The Goblin's Curse (26 page)

Keelie’s heart raced.
A big green book?

Yes, milady.

Keelie’s knees felt rubbery and she leaned against a fence post (cedar, from Washington State). The Compendium wasn’t lost after all. But Hob was Peascod, and he had the Compendium. Perhaps he’d set the fire so he could steal it, but why? Her head reeled. Was he going to give it to Tavyn?

“Meow what’s wrong?” Knot swished his tail as he waited patiently down at her feet. He hadn’t left her side.

“The Compendium didn’t burn, but Peascod has it.”

Knot placed his paw on her leg. “Meow will help you get it back, meow.”

Love for the fairy cat flowed through her, but she wouldn’t ruin their relationship by telling him.

“Whatever happens, thank you, Knot.”

He lifted his head, eyes dilated. “Meow why thank meow?”

“Because you’re a good guardian.”

Knot turned his head. His ears tilted forward. Keelie thought she heard a sniff, sniff. But she didn’t push the cat. Sentimentalism wasn’t his style.

What should she do next? She tried reaching out to Dad but she couldn’t reach him; her head was all fuzzy with green energy.

She had to get the Compendium back. Maybe Elianard would help her once he found out it hadn’t been destroyed. He might already have left for the Dread Forest, but she could use one of the elven cell phones that used tree magic to call him. Dad had his, but maybe one was left behind in the elven village.

“Knot, go tell Finch what we’ve learned. I’m going to the elven village.”

The cat meowed agreement and dashed up the Admin building’s steps as Keelie clutched her rose quartz and ran down the path toward Water Sprite Lane, keeping an eye out for any remaining elves. The strong wallop of Dread hit her as she approached the woods, but she breathed in and pushed on, breaking through the Dread spell as she entered the village.

The streets were empty, but she heard the whinny of horses. A huge pickup truck and horse trailer were parked by the meeting hall, the trailer marked with the logo of the Silver Bough Jousting Company. Keelie almost gasped with relief that the village wasn’t totally empty.

Two jousters appeared, leading their tall, muscular horses. Then her heart raced as she heard Sean’s voice shouting out orders.

He appeared from behind the trailer. “Bromliel, do we have enough hay in the back?”

Keelie stepped toward him. Did she still love him, or was this just her body reacting out of memory?

Sean noticed her and stared disbelievingly. “Keelie?” He rushed toward her. “You’re going with us.” A statement—not a command, nor a request. His voice was happy, reminding her of the old Sean, the one who loved her. “You can ride with me in the truck.”

Part of Keelie wished she could hop into that truck and be the girl he wanted her to be, but she knew she couldn’t.

“Sean, I didn’t come to see you. I need to speak to Elianard. It’s urgent. Do you have an elven cell phone I can use?”

“And why would you need to speak with the Lore Master, if not to make travel arrangements?” a familiar voice grated.

“Lord Niriel.” Keelie bowed her head to him. She was the daughter of the Lord of the Dread Forest and she would act accordingly. She would be respectful to Niriel for her father’s sake, although she wanted to throw a mudball at the haughty, pinched-faced elf traitor.

He bowed his head in return. Dressed in the richly embroidered robes that reflected his high-ranking Council position, he seemed like a character from a fairy tale. The evil vizier, perhaps.

“I need to speak to Elianard about the Compendium,” Keelie said curtly. Time was growing short.

“It’s too late for apologies. Didn’t you destroy our most valued treasure? Have you come to grovel for forgiveness?” A puzzled expression crossed Niriel’s face, as if he was pondering a riddle. The horses in the trailer stomped their hooves on the metal floor. They were growing impatient, as if they sensed danger looming near.

“I thought I heard my name,” Elianard said as he walked up to them. He wore a green linen tunic with long flowing sleeves, the edges appliquéd with silver oak leaves.

“You’re still here!” Keelie rushed to him, leaving Lord Niriel open-mouthed at her lack of manners.

“Keelie, why are you here?” Elianard frowned. “You are still forbidden to enter the village.”

“I need your help in finding the Compendium. It wasn’t destroyed—Peascod has it.”

“We have proof that it was destroyed. You cannot delay us with your human tactics,” Niriel huffed, raising his eyebrows at Elianard as if in warning.

Keelie didn’t want to reveal too much in front of Niriel, but she didn’t have a choice. “The Compendium contains goblin magic as well as elven charms.”

Elianard’s face paled. “Impossible.”

“I think it has hidden layers that it’s revealing for the first time. Peascod took it, but I’m sure he learned about it from another.” She quickly told them about Tavyn the half-elf/half-goblin and his power grab. “Tavyn can use the power in the Compendium, and he said if I didn’t bring it to him, then he would attack the faire.”

“Even if we had the Compendium, why would we give it to you to trade to this abomination?” Niriel’s scalding gaze made it clear that he included her in that category.

Elianard was frowning, deep in thought.

“Because I don’t think Tavyn is going to stop at the faire. I’ve seen the goblins in Oregon and in California. They’re everywhere, and in every city. Tavyn can rally them, form an army, and attack humans as well as elves. You won’t be safe hiding in the Dread Forest for long.”

“Let him attack. We’ll be ready,” Niriel said. “Enough of this foolishness. If your father won’t rein you in, then I will. You are to return to the Dread Forest, where you will reinforce the defenses of your home forest with your magic.”

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.