The Secret of the Dread Forest: The Faire Folk Trilogy

by Gillian Summers

  “Why should I help her? She ordered me to tell you I wanted you to move Mom’s portrait.” Anger filled Keelie.

  Dad’s mouth was drawn down in sadness. For a moment he was silent, then he sighed. “Keelie, her health is connected to the Dread. She magically and physically tied herself to this forest. It takes a potent form of magic to renew the Dread, and we don’t have the power to renew the forest without it. The Dread is fading, as is your Grandmother. ‘As the forest goes, so go the elves’ is more than a philosophical statement, my daughter. And if my mother fades, then it will be my turn to tie myself to the forest.

  Horrified, Keelie stepped forward. “If something happens to the forest, then the same thing will happen to you?” Images of the High Mountain forest and the Wildewood forest flooded Keelie’s mind. “Dad, why would you tie yourself to a dying forest?”

  “I choose to hope, Keelie.” Dad walked to the doorway. “But now, I need to go stop the humans. If the trees panic and humans are harmed, it will bring doom on us. Go to Grandmother’s house and sit with her.”

  Dad walked downstairs.

  “I told you to talk to the aunties,” Alora whispered softly.

  Keelie ignored her and went downstairs, then outside, walking quickly to her grandmother’s house. She found Keliatiel sitting on the couch in the vast great room, where the dismal welcome party had been just a few days ago.

  Grandmother looked frail, her eyes closed, her shawl clutched tightly around her shoulders. She opened her eyes when she heard Keelie come in. “I want to go to bed.”

  Keelie nodded. This would work out great. She helped the old lady up and followed her toward the stairs. As she passed the library door, she glanced quickly at the low bookcase in the center of the room. But the book was not there anymore.

  Grandmother’s bedroom was dominated by a huge, dark-wood bed carved with flowers. As Keelie settled her into the sheets, she brushed her hand over one of the bedposts, then pulled it away quickly, shocked at the bed’s age. It was from a walnut tree, even older than the Sherwood oak that formed the table in the dining room.

  Keelie used her already-heightened tree sense to search Grandmother’s room for the book of magic, but it was not here either. Had Keliatiel hidden it? She sat with her grandmother until the old lady’s eyes closed. Outside, the sky had darkened. Grandmother looked pale, almost transparent. For the first time, Keelie wondered if she was going to die, to fade.

  She walked through the dim house, trying to sense the forbidden book. She felt a glimmer of its dark magic, and turned to search the dining room with her mind. It was like a game of Marco Polo—she could “feel” she was getting closer to the book as she walked in certain spots. It felt strongest in front of a tall cabinet with locked doors. Keelie turned the key in the lock, but it wouldn’t open.

  She heard a moan, and hurried back to her grandmother’s room. Grandmother opened her eyes and blinked several times. Keelie bent down. “Can I get you anything?”

  Keliatiel reached out and smoothed back the hair over Keelie’s ears. Over her pointed ear, first, then over her round ear. “Keliel, I’m sorry, child, for speaking so unkindly to you earlier.”

  Sympathy and sadness welled up in Keelie. “Dad told me that you aren’t feeling well. I get crabby when I’m sick.”

  Grandmother lifted her head, then lowered it as if even that small movement had taxed all her energy. “As a baby, you would scream very loudly when you were upset. Zeke said you reminded him of me when circumstances didn’t go as I planned.”

  “You mean you get mad when you don’t get your way.”

  Grandmother nodded. “Despite my differences with Katharine, she was a good mother. I tried to understand why she took you away, but anger and bitterness clouded my judgment. It still does. I could have taught you so many things.”

  “I’m here. You can still teach me.”

  Grandmother closed her eyes. “We’ll see. I don’t remember ever feeling this tired. We’ll talk later.”

  Keelie knelt on the floor and leaned her head against the bed, the edge of the mattress pressing into her forehead. She closed her eyes. She felt so helpless—she needed to do something. Getting up, she returned to the cabinet in the dining room, frustrated by the lock. Was there a charm on it? A curse? She didn’t know enough about magic to tell the difference. She needed a better key.

  She froze. A key. And she knew just where to find one.

