Shadows of the Redwood - By Gillian Summers Page 0,13
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.