Shadows of the Redwood (29 page)

Keelie reached out to Risa. “May I hold him?”

Wetness shimmered in Risa’s eyes. She sobbed and held Knot’s body closer.

“He was my guardian.” Keelie just wanted to say goodbye.

Risa nodded and gently kissed Knot on the top of his furry head. “Good night, my sweet prince.” She laid the cat in Keelie’s arms.

Keelie pressed his solid weight close to her chest. This was where he belonged, next to her heart. “How am I going to live without you?” She bent down closer to him and whispered in his ear, so only she and he knew the words she said. “I love you.”

Risa sobbed.

Keelie’s hot tears fell on Knot’s thick orange fur. She reached up to smooth them away—and felt the purring. She saw his paws squeeze into little biscuits, and his tail twitch upward.

“I should drop you on your pumpkin-colored head,” Keelie hissed in his ear. “You faker.” She looked up at Risa, who was staring at her, startled. “He’s going to be fine.” She didn’t know whether to be relieved or angry at Knot’s play-acting.

“How can you be so cold-hearted? You saw how he was thrown up against that tree.” Risa’s eyes were wide.

Knot reached up and swatted Keelie on the cheek, then twisted in her grasp and sprang away.

“You rotten cat,” she called after him.

He ran over to Risa and launched himself onto her leg, sinking his claws deep into her skin. “Ow!” The elf girl shook her leg. Knot released his claws and bolted away, as if he had fleas dancing in his fur.

Keelie placed her elbow on Risa’s shoulder. “I think he’s warming up to you. He’s showing you some affection.”

“That’s affection?” Risa rubbed her injured leg. “He’s never hurt me before.”

“Hard to explain about fae cats.”

Sean was lowering Scott and Laurie’s cages. They argued all the way down.

“You led me to believe that you cared,” Laurie shouted.

“I did not. I wanted to get to know Risa. She’s hot.”

“And what am I?”

“You’re not my type. You’re into shopping and yourself.”

“I am not.”

“That’s all you talked about on the beach—yourself.”

“Ahh!” Laurie’s outraged yell echoed from the trees.

“True love?” Sean cocked an eyebrow at Keelie.

She stared dubiously at the bickering couple. “Not on a dare.”

Sean was about to say more, but Grandmother called for Keelie’s help. He smiled. “Later,” he said softly.

It was all the promise she needed.

Keelie dressed in her green robes and raised the hood over her head. She dreaded the Involucrum. Dad had arrived last night, and today, at dawn, Viran would bind his spirit with Bloodroot. Viran had chosen a destiny that would allow him to continue in the forest.

Dad and Grandmother were waiting for her by Wena’s roots. The tree shepherds would perform the ceremony alone, without any of the other elves.

She traveled the sap to the bottom.

Grandmother and Dad wore green robes also, except theirs were embroidered with gold-and-silver trees. Viran wore a plain white robe and leaned on his staff. He looked like a medieval monk ready to go to prayers.

He held out his elbow. “I would be honored if you would accompany me to the Grove of the Ancients.”

Keelie blinked several times in an attempt to stop the tears from flowing. “I would be honored.”

She accepted his outstretched elbow. It was still dawn and foggy, with the briny scent of the ocean in the air. The trees, in spirit form, drifted along with them.

Silence accompanied their reverent walk to the Grove of the Ancients. There, trees as tall as the sky reached for the heavens, visible now in the dim early morning light. Keelie sensed their great power and wisdom. She was awed as she gazed upwards.

Viran leaned closer to her. “The trees say they can hear the stars sing to the Earth.” The elder elf looked up. “I look forward to hearing the stars sing to the Earth.” He smiled at her and patted her hand.

“I’m sure it will be beautiful.” Keelie blinked back tears. She saw the distinctive red bark of Bloodroot, now streaked with gold.

Viran winked and grinned mischievously. She felt sad that she hadn’t had the opportunity to get to know him. She would’ve learned a lot from him. Maybe she still could.

A tall tree spirit walked forward. “I am Hurus.” A long gossamer beard hung from his chin. “We’re honored, tree shepherds, that you will help our shepherd and brother find peace in the binding of souls.”

Dad and Grandmother bowed their heads. “It is our honor, Hurus.”

“May the Great Sylvus be with you.” Bloodroot drifted forward and bowed his head.

The sleeves of Dad’s robe billowed in the cool breeze as he held out his hand. Keelie left Viran to stand by her father and grandmother, and Viran and Bloodroot walked to the center of the Grove. Hurus moved to the southern point of the circle, and Dad took the north. Grandmother stood to the east of the two in the center, and Keelie walked slowly to the last place, on the west.

As they stood in the four cardinal directions, faint gold light was beginning to illuminate the east. Clouds seemed to be dipped in pink, as if some supernatural being had finger painted in the sky. The pale rays seemed to create a celestial crown over Grandmother’s hooded head.

Viran faced Bloodroot’s spirit.

Dad’s voice boomed as he spoke, lifting his arms to the sky. “May our brothers, tree and shepherd, become as one. May their unified wisdom guide this forest. May the Great Sylvus bring his blessings upon them.”

