Keelie noticed the flickers of sympathy in their sun-wrinkled, mud-encrusted faces.
At least humans, or most humans, were more accepting of each other. Differences were celebrated. Elves—it was their way or nothing. You were shunned for being different.
The Birds of Prey show wasn’t too far ahead. She thought fondly of Ariel, the Cooper’s Hawk who had once been part of the show and was now free in the Dread Forest.
She slowed a little, her muscles fatigued more quickly than she’d anticipated. She hadn’t run in a while. She’d let her workouts slide because she’d been so busy with her tree shepherding duties.
The Birds of Prey area was open, but Keelie didn’t recognize the costumed workers. Cameron was probably cleaning cages in the back. She should stop by and visit with her soon. With Heartwood gone, she might have time to help feed the birds.
She ran past the candle shop, where Trixie, the round, sixtyish owner, waved as her daughter, Karen, as spindly as her mom was robust, smiled. She returned the friendly gestures but didn’t stop. The Horne Shoppe’s owner, Elizabeth Hawkins, smiled at her as she stocked her displays of faux devil horns, unicorn horns, and fairy wings. Her cat Luci was asleep in the shop’s gutter, paws dangling. He was probably recovering from a Knot-induced bender.
Ahead, Keelie saw the tall front entrance of the faire, which looked like a castle wall, and the tarot shop in its shadow. The shop was little more than a deck with a roof over it, the sides hung with colorful draperies and twinkling glass ornaments that twirled with every breeze that billowed out the silky cloths. It looked as if Sally had a client, and Keelie would recognize that mane of red hair anywhere. Finch.
She needed to ask the faire director why she’d encouraged Vangar to ask her for help clearing his name. Maybe the answer would anger her, which might numb the hurt of her breakup with Sean. And she needed something to do since Heartwood was no more. Finch might give her a job.
Keelie pushed aside a vermilion curtain covered in tiny embroidered mirrors and stepped up onto the wide-planked floor of the booth.
“Busy?”
Finch lifted her upper lip in a snarl. “What does it look like?”
“It looks like you’re having your cards read.” Keelie sat down on the fat purple velvet cushion that covered the wooden bench and the faire director scooted over to give her room.
“Yeah, this is all new to me.”
“What? Dealing with angry crowds?”
Finch motioned nonchalantly with her hand. “Them, I can handle. This other thing I can’t.”
“I’m lost. But I do need to talk to you.” Keelie flicked her eyes over at Sally. She wore a scarf around her curly blond hair, and she was shuffling her cards while humming softly to herself.
“Please be quiet as I try to tune myself to the Earth’s vibration,” she said. She picked up her humming again.
Finch looked directly at Keelie. “You can trust Sally. We’ve been friends for a long time.”
Sally raised one eyebrow. “A long time, kid. You aren’t going to say anything that’s going to surprise me.”
She kept shuffling her cards expertly, the little cardboard rectangles flashing and fanning out, then sliding together with a snap. If tarot reading didn’t work out for her, she could take up card dealing in Vegas.
“This is about Vangar,” Keelie said.
Finch’s cheeks burned bright red. “Yeah, tell me about it. Pretty intuitive of you to figure out why I’m here.” Then Finch narrowed her eyes and studied Keelie as if she were a milk carton that had reached its expiration date but still might be okay to drink. “You’re not right. Something’s wrong.”
“I’m upset about Heartwood,” Keelie quickly replied.
Sally lowered her cards and pointed her finger at Keelie’s chest. “Your heart chakra is clogged with dark energy.”
Finch arched a red eyebrow. “Spill, kid.”
Keelie inhaled to hold back a sob.
Sally reached underneath her table and handed Keelie a tissue. “Tell us. Maybe we can help.”
“Sean and I broke up,” Keelie said.
Finch nodded. “I know you don’t want to hear this right now, because the pain is raw and fresh, but in the long run, I think you two weren’t meant for each other.”
“What?” Keelie blew her nose.
“He was all wrong. He’s always been bound to the jousters, who are also elven warriors, you know. I give Sean credit for stretching himself and trying to expand his mind, but I’ve known him for many more years than you have been alive, my dear.”
