They walked through ferns and past tangles of rhododendron until they reached one of the redwood giants. Keelie touched its bark reverently. Even while she was blocking the trees, she could feel her heart lurch as it tried to beat in time with the slow rhythm of centuries.

The platform of the building was hundreds of feet above them.

“Really, how do we get up there?” Keelie asked again.

“We travel the tree sap,” Kalix answered.

Keelie had no idea what he meant. Normally she wasn’t afraid of heights, but the tree houses were way up there. Her feet were getting clammy at the thought of being that high. Maybe he meant that they had an elevator in the trunk of the tree. That would be cool.

Kalix gestured toward the tree. “Everyone, come closer.”

They huddled by the trunk. Knot meowed in a tone that told Keelie he didn’t like the idea of going up to the top. She reached down and he climbed onto her shoulder, then sat up, holding onto her head with his paws.

Gold light flowed from the tree and surrounded them.

Keelie felt her internal organs jerk up, and then suddenly they were on a small platform in the high branches.

“Oh my,” Grandmother exclaimed.

“How wonderful!” Norzan held on to a nearby limb. “I’ve heard of sap travel, but have never experienced it.” He leaned over the platform and looked down. Just watching him made Keelie nauseous. The deck they stood on was connected to walkways and bridges that spanned the upper canopy. Around each tree the walkways widened, with covered porches and lamplight that shone through windows. The houses were built around the trees.

Maybe if she imagined that the bridges were on water instead of high in the air, she could make it work. Unfortunately, while she knew how to swim, it was harder to imagine surviving a fall from one of the decks.

“Do you always let your cat ride on your head?” Tavyn asked.

Keelie shrugged. “It’s hard to discourage him.” Knot dug his claws into her shoulder. “Don’t worry, furball, I’m not going to let you fall.” She stepped carefully off the platform and onto a wide plank staircase that led up to the redwood’s trunk.

They entered the tree house, and Kalix motioned to a woman in loosely woven brown pants and a flowy, long-sleeved top in muted colors that showed it was made with natural dyes.

“My lady wife, Sariela.” She had long brown hair that curled in waves. She hugged Tavyn and Kalix as they entered, a homey gesture that made Keelie miss Dad and really long for Mom. She thought of the Hancock Park house, but quickly pushed the feelings and images to the back of her mind.

Instead, she studied the interior of the tree house. It was lit by beeswax candles whose sweet honey scent filled the air, mixing with the yummy smell of soup cooking. A tin-punched star hung from the ceiling, casting little pinpoints of light on a huge wooden table. Fresh bread was set out, along with jars of honey and soup bowls. Keelie’s stomach rumbled. She hadn’t eaten since the SunChips at the Gas-A-Minute, and she was starving.

Kalix put his arm around the woman’s waist. “Sariela and I welcome you. My dear, this is Lady Keliatiel, former Lady of the Dread Forest, and her granddaughter Keliel, also a tree shepherdess.” Kalix bowed his head toward the other elf. “And Norzan, Tree Shepherd of the Northwoods.”

Sariela bowed her head in return. “Welcome, honored guests. Please share our meal as family.”

Grandmother smiled graciously. “Keliel and I thank you for inviting us to your home.”

Norzan was staring curiously at everything. “Thank you for having us, Lady Sariela. Your home is one in balance with nature and the trees. You are truly blessed.” Sariela seemed very pleased with Norzan’s compliment.

For some reason, though, Keelie could feel waves of tension come from Grandmother. Was she afraid of heights? Jealous of the nice home? Hungry? Whatever. She would have to get over it. Keelie was starved, and it was nice to be around some happy elves for once. She’d just live in the moment until after the meal.

Dinner was delicious. Keelie asked questions about the treetop settlement as they ate their fill of bread and butternut squash soup, followed by hot mint green tea. Keelie wrapped her hands around the blue earthenware mug, enjoying the warmth that soaked into her hands.

“Are you tired, Keliel?” Norzan peered at her, worried. That caring look made her chest tighten.

She nodded, then glanced over at Grandmother, who was studying the inside of her tea mug, oblivious to Norzan’s concern. Grandmother would never have the kind of empathy the Northwoods Tree Shepherd was displaying. Even though she and Keelie had reached an understanding, Grandmother was still her stiff and regal elf self.

Kalix pushed his chair away from the table. “So, my tree shepherd friends. Have the trees spoken to you?”

“It’s been a long day.” Sariela interrupted, placing her hand on Kalix’s arm. “Maybe we can have this discussion another time. Talk to Bella, then let us retire. The child is weary, and she needs her rest.”

The “child” actually wanted to hear what the other tree shepherds had felt. Had Norzan felt the dark magic?

Kalix nodded at his wife’s words and patted her hand. “I shall be brief, as you suggest, and tomorrow we can discuss our plans and how to proceed.” It sounded like this particular “what we’re going to do” discussion involved Keelie. She sat up, sleepiness gone.

“As you know, our Tree Shepherd has disappeared, and the trees cannot sense him. It was upon their suggestion that we sought help from the tree shepherds of the two greatest western American forests.” Kalix said. “We are grateful for your assistance.”

“Could the fae be behind his disappearance?” Grandmother asked.