The wind began to blow, and the green magic of the trees flowed across the ground, then surrounded them. The entire forest was present, great trees and small. Grandmother raised her arms, and Keelie did as well, as did the tall tree spirit and Dad. Keelie felt the sizzle of green magic spark from hand to hand until Bloodroot and Viran were in a circle of green power that pulsed with the heart of the ancient forest.

For the first time, Keelie could hear the redwoods in her head. The chiming voices of the tree spirits joined in song, a harmony of celebration for their brother the tree shepherd. Keelie wanted to be a part of this song forever. She felt herself lean into it, letting her magical essence open fully. Across from her, Grandmother made a motion, and the song abruptly vanished. She saw Grandmother exchange a look with Dad.

Now she knew what the tree shepherds meant to their forests. Keelie shivered with pride in her father, as well as with reverence and sadness as she watched Viran’s body fade away until there was nothing but a bright light.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the light of Viran’s spirit melded with Bloodroot’s, and Keelie could see both of them, one superimposed on the other. Grandmother stepped aside to let them drift to Bloodroot’s tree and enter into it. Bloodroot went first, and then Viran. As Viran’s spirit entered the tree, he turned and touched his chest, then pointed at the tree shepherds. A spark flew from his fingertip as he faded, forever marking the bark in the exact spot where a human heart would be.

The other tree spirits faded as the sun’s rays touched the treetops, chasing the sea mist in the forest below. Around them, a mantle of green and a sense of peace filled the Grove of the Ancients. Birds sang and flitted and swooped.

Keelie lowered her hood and lifted her face to the sun’s warmth.

Dad walked over to her, a big grin on his face. “Time to go, kiddo.”

“So that’s it? That’s an Involucrum? I sort of expected something bigger,” Keelie lied. It had been profoundly awesome.

“Like what?” Dad asked.

“I don’t know. Something with more fireworks.”

Dad tousled her curls. “The Great Sylvus likes to keep things simple.”

Grandmother blinked several times and held her head high as she joined them. “I agree. Keeping to the basics keeps everything closer to the heart.”

A surprised Keelie looked toward her grandmother. When had she become so philosophical?

Grandmother caught Keelie’s gaze and sniffed, suddenly remembering her true nature. “Zeke, I need to return to the village. I need my rest for the performance tonight.” She lifted the hem of her robe and strode forward.

Dad arched a questioning eyebrow toward Keelie.

She shrugged. “The show must go on.”

After breakfast, they walked to Heartwood to open up shop. Dad smoothed his hand over the counter as if greeting an old friend. Keelie knew he was sourcing the wood. Somewhere around here, Lord Elianard was in a meeting with the redwood elves, having a serious discussion about the use of magic and the aftermath of the goblin’s taint. The appearance of goblins in the forest complicated the Lore Master’s job. He’d have to update parts of the Compendium. Keelie groaned at the thought of all the studying she had yet to do.

“I heard you were doing well with the shop,” Dad said. “I took a look at the books this morning. Very impressive.” His hair was loosely tied in a ponytail now, out of the way, but still covering his pointed ear tips.

Keelie beamed as she tallied the sales numbers. She’d been wanting to demonstrate her efficiency at handling the business. “So am I good enough to get a bigger clothes allowance? They don’t have a Francesca outlet here, but when we get to the High Mountain Faire, I’d love a new outfit. It’s not too expensive.”

“I know your definition of ‘not too expensive’ and I shudder at the thought, but we’ll see.”

“How was your meeting with Kalix?” Keelie looked up from the yellow pad. The elf ranger had defended his half-goblin nephew, saying that he’d only been thinking of the welfare of the trees. His aunt had done the same.

“Not good.” Dad arched his eyebrow in irritation. “I have issued a warning to all elves around the world about Tavyn and the re-emergence of the goblins. Things are going to be different,” he added sadly. “It’s as if we’ve lost our innocence now that we know they are back. We’re always going to have to be on guard. Always wondering if the goblins are planning something.”

“Maybe it won’t be as bad as you think,” Keelie said. “At least the other elves are aware, and the clans are now communicating with one another.”

Dad shrugged. “I don’t know.” He patted the counter with his right hand. “I have another meeting in an hour. I’m flummoxed by the way the redwood elves think about the world in general, but they like your grandmother. In fact, they love her as their new tree shepherd. Mother seems content, but I’m not so sure.”

“Kalix and Sariela said that she could stay with them as long as she wants, but she’s decided to build a new place for herself, closer to the Grove.” Keelie wondered how Kalix and Sariela were going to live with the truth of what their nephew had done.

“She will adapt,” Dad said. He sounded more hopeful than certain.

“I think the way a tree or a person thinks is related to where their roots are first planted.” Keelie knew it was a lame saying, but she hoped Dad would get the general idea. Grandmother was happy being in the Redwood Forest. She was walking and talking with the Ancients and having a good time doing it. Keelie returned her attention to her yellow note pad and her numbers.

Dad kept hanging around, as if he had something to say but didn’t know how to express it. Never a good sign. She ignored him until he cleared his throat. “Keelie.”

“Yes, Dad?”

“It’s going to take a while to straighten things out in the redwoods. It’s good we have another week at the festival. You’re going to need to continue to run Heartwood.” He looked kind of worried about what her possible reaction might be to his next words. “By yourself.”