  Keelie ran back to her house to wrestle Alora down the stairs and over to her grandmother’s.

  “Where are we going, Keelie?”

  “To open a cabinet.”

  “Is that fun? You don’t sound like you’re having fun.”

  Keelie plunked the heavy planter down in front of her sleeping grandmother. Watch over her. You’re going to contact me if she wakes up.

  Alora scowled. I’m not the one who’s supposed to be watching. If you’d listened to me, then you wouldn’t have to sneak out to talk to the aunties.

  An image of the sprite popped into Keelie’s mind.

  What? You’re not going to the aunties? What are you going to do, Keliel Tree Talker?

  I’m going to see the sprite. I’ll be back. If I hurry, then I can be back before Dad returns.

  I don’t like this. You need to go to the aunties. They can advise you. They know everything that goes on in this forest.

  No, Dad is with them. He has enough to do to stop those kids with the ATVs. I’ll be back.

  This was becoming a pattern. If someone had told her a year ago that she’d be hiking in the woods day and night, she’d have laughed at them.

  The moon was bright in the dusky sky as Keelie ran back to Dad’s house and grabbed a flashlight from the Swiss Miss Chalet. Playing the beam over the path, she could see numerous tire tracks in the dirt. It angered her to think about a bunch of idiots on ATVs wheeling through the forest. There had to be a way to restore the Dread. If not, more and more humans would come into the forest.

  Hearing the creek, Keelie called out for the sprite. “Are you there?”

  The little sprite rose up from the water. “Here I am.”

  Keelie knelt down. “I need the amulet.”

  The little sprite tilted her head. “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure. I need it now.”

  The sprite shook her head disapprovingly. She disappeared underwater with a silent splash, and returned with the mud-encrusted amulet. As she lifted it up in her hands, the mud washed away and its silver thorns glinted in the moonlight as if winking at Keelie.

  Keelie reached out for it. Her fingers touched the sprite s wet, clammy skin. Clasping the amulet, Keelie felt cold, as if she had plunged her hands into a bucket of ice water and the chill had permanently settled in her bones.

  “Thank you.”

  The sprite smiled, wide and lipless, then sank back out of sight.

  As Keelie made her way back through the woods, her heart raced with anticipation. She had the amulet—she should be able to unlock the cabinet.

  The wind blew through the trees, leaves rustling against one another. She caught whispered tree conversations. What is the Tree Shepherdess doing? Where is she going? She hoped Dad wasn’t listening to the trees tonight.

  Some form of healing magic had to be in the book. She wasn’t sure how to use it, but Einhorn had given her the amulet for a reason. He knew Keelie was the one who could resist dark magic. After all, she’d defeated the Red Cap when she barely even knew how to use her tree magic.

  She reached out to the trees on the edge of the forest. Where is my father?

  He is with the queens, the ones the little princess calls the aunties. Do you wish to speak to him?

  No. Fear rushed through Keelie. If they contacted Dad, he would come back.

  As you wish, Tree Shepherdess.

  Keelie crept into her grandmother’s house.

  She held the amulet to the locked cabinet door. She didn’t know how she knew what to do—it was as if she we
re being guided by the amulet itself. The spiral on it began to glow, starting on the outside ring, then circling deeper and deeper until it reached the center. From inside the cabinet, a bright gold light shone, matching the light coming from the amulet. The lock on the cabinet clicked, and the door swung open.

  The book floated out. Keelie reached for it with an outstretched hand, holding the amulet with the other.

  The concentric spirals on the book started to rotate, and then the book fell open. Alora’s voice was loud in her head. What are you doing?

  Keelie barely heard her. She was lost in a trance. The pages of the book flipped open. Keelie looked down and there it was—a spell to heal blindness. She read it, wondering why the strange script made sense to her.

  She remembered the dream and Knot’s warning not to use dark magic, even for a good cause. But she must heal Ariel. She could control the magic. The wind was blowing and she heard the trees. No! Tree Shepherd, hurry.

  Keelie ran outside to the mews, the book tight to her chest and the amulet thrust forward in her hand. She shouted the words of the spell. Dark storm clouds formed, blotting out the moon. The wind increased, and a cold eeriness wrapped around her as a golden undulating light flowed from the amulet and snaked its way to Ariel, enveloping the hawk in bands of light.