Finch’s words hit home. She’d known Sean since before Keelie was born. Sean was eighty-six years old, and Keelie was going on seventeen. Their age difference was something else that had contributed to their problems—he had already experienced so much in life, and she was at the beginning of her journey.
Sally pointed her finger. “Let me read your cards and give you some love advice.”
“That’s okay.” Keelie waved away the invitation.
“That’s why Finch is here. Vangar stokes her fires unlike any dra—”
Finch cleared her throat. “I find Vangar rather handsome, and he’s very manly.”
Sally rolled her eyes.
“You mean he’s very dragony.” Keelie couldn’t help smiling. She liked seeing Finch discombobulated.
“Well, yeah.”
“Vangar said that he put protection spells on his forge, and that someone very powerful lifted them,” Keelie said.
Finch nodded. “He told me about putting fire spells on the forge. It’s why I allowed it to remain so close to the trees and the other shops. He’s a very powerful dragon. It would take great magic to break the spells.” Finch watched Sally place three cards down on the stars-and-crescent-moon-printed tablecloth.
“Wouldn’t there be a trace of such a powerful magic?” Keelie asked.
“If whoever removed them used a cover spell, and layered it with another one, then it would be hard to detect,” Finch answered. She turned to Keelie. “Pick a card.”
“But I don’t need a reading on my love life.”
“This isn’t about your love life. This reading is going to help us discover the identity of the arsonist.”
“The elves said that they think Vangar is innocent,” Keelie said.
“For once they’re right about something,” Finch said, smoke drifting out of her ears.
Knot leapt into the tarot shop and hopped up beside Sally.
“Where have you been?” Keelie asked.
Knot placed a paw on the table, which didn’t answer Keelie’s question.
“Have you seen Cricket?”
He gave a slight shake of his head as his tail twitched agitatedly.
“Glad to see you,” Finch said. “How have your investigations gone?”
Knot looked toward the curtained side of the shop, where a railing served as traffic control for customers. Keelie heard a familiar discordant jangle. She jumped to her feet, anticipating Peascod, but he didn’t materialize.
Knot nodded and the curtain twitched aside. A bhata hopped onto the railing, holding a round brass jingle bell the size of a cherry tomato. The bell dropped and rolled to Keelie’s feet, its discordant jangling making her sick to her stomach.
“I know the owner of that bell,” she whispered. “He could have started the fire.” Peascod could very well be at the faire. She stared at the bell as if it were about to explode.
“What?” Finch’s voice was sharp.
Keelie told her about Peascod and about the elves’ suspicions of a goblin army, feeling no duty to keep their dealings secret. Not anymore. Slowly, she reached down and picked up the bell. It felt warm and normal, and when clasped in her hand, its noise was muted to a dull rattle.
Finch growled. “We’re going to find him.” A flicker of flames appeared in her eyes, and there was a hint of eau de charcoal in the air.
Sally reached out and took Keelie’s other hand. “Yo
u’re not alone. We’re here for you. The people in this faire have you and your father’s backs.”
Keelie tightened her hand around Sally’s. It felt good to have friends who cared, really cared. And she could count Raven, Janice, Sir Davey, the mud men, and several others as more than friends—they were part of her faire family. “Thank you.”
Finch pointed to the three cards, and a shimmery haze grew around her.
Keelie didn’t know if the dragon was using magic, but she wasn’t going to argue. She leaned forward to study the cards and felt compelled to touch the middle one. She glanced up and found that Sally was staring at her. Sally flipped the card over and Keelie was surprised to see a red dragon with fire-emblazoned scales accompanying an armed, cloaked woman, both facing a dancing jester with a skeletal mask.
“Queen of Swords. I like how the artist captured the dragon’s scales. Hard to do with a natural red.” Finch rubbed her hands gleefully.
“What does this mean?” Keelie looked from Sally to Finch.
“It suggests a stubborn but powerful feminine presence. See, in the background, the jester is dancing, and you will need the assistance of others to stop him.”
If Keelie had to face Peascod, then she was glad she had Finch’s help.
“May I suggest a plan?” Finch said.
