The Tree Shepherd's Daughter

by Gillian Summers

  She could almost feel the warmth of a California night, alive with fireflies that sang to her. Keelie danced with the little lights, and the stars seemed as bright as the blinking fireflies, and her skin tingled with the caress of their magic.

  When Mom called, "Time to come in," Keelie wouldn't want to, and Mom would turn on the floodlights. She knew they were more than bugs, because they always disappeared when the lights went on. After the incident in the woods, she never mentioned the fairies to Mom.

  Mom. Mom wearing blue jean shorts and a cool white blouse with embroidered roses on the pocket. Keelie squeezed the clay harder. She wanted to slip back into that memory and be that little girl again and have her mom tuck her into bed. She wouldn't play with the fairies if she could have her mommy back.

  The memory began to fade. "No! Mommy, come back." Keelie tightened her grip on the clay. Nausea and fatigue washed over her. She opened her eyes and let the mutilated clay drop from her fingers onto the floor.

  Sir Davey watched her, his gray eyes grave. Keelie closed her eyes again and saw the images of Moon, the face of the man in the aspen tree, and the stick man flying in front of her. Finally her mother's face appeared, exactly as she remembered her. She hadn't forgotten her at all. Keelie opened her eyes and noticed that Sir Davey's eyes were misty. He held her hand.

  Tears slipped down her face, too. She couldn't stop them. She tried to push all the sadness back into the box she'd created for her feelings, but the lock had been broken. The overwhelming sadness wouldn't fit anymore. It had grown too big for her to hide, and she had no choice but to let some of it out.

  "More," she whispered.

  Davey shook his head. "I didn't do anything, Keelie. You summoned that memory on your own. Your quartz works the same way as the clay. Things of Earth ground you and help you to focus your energies without distraction."

  Keelie barely paid attention to Sir Davey. She stood up, releasing his hand. She didn't want clay or crystals to ground her. She wanted Mom. Keelie wobbled and would have fallen if Zeke hadn't caught her. He held her in his arms, and she relaxed. Just this once she would hold onto him. Just this once she would let him comfort her until the sadness shrank enough for her to stuff it back into its box and build another strong brick wall around it.

  Her dad held her, and she held him back and cried into his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head. "I miss her, too. Keelie. I miss my Katy."

  Keelie excused herself to wash her face. When she walked into the bedroom, Knot was on her bed, his weird green eyes focused on her. She saw herself reflected in the window against the growing darkness outside. It was too early for night. Another storm was approaching. As she looked, lightning flashed silently beyond the forest.

  She heard her cell phone ring, the subtle chirp her mother had insisted on. The sound was coming from the bedside table. She picked up the mud-encrusted phone and checked its screen, but it was blank. She would have to call Pacific Bell for a replacement. Wonder what service they had in the Dread Forest?

  "Stupid mud."

  A tiny voice came from the phone. Surprised, she held it to her ear.

  "Hey, you answered." Laurie's voice!

  "You wouldn't believe it. This phone is destroyed. I haven't been able to get it to work at all," said Keelie. "How are you? How's everyone at school?"

  "Okay." Laurie sounded impatient. "Cousin Addie is coming through for us. She'll be at the Faire on Sunday evening, and she's springing you then."

  "Sunday." She should have been happy, but she felt flat.

  "Yeah, that's all the time you've got left to suffer at the Freak Faire."

  Hearing footsteps outside the bedroom, she whispered, "I've got to go, Laurie. Call me tomorrow."

  Quickly, Keelie shoved the cell phone under her pillow as Dad poked his head through the bedroom curtain. "Aren't you coming back out?"

  Knot watched her. When she made eye contact with him, his gaze dropped to her pillow, then back to her, as if he knew what she was planning.

  "Yeah. I was just looking at my new clothes." That was lame.

  Her father's face faded. A cold fear clamped around Keelie. Hrok's voice was in her head, Tree Shepherd's daughter, help her.

  She shrieked as she dropped to the floor. Her arms felt as if they were being torn out of their sockets as the wind tugged on her body like an evil zephyr, demanding her to dance with it. The branches of the oak tree outside the shop slapped and scratched the glass window panes. Hrok's voice echoed in her head. Tree Shepherd, stop the storm.

