Shadows of the Redwood - By Gillian Summers Page 0,67

ravenous stare. Her hands clenched.

“Good evening, Keelie.” His voice sounded like scraping branches. Bloodroot looked out at her through the ranger’s eyes.

Keelie stared at the tree spirit–infested ranger. “This is wrong. You aren’t supposed to do this. Grandmother, tell him this is wrong.” She glared at Tavyn. Or was it Bloodroot? “How can you let him possess you like that?” It chilled Keelie to the core of her very soul.

Bloodroot stared at her through irises slitted like a cat’s. But it was the young elf ranger’s voice that now answered her. “It’s okay, Keelie. The Ancients want to help us.”

Keelie turned to Kalix. “You approve of this.”

He looked regal and self-assured—there was no question where his loyalties lay. “We live in harmony with the trees. If Bloodroot deems it necessary, then we are honored to do as he asks. Tavyn has been chosen to be a vessel, one who carries the spirit of the trees, so that they can walk among humans. If Norzan would see the wisdom of our ways, then he wouldn’t be having problems in the Northwoods.”

Turning to Grandmother for support, Keelie noticed that her face was pale with fatigue. She didn’t say anything, just sat there as if overwhelmed by what was happening.

Keelie looked at Sariela, but the elven woman seemed defeated. Her shoulders sagged. “My son has chosen his path with the Ancients.” Sariela bowed her head and stared down at the floor.

Keelie still couldn’t understand why Tavyn would allow Bloodroot to possess him. Or why Kalix approved of it. Trees as powerful as the Ancients could override an elf’s free will, even in the case of someone as strong as Grandmother. Keelie didn’t stand a chance, and it scared her to think of being taken over, as Bella Matera had done to the actors at the Globe.

Tavyn-Bloodroot regarded her with a critical eye, like a scientist studying his lab rats in anticipation of what their reaction will be to the next stimulus. He seemed to be contemplating his next move. Then he spoke, deep and hypnotic, his alien eyes sparked with confidence. “Come, Keelie. You know that we need you.”

Keelie’s heart banged against her ribs. She wanted to go to him. His voice was working on her, eroding her self-control. Keelie took a deep breath, then pulled on a thread of Earth magic. It gave her a moment to think, and she remembered the calm charm. She said the magic words and her shields snapped into place.

“I don’t trust you,” she said to Tavyn-Bloodroot. “The redwood elves follow you like some cult leader, doing as you say and not asking questions.”

She looked at Grandmother, expecting a reaction, but Grandmother was just staring at Bloodroot as if he were an interesting creature.

There was a flicker of anger in Bloodroot’s eyes. He must be used to having everyone do as he ordered, but he quickly plastered his charming smile on again, as if he were talking to an intelligent but naughty child. “In your human cultures, you have societies that do things differently from one another. The Dread Forest way does not follow the Redwood Forest way, nor should it. We simply are different, and that makes you uncomfortable. That is why your Grandmother thought it best to send Norzan back to his forest, when we could have healed him here,” he added.

“I agreed that it was best to send him back to the Northwoods,” Keelie said. “The home forest is the best place for an injured elf.”

Bloodroot nodded. “That is what you think, Keliel. But how do you know he wouldn’t have healed if he had stayed in the redwoods? You must open your mind to new things. Our way of life with our elves is symbiotic.”

“I am open-minded, but I question your concept of living in a symbiotic relationship.” She couldn’t help but stare at Tavyn, whose eyes seem to drink her in like a double latte of tree shepherd. She turned to her grandmother. “Does Dad know about this symbiotic lifestyle between the redwood elves and the trees?”

“I don’t know.” Grandmother stared blankly at Keelie. Something wasn’t right with her.

To Keelie’s relief, Sean came through the door. “I thought I saw someone walk in. Is everything okay?” He didn’t seem pleased to see Tavyn’s new look. Knot sat at Sean’s feet, his tail twitching angrily.

Tavyn-Bloodroot stared back at Sean, and the possessed ranger breathed in deeply. His voice, still a mingle of woodsy tones and human language, came out in a rough growl.