He grabbed her upper arm. “Sean, take charge of her. You wanted her, now you can have her.”
“Dad, this is wrong.” Sean’s face flushed red.
Keelie turned to Sean, pleading with her eyes for him to help her. He wouldn’t look at her, but his hands fisted and his eyebrows slammed together in a mighty frown.
“What?” Niriel asked, seemingly amused by his son’s anger. “Do you question me?”
“Yes, I do,” Sean cried. “You may not approve of Keelie, but I think she’s right. I fought Tavyn, and I know what he is capable of. He could attack the Dread Forest, and if he has a huge army of goblins, we don’t stand a chance against them.”
Keelie raised her fist, ready to punch Niriel to free herself, but Elianard stepped forward, hands outstretched. “Niriel, release Keliel. This is no way to treat a tree shepherdess. She is the daughter of the Lord of the Dread Forest.”
Niriel looked shocked that Elianard had come to her defense. Keelie was a little surprised, too.
Elianard folded his arms and looked down his nose at Niriel.
Niriel glowered. “You would follow Zekeliel.”
Elianard nodded. “He is the Lord of the Forest. Our chosen leader. And Keliel is right-if the Compendium still exists, we cannot leave it in goblin hands.”
Niriel scowled and shoved Keelie toward Elianard. “Do with her as you wish. She’s nothing but a curse upon the elves with her mixed blood.” A landing helicopter distracted him. “I must see to the evacuation.”
Keelie didn’t appreciate being tossed around like a misdelivered package, but she was glad to be free of Niriel’s clutches. She had to get the Compendium. She looked up in the sky. Time was running out.
She turned to Elianard, ready to plead for his help.
Elianard placed his index finger against his lip. “Walk with me to the edge of the village, and from there you can make your way back to Finch and the others.”
“But-”
Elianard began to walk quickly, silvery hair drifting behind him in the breeze.
Behind them, she heard Bromliel’s voice. “That’s the last one. Let’s move out.”
She turned to see Sean walking toward the open cab of the big pickup truck. He turned to look at her, and their eyes met. For a moment she felt like rushing to him, but then a horse kicked from inside the trailer, rocking it, and Sean glanced toward it, breaking their contact. The moment was over.
Keelie knew she had grown past the girl who would have been happy living out her days in the Dread Forest and going from faire to faire, year after year. There was more to her, and there was more to the world. She wanted to see it before she settled down.
She turned and hurried to catch up with Elianard. She took a deep breath to swallow the sob that wanted to burst from her chest. Later.
As they neared the edge of the village, Elianard glanced at her. “You know, Keelie, you may be able to find the Compendium because it likes you.”
Keelie stopped walking. “It’s a book. How can it like me?”
Elianard waved his arm for Keelie to catch up. She had to fast-walk to keep up with his pace. It was as if he was trying to get her out of the village as quickly as possible but be subtle about it.
“You said that the Compendium was revealing hidden layers. I knew this could happen, but for it to reveal goblin secrets? Amazing. When magical objects are exposed to additional magic, they sometimes develop a consciousness, and that must be what happened to the Compendium when it was with you. It is rare for a magic book to change and adapt like this.”
Shocked, Keelie didn’t know what to say. But she did feel a personal attachment to the Compendium. She’d even written additions for it, chronicling the information she’d learned in the Northwoods about dragons and dark fae.
“If the book has grown a consciousness, then the book can be like a familiar. It can assist you in your magical needs. But the book has to choose you.” Elianard stopped at the edge of the woods.
Keelie turned to him. “Peascod has the Compendium and Tavyn wants the magic for himself. First the rift, now the Compendium. I don’t understand.”
“You will have to figure out the answer,” Elianard said.
Chills danced up Keelie’s body as she realized what the jester wanted with the Compendium. “I think Peascod wants to use the magic in the Compendium to break free of Tavyn.”
“What hold does Tavyn have over Peascod? And how are they both so powerful, in any case?”
“Peascod absorbed the wild magic of the rift, and if he was in thrall to Tavyn, he could have fed that power to him.” Keelie shrugged. “It’s a theory. And if Tavyn gets his hands on the Compendium, he’ll be even more powerful. He’ll be able to use the magic of the elves and goblins, and he would probably challenge Herne, who was once Peascod’s master.”
Tavyn’s goblins were already imbued with wild magic. Once he reached his goal, would Tavyn become King of the Dark Fae?
“Herne the Hunter.” Elianard sighed. “Elia told me the tale of your journey north. If I had known it was so dangerous, I would have gone in her stead. But your thoughts about the strength of the Compendium and its use to these rogue goblins is sound. The Compendium knows you. Maybe it will try and reach out to you.” Elianard pointed at her.
Keelie thought of Sally and the prophecy of her magical cards. Her stomach knotted with tension. If those images gave her anxiety attacks, how was she going to react when she saw Tavyn face-to-face again?
“Can the Compendium warn me through a magical tarot deck?”
“It’s definitely in the realm of possibility.” Elianard tilted his head. “Have you seen such?”
“The tarot reader, Sally. Her deck started showing the same image of Tavyn, over and over.”
“Then you must find the Compendium quickly,” Elianard said grimly.
“If I find Peascod, I’ll find the Compendium,” Keelie stated. It sounded easy, like finding the clues to a mystery game. She knew the truth would be very different.
Overhead, a helicopter lowered to the ground, sending debris flying around. Elianard held his robes close as the wind whipped them. A door opened on its side and a green-clad figure jumped out and ran toward them.
“In your studies, did you notice a section that dealt with finding missing household items?” Elianard shouted, his eyes twinkling.
“Of course!” Keelie had used it to find her father’s car keys when he’d hidden them right after she’d learned to drive. “It starts with a tree branch, freely given,” she yelled over the noise of the rotors. She recalled the rest of it, too.
“Exactly,” Elianard replied. “I have the utmost confidence in you.”
“Lord Elianard, we must depart,” the elf called as he reached them. “Lord Niriel says that if you and Lady Keliel are leaving, then it must be now or never.” The elf turned his face when she looked at him. Guess he was a Niriel follower.
“I must go, Keliel. Good luck and may the Great Sylvus watch over you in your quest to vanquish the goblins.” Elianard kissed her on her forehead. “You have been one of my most promising pupils.”
Keelie choked back tears. That sounded like a goodbye forever.
Elianard hurried to the helicopter in a swirl of robes and dust.
It was up to her. First, she had to find Hrok, because she needed a branch. Then she’d find her book.
She watched as the helicopter lifted and passed low overhead. She waved to Elianard. She felt his gaze on her, and wondered if Niriel was glaring down.
The walk back down Water Sprite Lane was spooky. With no elves, the woods behind her seemed menacing, even though it held the same trees she’d become friendly with last year. Now they thought that goblins were their friends, and she couldn’t help but think that the forest might be spying on her.
Keelie trudged through the meadow. Dad had hammered into her the importance of education, and he’d been right. Although he could never have foreseen this-a situation where the fate of many depended on how well she’d done her homework.