  Stop it? How could her dad stop a storm? She felt as if her arms and legs were being pulled, her hair yanked by the roots.

  Then she lost her connection to Hrok, hearing instead sadistic laughter in the howl of the wind. The Red Cap. Panic swelled inside Keelie, bursting out of her in a scream.

  In the dark and cold was the green panic of the trees as they thrummed their danger call deep underground, root to root.

  Sudden warmth drew her attention, and then she heard the weather radio beep its storm warning. Hands. Hands were clutching at her.

  "Open your eyes, Keelie," Janice said.

  "We're right here, lass. Open your eyes." It was Sir Dav- eys voice.

  She did, and saw Sir Davey and Janice were kneeling on either side of her. "Dad." Her voice came out in a croak.

  "He'll be all right. Are you with us now?" Sir Davey's voice was like an anchor, a strong rock that would hold her down, keep her safe.

  Keelie closed her eyes again as a cry for help rose in her mind once more. She saw a tall, regal aspen growing in the forest on the other side of the mountain. She sensed that the aspen was a queen, and the smaller aspens surrounding her were her handmaidens and members of her woodland court. The trees were in danger, surrounded by debris whirling counterclockwise. Lightning sizzled and hit the aspen. Fire consumed her papery bark. In that moment, Keelie felt the tree's life force fading away.

  "Keelie." She heard her father's voice, but it was in her mind, a warm green haze that wrapped around her. She struggled to find her voice. "Tornado."

  Fear and pain flooded through her. Hot pain seared her ankles. It felt as if rough fingers had grabbed hold of them and were pulling. The aspen's roots were being torn from the Earth. The last of the tree's consciousness filled Keelie. Protect the magic, Tree Shepherd's daughter.

  The green blanket that resonated with her father's magic enfolded her as the tree crashed to the forest floor. Its spirit disappeared from her mind, but she was left with the image of the tornado plowing through the woods like an angry titan of air.

  thirteen

  Keelie felt arms lift her. She opened her eyes to see Dad's concerned face as he put her on her bed.

  "It's over, Keelie."

  "Oh, Dad, she's dead, and something killed her. That wasn't a real storm. That was magic. Did you hear it laughing? She died, and it laughed."

  Janice gasped. She stood at the foot of the bed, her hand over her shocked face.

  Sir Davey was at her side, face grim. "The Red Cap, sure enough."

  Zeke nodded. "I think you're right. Tomorrow we'll find her and hold the Tree Lorem. Keelie will take part, of course. The Queen Aspen spoke directly to her."

  Sir Davey's eyebrows rose. "Surprising."

  "What's a Tree Lorem? Some kind of funeral?"

  "You could call it that. It's a ceremony of farewell and respect, and the tree's magic will be harvested and given back to the Earth."

  Something warm and furry snuggled against her head. A soft hypnotic purring lulled her into drowsiness, but she overheard Sir Davey and Dad speaking in hushed tones.

  "Dare we hope she's the one?"

  "Don't be ridiculous. This is my daughter."

  "Only in legends can a tree hepherd have the connection your daughter has. She's new to the magic, and yet the aspens speak to her, call to her from the other side of the mountain."

  Keelie didn't want this connection. She didn't want to feel trees dying. It
was hard enough to grieve for Mom. She couldn't handle a whole forest.

  "It scares me, Jadwyn. She's only now come back into my life, and I don't want to lose her. But what if she is the one? There are those who will not accept it. My mother, for one."

  "Will you two be quiet?" Janice said in a scolding whisper. "Keelie's been through enough the past two days; let the poor child rest."

  Keelie wanted to sit up, but the purring was getting louder, and she was getting sleepier. So, her grandmother wouldn't accept her? It hurt a little, although it shouldn't. She'd never even known the woman existed before this month. Two could play that game.

  "Not a morning person, are you?" Keelie said.

  Sir Davey glared at Keelie from across the kitchen table. The hair on his wooly eyebrows stuck out in several different directions.

  "Mmph. Can't believe Zeke doesn't have coffee in this place."

  "We drank it all yesterday. I need a Starbucks fix."

