Part 18 (1/2)
Keelie held out her hand and the bhata climbed down to her. Clasped in its little stick fingers was a tiny red book. It held it out to Keelie, and she accepted it.
”Thank you.” She studied the tiny book, then felt a tingle in her fingertips. The book began to grow Its binding lengthened and its cover widened until Keelie recognized the t.i.tle.
It was the dragon magic book. A piece of parchment was stuck in between the pages. She pulled it out, and read the strange, rune-like handwriting.
You left this behind. Thought you might need it.
Keelie smiled, then frowned when she lifted her head and saw Sean scowling at her. ”It's a book on dragons,” she explained. ”To help me understand Ermentrude.”
Sean arched an eyebrow. ”From Herne?”
Keelie nodded slowly, dreading Sean's reaction to that piece of news, although it was kind of cool that he was jealous.
”Let's go.” Sean stormed away.
Angry about his elven stubbornness, Keelie stomped after him and grabbed him by the arm.
He stopped, but wouldn't look at her. ”What?”
”You wanted me to be honest.”
”I want you to be smart, too. And Keelie, encouraging that dark beast to befriend you is not wise.”
He said ”befriend” as if it were a bad word. He turned to look at her then, and she saw the hurt and fear in his eyes. Then he hurried off.
”Mmm, mmm. That is one hunk of handsome elf flesh. If I were you, I'd hang onto him. He's got a good heart, and a lot to learn, but it would be fun to teach him.” Ermentrude was leaning against a nearby wall, her cane at her side. She winked at Keelie. ”I heard old Herne is sweet on you.”
”He asked me to be his consort, but I told him I'm too young.
”I notice you didn't tell him no. And for the record, Sean is right.”
Knot padded up to the Keelie, but stopped, his back arched, when he saw the dragon.
”Yeow!” he hissed.
”You!” Ermentrude bellowed.
Keelie saw flames erupt from the dragon-woman's eyes and quickly stepped out of range. ”Knot,” she hissed, ”run!”
Ermentrude closed her eyes and started to chant, then took a deep breath and exhaled. ”It's a challenge to keep control over my temper, especially when sneaky cats get into my bag.” She pasted on a false smile when she looked at Knot, her lips pursed as if she were biting down on her tongue. ”Knot, the next time you want to play in my yarn, please ask me.”
”You knit?” Keelie asked. That Knot had tangled her yarn was no surprise.
”Yes, I'm making a scarf, and when I changed colors and looked through my yarn bag, I found orange cat hair everywhere.”
Knot turned his face away and whistled. He refused to look at Ermentrude.
”Stay out of her yarn,” Keelie warned. She put the book under her arm.
Ermentrude's eyes widened when she noticed it. ”What are you doing with a book on dragon magic?”
”Herne gave it to me.” Keelie didn't want to offend the dragon, but there was no magic here except for the way the book had grown in her hand. She held it out. The spine read Understanding Dragons.
Keelie stared at it, confused. ”The t.i.tle used to be Into the Minds of Dragons.”
”Magic is arbitrary between worlds. Objects can be one thing in Fairy or Under-the-Hill, and quite another on Earth,” Ermentrude answered. ”It's a handy book to have. Be careful with it.” She puffed on her cigarette. ”I'm flattered. You're wanting to know what makes me tick. When you're finished, I'd like to read it. Might help me communicate with my daughter.”
Keelie wasn't sure she wanted to know Ermentrude's daughter. She pictured a girl like her friend Laurie, only scaly with long ropes of red hair, garlicky dragon breath, and a bad temper.
Miszrial came striding over, not seeming happy in her new role of errand girl. ”You're wanted in a Council meeting. I told them that as soon as I found you, I'd bring you.”
”I thought the meeting was tonight,” Keelie said.
”This meeting is for the elves only,” Miszrial replied.
”Then I don't know why you want me there.”
Miszrial's lips thinned out. ”Terciel warned us that you favor the fae, even though you are a Lord of the Forest's daughter.”
Keelie reminded herself that, as the daughter of an elven lord, she needed to conduct herself with every bit of elven dignity that she could muster. For her father's sake.
She looked down at Knot. ”Ready to go to the Council meeting?” She thought of Dad, and how he always had to trudge to meetings at all hours of the night and be a diplomat when dealing with p.r.i.c.kly elves. Ruling the elves was at the bottom rung of her career wish list.
Knot shook his head. ”Not meow again.”
Her sentiments exactly. Council meetings were boring, and you couldn't leave early because it was considered rude. It never failed-as soon as a meeting started, she needed to go pee. She turned, hoping for a few words of support from Ermentrude, but the dragon was gone. Keelie tucked the book back under her arm. It would make for good reading during the boring parts of the Council meeting.
”Are you ready?” Miszrial was tapping her foot impatiently.
”Yes.” Keelie watched Miszrial start up the road to Grey Mantle. ”Is there a reference book on elves? If not, there should be. Maybe I'll write one. The Human's Guide to Elves.”
”It's forbidden to tell humans about elves,” Miszrial said stiffly.
”Right. And it's forbidden for elves to have a sense of humor, too.” Keelie trotted after her. She looked back at Knot. ”You're coming, right?”
”Meow have to?”
”Yes, yeow has to.”
”You're talking to your cat,” Miszrial snapped.
Keelie smiled. ”Yes, I'm talking to him. Don't you talk to your cat?”
”I don't have a cat.”
”You need to get one. It would improve your personality.”
”I don't see how having a cat would improve my personality. Everyone finds me charming.”
Whoos.h.!.+ Comment sailed over her head.