Shadows of the Redwood - By Gillian Summers Page 0,83
“My head. I think the trees are banging on my skull.”
Keelie’s thoughts seemed to skip, missing pieces, as if the trees were distorting her mind. She’d never experienced trees talking to anyone but tree shepherds, or trying to hurt people, but these were Ancients. Their store of knowledge was over two thousand years old. She had nothing to use against it.
Something heavy, fat, and fuzzy landed on her foot.
“Yeow fae meowgic.”
Risa leaped up, staring at Knot. “He talked.”
Keelie removed her hands from her ears and dropped to her knees. The world spun super-fast, faster than any ride she’d ever been on at a theme park. She must be hitting Super G. She raised her arms, fighting the centrifugal push. The dark fae magic within her, unleashed, glittered gold. Like an uncaged cheetah, it raced through her. A comet of magic flowed through her hands and spiraled into the sky, illuminating the forest around them in an eerie red light.
Keelie fell face-forward into the dirt.
“Keelie!” She heard the shout but couldn’t make out the voice. Her nose scraped against a piece of bark as she remembered that Knot and Coyote had polluted the soil even more than the dark fae. She forced herself to roll over.
Something cold and heavy was walking on her forehead. A soothing purring filled her ears and embraced her mind. She heard the “lick, lick, lick” noise as something warm and wet sandpapered her eyebrows.
“Should he be doing that?” a female voice said. It sounded like Laurie.
“I think it’s a good look for her,” another feminine voice answered. That had to be Risa.
Keelie opened her eyes and stared into Knot’s green gaze. He placed his paw on her forehead and licked his leg.
“Get off of me, you beast.”
“See, she doesn’t appreciate everything he does for her.” Risa said.
Knot jumped off Keelie. His purr remained nearby.
“I don’t know,” Laurie said. “I mean, I think this intense love you have for him might require therapy, Risa. Or an antidote.”
Keelie sat up. Her head still felt fragile, like an eggshell. “What happened? Laurie, where’s Sean?”
“He found me,” Laurie replied. “But then we got separated in the fog. I heard you screaming.”
“The trees attacked us with some type of sonar, I think. I don’t know how they did it, but it—”
“It gave us vertigo,” Risa interjected. “And then we couldn’t think. You couldn’t tap into your tree magic, Keelie, but you found some way around it.”
“How do you know that?” Keelie asked.
“Anyone who has taken Elianard’s classes knows about the ancient powers of the trees. Plus, I use green magic, too.” Risa pushed her hair back from her shoulder. “You’re not the only elf with magic. Why do you think my family is the gardener of the Dread Forest? My pumpkins are famous.”
Knot turned his face away and tried to look innocent. Keelie figured he’d been up to pumpkin mischief. Typical.
Her head throbbed, reminding her of their situation. “Have you seen my grandmother?” she asked Laurie.
“No, sorry. I was heading back to the festival grounds, because I thought Sir Davey could help me. But Sean found me. He said Scott is missing.” Laurie looked as confused as Keelie felt.
“The trees are playing us,” Keelie said. “Somehow they’re the cause of this mayhem. But why? I think they want my grandmother to help them. They must have her.”
Risa looked shocked. “How could you think that Lady Keliatiel would possibly agree to get involved in any shady dealings?”
“No, I think she’s the victim here.” Keelie rubbed her hands up and down her face. She had to concentrate. That’s what Dad would tell her to do. Leave this elven circus of emotions for later. “First, we need to find my grandmother. I think she’s in danger.”
“How are we going to do that? So far, the trees are outsmarting us.” Risa looked around at the tall shapes of the tree trunks as if they could hear her, which, of course, they could.
Laurie nodded. “I mean, from what I understand, these guys are like the PhDs of trees. What do they want?”
“Good question. I think it’s time we found out.” Keelie started walking toward the Grove of the Ancients, where the song had come from. Knot hurried to her side, leaving Laurie and Risa to catch up.
Keelie shone the flashlight into the mist. They’d been walking for what seemed like forever, but there was no sign of Grandmother. She hoped they would run into Sean. Even Knot seemed frustrated.