Part 21 (1/2)

Keelie and Laurie watched and waited. No noise, no talking. Then suddenly, an outraged screech split the air. Raven appeared in the doorway like a bat in the air, seeming to fly, with Keelie's jeans flung over her arm. ”Run!”

They turned and ran full tilt down the path, laughing and dodging Faire patrons until they got to the picnic tables. They fell on the bench, out of breath, still laughing, then ducked behind them as Finch whizzed by in her very nonperiod golf cart.

”What happened?” Keelie grabbed her jeans and pulled off the pickle pants, not caring who saw her underwear. The rose quartz was a comforting lump in her jeans pocket.

”Holy s.h.i.+t,” Raven said. ”Old Finch took one look at me and she fired up her furnace. You'd think Keelie's jeans were part of her personal h.o.a.rd. Did I ever tell you about when I was Jill-of-the-Faire?”

”You?” Keelie hooted. ”Oh, you have to tell all.”

Raven waved both hands dismissively. ”I can't top you, girl. You're going down in history as the worst Jill ever.”

Laurie laughed, too, but she looked wistful. No stories to share. Keelie finished changing clothes and they walked back to Heartwood, leaving the pickle outfit draped over the picnic table.

As soon as they turned down Enchanted Lane, Keelie knew something was wrong. No birds were singing. She lifted her head to study the treetops, but there were no bhata bhata around. Lulu's shop was shuttered, and there were just a few people walking down Enchanted Lane. Keelie opened her mind to the trees, to Tavak, but something blocked her. around. Lulu's shop was shuttered, and there were just a few people walking down Enchanted Lane. Keelie opened her mind to the trees, to Tavak, but something blocked her.

”What's wrong?” Raven was studying her expression.

”I don't know.” Keelie ran to Heartwood, followed by her friends. It was closed. Dad wasn't there, but Knot sat at the entrance, his fur bushed to maximum fluff. Tufts of white cat hair were everywhere. ”Did you have a fight with the white stray?”

”Heartwood, come here.”

Keelie froze. It was Finch. She'd caught up with them, or maybe she'd come for the money. Or was she here to tell Zeke everything herself? Raven slipped away, the white kitty at her heels.

Finch still looked like a human-dragon hybrid with a mean Viking aura, but she didn't seem to be about to barbecue anyone. Instead, she looked worried, and Keelie did a double take when she saw Sir Davey standing next to her, his face also lined with concern.

”Okay, Davey there she is. I've got to get back to the office.” She sighed. ”Now that I've got both the EPA and the CDC to worry about, the heat's on.”

”The CDC? That's the disease people,” Laurie whispered.

Keelie felt cold. ”Sir Davey, where's Dad?”

Davey seemed to consider his words. ”He's sicker than we all thought. He hid it from you and from me, la.s.s.”

Keelie's heart raced. ”Where is he? He was fine this morning.” Except for the dark circles. Except for the fatigue.

”He's with the others at the lodge.”

With Elia and the elves. He wasn't safe there. ”I've got to go to him. He needs to be here with me. I'll take care of him.”

”What's going on?” Raven reappeared as Finch left. ”Is my mom okay?”

”Zeke has been quarantined with the others at the lodge. Janice is fine, Raven. The CDC is investigating the source of the illness, and they're trying to identify it.”

Keelie knew her face was bleached white from fear.

”If the CDC runs tests on them, then-then it's good because they can find out what's going on,” Laurie spoke confidently. ”They can be cured.”

Keelie met Davey's eyes. Not good, if they found out they weren't human.

Raven still looked worried. ”What about the Faire workers, crafts people, and mundanes-are they in danger?”

”Some Faire workers have become sick, but it's mostly the folks at the lodge,” Sir Davey answered. ”Raven, the only ones still here and healthy from that, er, group, are Elianard, Elia, Lord Niriel, and Keelie.”

All the elves were sick. Every one. Keelie was only half elven, so that might explain how she was not affected, but it didn't explain why Elia and Elianard looked better than ever. Lord Niriel, too. She wondered what the three had in common.

Raven raced out the door. ”Keelie, I'm going to be right back. I need to make sure Mom is okay.”

”Sure.” Keelie heard a sneeze at ground level. Knot sneezed again and pawed at the door of the shop, then meowed.

Even though he didn't talk to her the way he talked to her dad, she understood. He wanted to go inside.

Sir Davey watched Raven go. ”Zeke says work needs to go on as normally as possible. He says it will create a diversion for you. He wants you to remember that you're a Heartwood, and he needs for you to help with ... .” He inclined his head across the lane.

Keelie understood. ”But I want to go to him. How will I know he's all right?”

Knot meowed again.

Sir Davey seemed hesitant to leave. ”I'll keep you informed. I'll be back to check on you in an hour.”

”I'll help you, Keelie.” Laurie put a hand on her arm. ”I guess I get to be a working girl after all. This is going to shock my mom, and you know hardly anything shocks her.”

Despite everything going on, Keelie couldn't help being totally surprised by Laurie's offer. ”Are you sure?”

”Hey, I heard working builds character.”

Keelie stepped into the shop and ran her hand across the wood of a nearby chair. Elm from Maine. She had to hold back the tears. ”Dad.”

Now was not the time to fall apart. Knot went behind the counter and scratched at a small cupboard, to the right of the shelves, that held receipt books, pens, and binders of furniture designs. Keelie opened it, and Knot pawed at something inside.

She bent down and reached for the object. It was a cell phone, or what looked like a cell phone-a flat wooden box decorated with a silver filigreed tree. When Keelie opened the silver-hinged lid, embedded, rune-like symbols glowed green. She could feel the chlorophyll from inside it.

She tilted her head and looked at Sir Davey. ”Is this what I think it is?”

”Yep.” Sir Davey removed a small crystal from a leather bag tied to his belt. ”It figures that Knot knew where he hid it.” He handed the crystal to Keelie. ”This will boost your power signal. Zeke quit using it because it kept dropping calls.”

Keelie looked down at Knot. ”I should kick you across the Faire for hiding this from me.”

Laurie leaned over the counter. ”That doesn't look like any cell phone I've ever seen. What company do you use?”

”Earth Network,” Sir Davey replied easily. ”They're an underground company working with natural resources. Zeke uses Northwest Sylvan.”

”Very eco-cool.” Laurie looked impressed. ”So green.”

Knot placed a paw on Keelie's arm, his claws hooked into her cotton s.h.i.+rt. She looked down at him. His eyes were totally dilated. He released her and pressed his paw on a spiral-shaped symbol.

The world tilted. Keelie closed her eyes; she felt like she was traveling through a portal of green. She was connected from forest to forest down the Appalachian Mountains. The feeling was similar to getting on Google and viewing satellite pictures. Images of forests flashed across her mind. And then she heard Sean's voice.