  "I need sleep. Trees tapping on the window, Zeke coming in and out all night long, and that cat. You need to trim his claws."

  She leaned against the table. So she had Sir Davey as an ally against Knot. Ha! "What did he do?"

  "Besides snoring, he kept me awake with the racket he made sharpening his claws on my backside."

  "He uses me as a scratching post, too." She showed him her wounded ankle.

  Sir Davey shook his head, "Never heard a beast so loud before in my life. You'd have thought I was bunking down with a mammoth with a head cold."

  "Where's Dad now?"

  "He went out around dawn, hasn't returned. He did say if he wasn't back for us to go and help Cameron with the birds. And though I'm beholden to Zeke for letting me rest here last night, I'm looking forward to getting back to my own home. Bird-free home," he amended.

  On the way to the mews, Keelie was surprised at the varying degrees of damage to the shops. A metal roof had been blown off the music store where they sold pennywhistles, harps, and dulcimers. Rotten mushrooms encircled the overturned fairy-wing stand in the children's area. The fairy wings were caked with mud, but in the pale morning sunlight, they glittered, looking sad with their little bits of sparkle.

  Across the street, Janice was outside hanging a blue tarp over the doorway into the herb shop. She glanced up at them but continued working.

  "Let's go and say hello. She looks upset."

  Keelie hurried after him.

  "Good morning. Looks like you suffered some damage, though not as bad as some." Sir Davey said.

  Janice sighed wearily. "With a little help from Zeke, I can have the wind damage repaired."

  Raven pushed aside the overhanging tarp. "Move!" she shouted. She had a black bandana over her hair, and she wore a black Wildewood Faire, New York top and low, hip-riding jeans. She scowled as she held a dustpan loaded with a pile of decaying mushrooms out in front of her. "Oh, this is so nasty. I never will eat a portabella again."

  Keelie covered her nose. "Gross. It smells like Knot's litterbox."

  Raven said, "I'll talk to you later, Keelie. I've got to get this putrid mess over to the compost pile." She ran, the dustpan held before her like an evil offering.

  Sir Davey's forehead wrinkled. "Is that the extent of the damage inside? Mushrooms?"

  "Oh, no. I've only just started checking things out. Most of my dried herbs are caked with mold and mushrooms. I can't sell them."

  Janice came closer and lowered her voice. "It's the Red Cap. Dark magic. This has got to stop, Davey. Skins and Raven drove a couple of the college kids to the emergency room last night. The storm hit the Shire pretty hard."

  Janice suddenly became quiet as Tania walked by with a companion. She had a sneer on her face as she passed them. "I'm surprised you had damage here; we didn't have any at all."

  Janice turned away. Apparently, she had nothing good to say in reply.

  Keelie recognized Tania's friend as one of the pub owners. He stopped and bowed his head. "Good morrow, gentles."

  Tania continued on her way, not even acknowledging Sir Davey or Keelie.

  Keelie stared after her. What a witch!

  "How goes it, Al?" Janice asked.

  He said, "Not good. I see you've had some damage, too. Some of the kegs in the pub were opened, and I had a lake of Guinness on my floor. Going to cost me a fortune to replace it all. I don't know if I can absorb the loss."

  Sir Davey said, "I'll be back later. I have to check on my shop, and I promised Keelie we'd go to the mews." He nodded to the pub dude. "It pains my heart to hear about the Guinness on the floor."

  "Ah, I'd have a sticky mess to clean up, but Heartwood's cat's been lapping it up all morning. Didn't know a cat could hold his ale like that. He could drink a Viking under the table."

  Keelie made a mental note to store her new garb and the La Jolie Rouge clothes in the Swiss Chalet-far, far away from that cat. Beer had well-known bathroom side effects.

  In the Dragon Horde shop, Dad was helping James load a Great Horned Owl into a crate. The bird seemed calm. James latched the cage door. "That'll do it. Thanks, Zeke. Don't know how I would've done it if you hadn't been here to help."

  "Any time, James. We're family here."

  "Not everyone feels as you do. We're grateful." James picked up the crate and made his way out of the shop.