  Gold light shone from the hawk’s eyes. Ariel flapped her wings, her beak open, but made no sound.

  Keelie held the book close. The magic was now reaching into her, the end of that serpentine light now entering her wrist and moving up her arm.

  A dark fog surrounded her. The book was knocked out of her hand.

  Keelie looked up into Jake’s pale, horrified face. “What have you done?”

  sixteen

  Keelie dove to snatch up the book and held it tightly against her chest, turning to keep Jake from grabbing it.

  “Stupid girl, you’ve cursed yourself.” He was angry.

  Then Elia’s voice rang out in the darkness. “Let go of her, Jake. She’s got to help my father.”

  Jake ignored Elia. “The magic didn’t heal Ariel. It transformed her.” He turned to Elia. “And it won’t help your father, either.” His eyes flashed red, reminding Keelie that he was neither elf nor human.

  Keelie shrank away from him. She wanted to feel the magic course through her again. She hugged the book tighter and was thrilled to see the golden glow reach out to her.

  “I don’t believe you,” she told Jake. “I used the magic to heal Ariel.” She gestured toward the cage with a lift of her chin. “Look. She’ll be able to fly.”

  Golden sparkles danced all around Ariel. The magic was working. Keelie’s heart gladdened despite the dark, icky vertigo that had begun to swirl in her brain.

  Elia looked at her, then clapped her hands over her mouth. “Keelie, Jake’s right. You didn’t save her—you’ve condemned her. Look at you.”

  “What?” Keelie felt a little sick, but no different. “You’re wrong, Elia. If you hadn’t cursed her in the first place, then I wouldn’t have had to use the book. She won’t die. If your heart is good, then you can control the bad magic. The unicorn trusted me. I’m saving Ariel, and I’ll be able to save Grandmother and the Dread Forest.”

  Keelie felt drunk with the power of the magic. It felt so strong now, flowing through her and making the dizziness ebb away. It was as if her mind was being cleared. She didn’t understand why Dad or Grandmother hadn’t used the magic before. It was so different from tree magic.

  Keelie stepped away from Jake, out of his reach. She looked at Elia, who stared back in shock.

  “I have to restore the Dread. The Shining Ones’ magic can be used to help others.”

  Jake edged closer to her. “No, Keelie. You don’t understand. It’s not a magic book from the Shining Ones.It’s a darkling book filled with the secrets of the Underworld—the dark fairies. It’s dangerous, and it’s changed you already.”

  “No it’s not. You just want the power for yourself.” There was a part of Keelie’s brain that was reeling in shock—thinking, “what are you saying? This is not you.” But no, the book belonged to her. It was hers. She could use this magic for good. This wasn’t like tree magic, or the Dread, or even the charm that the elves used on humans.

  She heard the trees calling to her, afraid. Tree Shepherdess?

  Tell Dad I saved Ariel. Tell him she can see.

  Tree Shepherdess, your father is…

  A loud clanging pierced Keelie’s ears. She twisted, trying to get away from the sound. Her head filled with the ringing of hammers on hot steel. Her mind whirled with images of the dwarves’ forge. “I can’t hear the trees.”

  Jake frowned. “The Underworld is reaching out, blocking you from the trees.”

  Keelie shook her head. “Underworld? Dark fairies? This is supposed to be the magic of the Shining Ones. The magic of Einhorn and the good fairies.”

  “But this is not the power of the Shining Court, Keelie. I told you.” Jake lifted his head and listened. “Armored men are coming close.”

  “I don’t understand what you’re telling me. If it’s not the Shining Ones, who is it?” The clanging made her head spin and a headache pounded behind her eyes. She shifted the book to one arm so that she could rub her temples.

  “The dark fae.”

  The clanging drew louder and Keelie realized that it wasn’t all in her head. Panic and nausea hit her like a punch to the pit of her stomach as she realized what she’d done. “I’ve used the magic of the dark fairies to heal Ariel,” she managed to whisper. “How can I undo it?”

  “Forget the bird—how can she use the book to help my father?” Elia asked impatiently.

