacious testimony.” Knot had stood before the Council and defended her Uncle Dariel, speaking in front of everyone. She glared at the cat. “He doesn’t talk often, but when he does, he can’t seem to stop.” She moved her legs quickly to ensure Knot wouldn’t shred them.