Part 23 (2/2)
”I miss her.” Silver tears streamed down the queen's face. She turned away from Keelie and circled around her in a counterclockwise motion.
”I understand the pain is still raw, and it feels as if your heart will never heal,” Keelie said. ”I lost my mother almost a year ago.
Vania turned and walked in the other direction, as if her mind was driven to keep her body moving in rhythm to frantic thoughts.
”There's another reason we have to work together,” Keelie added. ”It isn't just the veil between Fairy and Earth and Under-the-Hill that is being torn apart. The veil between us and the spirit world is opening, too.”
”How do you know?” Vania asked. ”You don't have the magical ability to talk to the dead.”
”Because my mother and Grandmother Josephine came to see Vania paled and wrung her hands nervously. She really needed to take up a hobby. Maybe Ermentrude would have a suggestion.
”I know what you did to my grandmother-Willow, you called her. You turned her into a brownie, and it was Linsa who offered her a life as a human.”
Vania lifted her head and stared at Keelie. ”Yet you're here. Do you wish to have your revenge for what I did to Willow?”
Keelie knew honesty was the best policy. ”I would be lying if I said no.”
The queen's eyes widened.
”But, I can put that aside and work with you to seal the rift. And I think the women in my family wouldn't want me to take that path. They would want me to help heal.” Keelie held her head up with pride and looked Vania squarely in the eye. ”We need to act now to close the rift.”
”I see. I will let you know about my decision and working with Herne. I will give it some thought. Still, I don't know if what you're telling me is true.”
”You'll have to trust me, and we're running out of time.”
Quivering on the inside, Keelie couldn't believe she'd just talked to the queen the way she had ... all the time she'd spent around Grandmother Keliatiel had paid off. You had to project authority and not let them smell the fear. Still, Keelie hoped her conversation would result in Vania cooperating. She thought about Elia and the baby. Vania had to join her magic along with the others to stop the rift.
When Keelie returned to the Great Hall, Knot was waiting for her. His tail twitched agitatedly. ”Yeow okay?”
”Meow okay. I'm ready to go. Did you get what I asked for?”
He turned his head and she saw a small pocket watch hanging from his neck by a slender blue ribbon.
Fala gestured toward the vortex. ”Are you ready?”
Keelie nodded. ”Knot.”
He sauntered over to her.
Before they reached the vortex, Fala stopped. ”Keelie, I wish you success in closing the rift.”
Stunned, Keelie didn't know what to say.
”If you can find a token Linsa gave Herne, and if he can show it to the queen, it will prove to her that Linsa didn't plot a betrayal.”
”Do you know what this token is?” Keelie asked.
”Herne will know,” Fala advised. ”And you're going to need this.” He returned her book of dragon magic. ”I snitched it when she wasn't looking.”
”Thanks.” Keelie took the book warily. ”Why are you helping me?”
”I want to save the High Court and serve my queen, but common sense tells me that there is truth in what you say.” He bowed.
Keelie and Knot jumped into the vortex. Disorienting lights pulsed around her and she held her breath, as if that was going to help. She thought about the No-Tell Motel. The image of Sean popped into her mind, along with the memory of how his skin had felt under her hands that morning ... and then she landed with a painful thud outside the motel office.
She spat out a mouthful of dirt. ”Gross!”
Knot appeared in midair. An oak tree reached out its branches and caught the cat, who then landed on top of Keelie's head.
”Ow! Do you have to keep landing on me like I'm your personal air cus.h.i.+on?”
Knot jumped down, meowing underneath his breath. Keelie got up, wincing. She mentally contacted the tree. Thank you.
You're welcome, Tree Shepherdess.
She smiled, and reveled in the contact with the oak. It was so different to be in contact with the greenness and the living essence of Earth, which was what was missing in the Under-the-Hill trees. Their alien consciousness had haunted her ever since she'd been in contact with them. Grandmother and Mom had to get to the root of the problem. Maybe she needed to return to Under-the-Hill and study the roots of the grove trees again.
”Keelie.” Sean was standing at the edge of the building. He walked over to her. ”Where have you been?”
”The High Court, to talk to Queen Vania.”
”You went alone.”
”I was summoned. Actually, kind of kidnapped. Fala and Salaca came and got me, and all my notes and map, too.”
”Are you okay?”
”I stood up to Vania, and Knot talked to the Timekeeper so that we got back right away.” She told Sean what the fairy queen had said. He listened, and then kissed her forehead.
”I can't say I'm happy you went, but she needs to be involved in the alliance and I'm proud of you for standing up to her. Let's go tell your father and King Gneiss.”
”Sean, I have to return to Under-the-Hill to speak to Herne.” She saw Sean's muscles tense.
”Can't he come here? He's shown up here often enough.”
”I need to examine the trees in Under-the-Hill again. There's something about them that's important to the rift, but I don't understand what it is. I wish Sir Davey could come with me.” Sir Davey's knowledge of Earth magic might identify the strange way the trees shared a consciousness, like a hive.
Sean sighed. ”I'm going to be honest. I don't want you to go, but I know you have to. Just don't make any rash decisions about...”
”I've already made up my mind, and you should know that.” She sighed. Elves. You would think, as long-lived as they were, they'd pick up some wisdom about the way girls think.
”Keelie.”
She reached up and kissed him.
He pulled her close and Keelie felt something fat and furry attach itself to her leg with sharp claws. She glanced down at Knot just as a familiar whoosh sensation made her knees buckle. Sean's arms tightened around her. Before she opened her eyes, she knew where they were.
<script>