Part 12 (2/2)
”They're attracted by the magic, just like everyone else.” Keelie said, rolling down her window for a closer look.
The armored goblins danced, and despite their gruesome black eyes and avocado leathery skin, they seemed almost comical in their revelry. But there was a dark danger about them as well. It was in the air, as unpleasant as their music, which sounded like bad heavy metal. Even in the magically protected SUV, Keelie felt it. It was as if their dance was some ritual, and by dancing it created more magic. She thought about Johnny O'Hare's fiddle playing, and how it had made her want to dance a jig.
In the street next to the dance, market stalls had been set up. Armor and swords were for sale. She glimpsed huge horses breathing flames standing next to their goblin masters. Then Keelie heard a discordant jangle and grabbed her head. Pain lanced her mind with each repeated shake of the jester's magical bells.
”Keelie, stay still.” Sean reached over to roll up the window.
She waved her hand toward the macabre scene of frolicking goblins. ”Peascod is out there.”
”How do you know that?” Sean asked, peering through the window.
Keelie blinked as if it would clear away the pain. She needed aspirin and a nap.
”It's because she has fae blood flowing through her veins,” Miszrial said.
Sean turned to her. ”And by the end of all this, you and yours will be glad that she does.”
”Terciel thinks she'll be influenced by them. How can we trust her?” Miszrial asked.
”Because Norzan trusts her, and I would think that would be enough,” Sean answered grimly.
They were moving away from the goblins, and the dance was over. The discordant jingling faded away. Keelie knew from experience that Peascod was up to no good, but she didn't want a face-to-face with the jester.
”Herne rules over the goblins?” Keelie asked. ”He was scary, but he didn't seem evil. I need to talk to him.” Maybe he would know what had gone wrong with their attempt to heal the rift.
The car stopped suddenly. A dragon was blocking the road, wings tented to either side. Knot was perched between her eyes, claws clutching the scales on her forehead.
”Great Sylvus!” Miszrial cried, awed or frightened, or maybe both.
Keelie opened her door and hopped out. ”Ermentrude! Just in time. Did you see goblins while you were flying?”
The air s.h.i.+mmered around the dragon and it disappeared, leaving behind a rumpled redheaded woman with a cat on her head. She batted Knot off and he jumped to the ground, hissing.
Ermentrude's eyes were glowing bright red. The barbecue smell was back in full force. ”The woods are lousy with them. These aren't Herne's people, either. Armed and armored, as if they're ready to do battle. And the humans are gone.” She sniffed the air. ”Not eaten, though. I don't smell blood.”
”Would Herne know where the goblins came from?”
”I'm sure,” the dragon said. ”The dark fae answer to him alone. Which makes these goblins all the more dangerous. You should speak to Herne. He's got a soft spot for you.”
”No way.” Sean had come out of the SUV and was standing beside Keelie. ”She's in enough danger as it is. I don't know why the elder elves are relying on a sixteen-yearold human with limited experience and little knowledge of the power she wields. Why aren't they here at her side to guide her? Instead, they send her into danger-and put me in charge of her safety.”
Ermentrude frowned. ”Most elves are not my friends. They fear me and my kind, but you are right, Sean. They must be desperate to rely on a child to save us all. Listen to me, young Sean. Your pa.s.sion could be the undoing of the elves.”
”You always speak in riddles,” Sean said. ”Keelie is not safe around Herne.”
Keelie wanted to kick him. ”Excuse me, sixteen-year-old with limited experience standing right here listening to you. The elves are desperate. Dad is monitoring the other forests of the world, and so is my grandmother and Uncle Dariel. All of them are connected, as are we all, and that's the point they're making. I'm supposed to be an amba.s.sador, not a tool kit.”
Ermentrude interrupted, exasperated. ”Arguing out here is only going to draw attention to ourselves.”
Keelie put a hand on Sean's arm. ”We need to stay focused on repairing the rift, and I trust you to keep me safe, but we have to take risks.”
Sean tensed. ”Taking risks and safety don't go together. Nor do goblins and elves.”
Elia sat up as they got back into the car with Ermentrude. Miszrial, who had stayed in the driver's seat, stared at the dragon woman wide-eyed.
”What? I promise not to smoke in the car, okay?” Ermentrude sat back and dragged her huge purse into her lap. Knot leaped into the car and rubbed against Elia's belly, purring loudly.
Elia jumped. ”The baby moved. Wow.”
Ermentrude looked at Elia. ”That's a very special baby you've got there, missy.”
Keelie pulled Knot into her lap. ”Leave her alone, bad kitty. She's been through enough.” Knot drooled and stretched, making biscuits on Elia's clothes, still trying to get close to her belly as they drove on.
In the Grey Mantle parking lot, elves in cloaked hoods stood to one side, looking like monks. Miszrial exited the SUV and ran to the elves, leaving everyone else in the car.
Ermentrude's att.i.tude changed from happy-go-lucky to listen-to-me as she faced the others. ”The goblins were doing a battle dance back there, but I didn't want to let you know in front of that Northwoods elf. The goblins are getting stronger, and they will attack the humans and the elves.”
”How do we stop them?” Sean seemed battle-ready.
Ermentrude looked at him. ”You have to patrol the area with the other elves. And eventually, you will have to coordinate with the fae.”
Sean frowned, but Keelie interrupted his protest. ”What about me? How do I contain the magic?”
”The magic can't be contained by one person. It will take the cooperation of all the magical beings. We have to unite to repair the rift in the Earth and the crack above. That's where Vania went wrong. She thought she could take a shortcut using you.”
”Why can't you convince everyone to cooperate?” Keelie asked. ”A flaming dragon seems like a good incentive to listen. And the elves already know about the goblins in Big Nugget.”
”And that is exactly why you need to talk to Herne about helping us.”
”Me?”
”Herne will find you. And you can't delay.” Ermentrude glared at Sean. ”No complaints. She must do this.”
On the other side of the clearing, Miszrial was pointing to the van. The elves lowered their hoods, and scowls formed on their faces.
”She can't meet with Herne,” Sean nearly shouted.
”She has the blood of the fae and he looks upon her as one of his kind. Herne does not trust the high fae, nor the elves,” Ermentrude replied. ”It is time to join the others.”
”What about the elves? Can you convince them to join their magic with the fairies and dwarves?” Keelie asked.
Ermentrude placed a hand on the door handle. ”It's like I told you earlier-the elves will find me charming.”
Keelie wondered if it had anything to do with the barbecue smell. The elves might find the scent irresistible. Whenever elves tried to persuade someone to like them or see things their way, they used a charm, a glamour that was accompanied by a cinnamon smell.
Ermentrude strode over to the elves, and Miszrial gestured to them to come over, too. The dragon and the elves bowed to each other, and to Keelie's surprise, the elves' scowls soon transformed into huge, goofy grins.
<script>