  "Watch it. Owl coming through." They couldn't see whoever was behind the giant crate. The owl hooted.

  "Good morning, Keelie, Davey," Dad said. For someone who had been up half the night, he didn't have any dark circles under his eyes. Of course, Keelie was the same way; she could stay up all night studying and next morning, she wouldn't have to use a cover stick like most of her friends at Baywood Academy.

  From the back of shop, Keelie heard a familiar shrill cry, followed by squawking. It sounded like two avian toddlers throwing tantrums. She quickly made her way past Sir Davey's rock displays.

  There were two girls and a cute guy in green hospital scrubs writing notes on clipboards. They looked like college kids.

  "Make sure you have them strapped down. I don't want them to get jarred on their trip." Cameron said, waving a thin package. "I've got their medical records in this folder."

  Ariel flapped her wings against the cage. "What's going on?" Keelie asked as she kneeled down to soothe the hawk. Immediately, she settled down, as did the vulture in the next cage.

  "I'm sending some of the birds to the raptor center at the university. Most of the mews were destroyed last night during the storm, and the weather forecast says that this same pattern will hit us for the rest of the week. We're still going to try to hold the Birds of Prey show on the weekend, but I'll feel better knowing that the others have shelter."

  "What? What about Ariel?" Keelie didn't want the hawk to be sent away the way she had, to live among strangers. "She belongs here."

  The vulture beaked the cage wires as the really cute guy tried to grab the handle. He cursed and pulled his hand back. "Ma'am, no one can get near this vulture."

  Keelie leaned over the cage, and the bird folded its wings and tried to snuggle closer to her.

  "Wow. That's amazing," the vet guy with the curly blond hair said. "You've got a way with birds."

  "Thanks." Keelie blushed as he winked at her. Cute as he was, Ariel wasn't going to some university.

  "Cameron, I can help with Ariel. Please don't send her away.

  Dad leaned against the doorframe. "I'll help her with the hawk."

  Cameron said, "Well, I can't ask for a better reassurance than that." She turned to the guy. "Tell the others I'll be right there."

  "Yes, ma'am." He wrote something on the clipboard and walked away.

  Keelie looked down at the vulture, and he blinked its beady eyes at her, as if he was asking, can I stay with you, too? She felt sorry for him.

  Sir Davey said, "The ugly one can stay with me."

  "What?" several voices asked at once.

  "It can stay with me." Sir Davey sounded out each wo
rd in a loud voice.

  "Somebody needs his coffee," Keelie replied.

  "I'll have a pot brewing soon, but I'm not caffeine deprived. I can take care of the vulture." Sir Davey looked down at the caged predator.

  "I never took you for a bird lover, Davey. You complained so much yesterday when we brought them here." Cameron smiled broadly. "I guess Louie can bunk with you.

  Zeke laughed. "Think it'll improve business, Davey?"

  "Better than that cat of yours. We heard it was drinking spilled stout at the pub."

  "Not again. I guess I'll find him with the pirates." Zeke shook his head. "I hope he hasn't run up a bar tab."

  "Tell me you're kidding," Keelie said.

  "Wish I could stay, but I have to run to the raptor center in Fort Collins." Cameron picked up a cage with a small kestrel in it. "I learned something interesting from the clerk down at the convenience store. Rumor has it that the Faire lands will be sold for a strip plaza. I wouldn't be surprised if Admin tries to pull something like closing down the Faire early because of the damage. Possibly condemn some of the buildings right away."

  Dad's eyebrows narrowed. "You heard this strip plaza rumor from the store clerk?"

  Cameron nodded. "It's the station near the exit."

  "I'll need to check this out," he said.

  Ariel rubbed her feathery head against Keelie's fingertips. She smiled at the hawk. At least they still had some time together.

  "I left my list of repairs on Davey's desk in the back." Cameron walked toward the front door, holding the cage high and clear of all the merchandise.

  "I'll start on them when I get back. Keelie and I have plans for this afternoon." Zeke put a hand on Keelie's shoulder.

  Dad's to-do list was getting longer and longer. He was going to need a BlackBerry to keep up with it all. She wondered if he'd be opposed to one, since he didn't find a need for microwaves or cellphones.