“Sure.” Keelie was glad to be asked instead of told. Surprising, coming from a dragon.
“I think we need to investigate Hob. And I think I have the perfect cover.” The faire administrator’s eyes gleamed brightly.
“But Hob has been very nice to us. He got there right away when the fire started.” Keelie stared at Finch.
“Yes, and that’s what is driving me crazy. It doesn’t add up. Hob supposedly smelled the smoke, and then saw the flames when he looked out of his shop. He rushed to your shop and saved the tree. Why save the goblin tree? Then, remember, I can’t detect his essence.”
Keelie shivered as the bell jangled on the table, untouched. She grabbed a tissue from the box that Sally kept for weepers and stuffed it into the bell. That should do it.
“I have a witness who saw him leaving the meadow at the same time he said he was in his mask shop.” Tendrils of smoke coiled from her ears and nostrils.
“What? It doesn’t make sense. Who was your witness?” Keelie asked. ‘“If it was Vangar … ” She still doubted the blacksmith’s credibility.
“It was, and yes, I believe him. And the bhata and the feithid daoine. They tried to tell you, but you were never alone.”
Keelie inhaled sharply. “Then what’s your plan?”
“You’re going to get a job at Hobknocker’s. Use the To See Truly spell on him. If he lets his guard down, you may be able to read him, see his true self.”
“Hey, I thought you said I was banned from working at the faire.”
“Things have changed. Desperate times call for desperate plans.” Finch tapped the tarot card with the red dragon and the cloaked girl facing down the dancing jester.
Keelie felt a tiny surge of hope. She wasn’t thrilled to be working next to Heartwood’s smoldering ruins, but she liked Hob. He’d saved the goblin tree, and she was sure there was a good explanation for Finch’s suspicions other than something magical. In the meantime, it would give her something to do other than mope around about Sean and mourn the loss of Heartwood. She would be able to do her own investigation into the fire.
“When would I start?” Keelie asked.
“I think now would be a good time,” Finch said as she held up the tarot card. “And you’ll need some garb.” Her eyes flicked down to Keelie’s outfit and she realized she’d been running in Raven’s PJ bottoms and Janice’s sweatshirt.
nine
“I do need garb. I need a toothbrush, too.” Keelie hadn’t anticipated working at Hobknocker’s today. She tried to keep up with Finch as they walked past Sir Davey’s Dragon Hoard shop. Rocks and shiny crystals glimmered from inside the window display.
They stopped at Galadriel’s Closet. Finch nodded to the proprietor, Mara, as Keelie gave her friend an enthusiastic hug. “Let the kid pick out something and charge it to the faire,” Finch announced. She looked at Keelie. “Choose an outfit for working at the shop. Nothing fancy.”
“Nothing fancy” described all the rental garb; these clothes were made to last a long time. Keelie picked out a drab, basic Ren Faire wench outfit: dingy white peasant top, stained flounced skirt, and corduroy vest that laced up the front.
Finch noticed her glum face and winked. “Consider it therapy. You know what they say about getting back into the saddle after you’ve fallen off a unicorn, oops, I mean a horse. This is preview day for faire folk family and friends, so it’s a perfect day to begin. No big crowds, but plenty of people in costume.”
The faire director stomped ahead on Ironmonger’s Way, her boots leaving huge prints in her wake. Keelie wouldn’t have been surprised to see claw impressions in the dirt.
“Your kindness and thoughtfulness overwhelm me,” she called as she ran after her. “Let me guess—Ermentrude never gave you sensitivity training, did she? And by the way, what am I supposed to do? Dust the creepy masks?”
The scent of herbal soaps and aromatherapy oil wafted from Janice’s herbal shop. Keelie longed to return to bed for a nap to soothe her aching muscles, but they kept moving.
“You’ll do whatever he needs you to do.” Finch cut her eyes over at Keelie.
All of the booth owners waved at Finch as she marched by their shops. Maybe they sensed, on a subconscious level, “here be dragon.” Or maybe her faire admin personae was scary enough.
The girls hired to be fairies were working on their costumes outside Betty’s Books and Baubles, cackling like hens laying eggs. Keelie recognized Marcia, Tracy, and Lily, now dressed as Shimmerlight the gold fairy, Lavender Lollipop the purple fairy, and Lily Limerton the green fairy.