  “Your father made his choice and it can be undone no more than Keelie can undo hers.” Jake sounded just as tense. “But Keelie can summon the bird to do her bidding. Maybe it can help us.”

  “We’ve caught you, vampire!” Three armored jousters sprang from the bushes and surrounded Jake, swords drawn, so that he could not escape. Two more stood on either side of Elia. The armed men wore breastplates and fitted helmets over tunics. They must have dressed hastily.

  Niriel strode forward, a lantern in his hand. “Give me the book, Keelie, and don’t listen to this creature. He was formed from an act so vile that it tainted his soul and turned him into a vampire. There was nothing evil in what you did, dear child. You merely wanted to save your bird.”

  “Leave Keelie alone, Niriel.” Jake stood in front of her, pushing aside a sword blade.

  The elven lord motioned with his hand. “Look at your hawk.” He lifted the lantern and Keelie saw that Ariel’s eyes were no longer milky white with blindness—they were golden and bright with a ring of black around the irises.Her red tail feathers had turned black. It was as if Ariel was no longer in the hawk’s body, replaced by something dark and sinister.

  Wondering if Niriel could be right, Keelie placed her hand against Ariel’s cage, her fingers trembling. “What’s happened to her?”

  “The magic has transformed her,” Jake answered. “Even though your intentions were good, the dark magic works unexpectedly.”

  “I’m sure your transformation was unexpected as well, was it not, vampire? Our forest will soon be cleansed of your presence.” Lord Niriel’s smile was smug.

  Jake lunged toward the woods, but two of the jousters restrained him, holding his shoulders tightly.

  Niriel walked past him to Ariel’s cage. The hawk watched him intently, head thrust forward, as he unlatched the door’s catch.

  “What are you doing? You can’t let her go in the dark.” Keelie watched, dismayed, as he flung the door open.

  Ariel spread her wings, then jumped into the doorway and launched herself like a feathered missile into the night sky, disappearing into the shadows of the trees with three fast beats of her wings.

  “See, child, the hawk is flying free, isn’t that what you wanted? To restore her sight, so she could fly?” Niriel’s eyes narrowed with evil pleasure. H
e brushed his hands together. “Now that you’ve accomplished that goal, you can give me the book and I will be a character witness for you at the trial. I will tell them that you were distraught about the hawk, driven mad with the goal of restoring her sight. The book called to you and because of your human blood, you couldn’t resist it.”

  “What trial? What are you talking about?” Keelie clutched the book tighter, not trusting Niriel’s intentions, especially if he meant to bring her to trial.

  “You wouldn’t dare bring her before the Council.” Jake tried to struggle free of the jousters, but he couldn’t break their hold.

  “It’s really your fault if the Tree Shepherd’s daughter is condemned,” Niriel told him. “A trial has been called based on evidence that she has concealed your presence from us. Elianard was to be judged, too, but he is in poor condition.”

  “It’s not fair,” Elia cried out. “My father was trying to save the Dread. He didn’t want to kill Einhorn. He only wanted the horn to renew the magic, and now he’s fading and no one will help him.”

  Jake looked at her, a tender expression on his face. He must love her, Keelie thought. When did that happen? Nothing was going her way this night.

  Above, Ariel called out, a joyous sound that rang through the trees. Keelie looked up and saw her hawk, glowing with the power that vanquished her curse. Whatever happened, Ariel would survive.

  Emboldened by the realization, Keelie faced Niriel. “Let them go. You have me and the proof of what I’ve done. Jake and Elia have done no wrong.”

  “Tell her, Jake… is that what you call yourself now? Tell our little Tree Shepherdess how you became a vampire.” Niriel’s smile was cruel.

  Jake’s expression darkened and he struggled against his captor’s grasp. “You were part of it, Niriel. Tell her yourself.”

  Keelie looked from one to the other, puzzled. “I know what happened. Jake said he used dark magic.”

  Niriel’s smile widened. “And so he did. He killed the unicorn of the Okanogan forest, and used its horn to restore the Dread. Alas, it doomed him.”

  Keelie looked at Jake. “You killed a unicorn?” Her stomach twisted as she remembered Einhorn, broken and dying, before her magic had restored him. “How could you?