Finch motioned for Keelie to stop. Keelie rolled her eyes. Why were they stopping here? The last thing Keelie wanted to do was eavesdrop on a bunch of fake fairies talking. She’d met the real deal at the High Court and was not impressed with imitations.
At least the bell the bhata had given her wouldn’t jangle again—it was still stuffed with tissue from Sally’s shop. She needed to get rid of the thing.
Finch elbowed Keelie and whispered, “Try the To See Truly spell on them.”
“Did you hear that the Equus Island guys aren’t letting people near the horses?” Shimmerlight sprinkled more glitter on her wings.
“They’ve always been snooty. Really cut, but not like Hob,” Lily added.
Keelie tilted her head fifteen degrees (or so she assumed), tapped into Earth magic, and focused on the light around Lily. “Allow me to see truly,” she softly said.
She didn’t see anything around Lily, Tracy, or Marcia regarding their “intent.” This seeing truly spell didn’t work, and it would be the same with Hob.
Impatient to move on, Keelie tapped Finch on the shoulder. “Why are we here?”
“Listen,” Finch hissed softly.
Lily Limerton was sewing some jingly bells on her tulle skirt from a bowl next to her. Keelie had really come to dislike the sound of bells.
“Hob told everyone down at the Poacher’s Inn pub that Vangar is a suspect in the fire.” Shimmerlight grinned, then whispered, “He’s paying us to direct all the children to his shop. Isn’t that awesome?”
Lily Limerton squealed. “It’s our secret!” They made a silly show of shushing each other, fingers to lips.
Shimmerlight stood and held the blinged-out skirt up for the other fairy girls to see. “Is it sparkly enough?”
Lily Limerton and Lavender Lollipop both nodded.
Keelie looked away to keep from rolling her eyes. She watched Finch stride forward and smiled as the three fairies moved close together, almost into a huddle, to protect one another.
“Good morning, ladies,” Finch growled.
“Good morning, Madame Faire Dire
ctor,” Shimmerlight said as her face burned tomato red.
“I hope you ladies will make sure the children attending the faire today, or any other faire day, have lovely dreams of gossamer wings and hummingbird happy thoughts. Make sure they see not only the masks at Hobknocker’s, but also all of our fine establishments here at the High Mountain Faire. Am I making myself perfectly clear, like the ringing of a crystal bell high above the mountains of Norway?”
What did Norway have to do with anything?
“Yes!” All three fairy girls drew together even more closely, as if they could sense they had angered the inner dragon of the faire director.
“I will not hear of any side deals with shop owners, or tales that my fairies have been bad. Right?”
All three girls nodded their heads simultaneously.
“Keelie has seen bad fairies. What happens to bad
fairies?”
“They get turned into brownies,” Keelie said with a straight face. “Fairy servants who are all wrinkly and wear ugly clothes.”
The fairy girls’ eyes widened.
“What a horrible fate.” Finch was very nonchalant and uber cool, so unlike her usual self. “You ladies have a great day, and don’t forget what I said.”
“Yes ma’am,” they answered in unison.
Finch walked away, with Keelie keeping pace. She could only imagine the conversations that would circulate around the faire: Keelie is in cahoots with the faire director.
“What did you learn back there?” Finch asked. “Did you use the To See Truly spell?”
“I learned not to wear lime green fairy wings,” Keelie answered. “And no, the seeing clearly spell didn’t work.”
“Keep practicing. It takes time to master the spell, so I’m not surprised at your outcome. Those three share one brain cell, and they may have misplaced it. What did you learn from overhearing them talk?”
“I learned that Hob has supposedly been spreading rumors, and you heard how he paid the fairy girls to recommend his shop over the others.”
Finch rubbed her hands together gleefully. “Yes! He’s sneaky. So, when you’re in Hobknocker’s, I want you to listen and observe. I know there is more to his story. We have to put the random pieces together to get the whole picture.”
The Goblin's Curse: The Scions of Shadow Trilogy, Book 3 (The Faire Folk Saga) Page 9