Norzan nodded. “I would start there. In the Northwoods, we’ve had discussions with the High Court of the fae. We’re working together to strengthen the veils between the worlds.”

“I’ve always disapproved of this unnatural alliance. Beware the Shining Ones,” Grandmother said ominously. “The fae have not been friends to the elves.”

Norzan frowned. “They approached us first, my lady. We all have to work together. You heard about the Arctic thaw? We must reverse it in order for our ways to survive.”

“The fae, as you call them, no longer live in our forest.” Kalix’s tone was serious. “The trees said it was urgent that we send for you.” He turned to Keelie. “Your success in the Dread Forest has been heard far and wide. The trees and the spirits speak the name of Keliel Tree Talker.”

She lifted her head. “Me?” Spirits were speaking her name?

“Yes, you.” Norzan smiled and his blue eyes twinkled. “You’re the first to combine the magic of elf, fae, and Earth. The fairy courts of the Northwoods know you well, and speak of you as one of their own.”

Keelie didn’t like that. She wanted to be low on the fairy radar. It was one thing to deal with the Dread Forest’s fae and bhata, but she didn’t want to go global. She realized that Kalix was right about the absence of fairies—she’d seen no bhata here.

“Why are there no fae in the Redwood Forest?”

Sariela, Kalix, and Tavyn looked at one another as if Keelie had mentioned an unpleasant subject.

Kalix cleared his throat. “They were banished, along with the goblins that sought to overrun this forest.”

“Goblins?” Keelie jerked back, almost spilling her hot tea. Just hearing the word “goblin” shot chills through her body. Visions of giant, toad-faced creatures carrying broadaxes flashed in her mind, and she heard again the loud cackling laugh of the Red Cap. She’d come close to death when she’d battled a Red Cap at the High Mountain Faire. The evil little creature had not been easy to kill.

“Do you think that goblins, or other dark fae, are behind the disappearance of the Redwood Tree Shepherd?” Grandmother asked, her face crinkled into worry lines.

“No,” Kalix said firmly. “They were vanquished over a hundred and fifty years ago from this forest. The power of the trees prevents them from returning. They’re urban creatures now, living like rats in the sewers. We don’t use the Dread in the forest, but we may have to. Until now, Viran’s charm has kept out strangers. The loss of their shepherd has made the trees fearful.”

Sariela made an unhappy sound, then seemed to force herself to relax. She sipped her tea and kept her eyes on the table.

“I thought you won’t use the Dread because of the people who visit the parks,” Keelie said. “Or at least, that’s what I understood from Tavyn.”

“That’s what the elves would prefer to do. But the trees say differently.” Kalix frowned.

“Then what can we do?” Grandmother asked. “Keelie’s magic is part fae, and if you have blocked its use we may not be able to help find the missing tree shepherd.”

“Keelie can also use Earth magic, and the redwoods insist she can help. We listen to our trees.” Kalix’s look challenged her.

“It sounds like the trees are telling you what to do.” Grandmother sipped her tea and avoided his gaze.

The tree house shook in response. Dishes clattered to the ground.

Keelie leapt to her feet and grabbed Grandmother by the hand. “It’s an earthquake.” She started toward the door.

Sariela stopped her. “It’s just Bella,” she said soothingly. “She’s close by and she’s not happy with Keliatiel’s words.”

“This tree’s name is Bella?” It was an untreelike name.

“No, this tree is Wena. Bella Matera is one of the Ancients.”

Foglike tendrils drifted in through the window, and a cold dampness permeated the room. It was the kind of cold that seeped into your skin after walking in a winter rain. Keelie sensed a consciousness in the mist, as if a very old and wise being was here with them. Then the fog swirled clockwise, gold sparkles twinkling in streaks as the mist formed into the shape of a tree inside the room—a tree taller than Kalix and Norzan.

A face formed in the trunk, reminding Keelie of Alora, and then the tree spirit shrank into itself until it was the shape of a woman. Keelie wondered if she was dealing with the ghost spirit of the forest, but she didn’t feel like she did when she’d encountered the ghost forest in the Wildewood. The fog was glowing with the silver luminosity of a tall tree wraith. The tree’s eyes, green and very human looking, locked directly on Keelie.

A spirit walker. Her father had said that she might encounter one. Keelie felt a tingling in her mind as if someone was trying to read her thoughts, and she clamped down on the invading presence. A smile formed on the tree’s specter-like face.

“Good evening, everyone. Keliatiel, Norzan, and Keliel.” The tree gestured elegantly with one of her branch-like arms, fingers like long twigs bristling from the ends. “I am Bella Matera. I am the mother tree of this forest.”

Keelie looked around as Grandmother and Norzan bowed their heads. Kalix and Sariela followed their gesture, and Keelie knew that they had heard the spirit speak, too. These were powerful trees indeed, if nonshepherds could hear them. She wondered if humans could as well.

Keelie bowed as she regarded the mother tree. The term was a new one to her. She’d have to call Dad later and ask him about it.

“Wood Mother, we are honored to be in your company.” Grandmother’s voice rang through the cabin. She really got into the elf rituals. Keelie had studied elf ritual over the winter and had not been impressed. It seemed like a way to keep from having normal relationships.

Bella Matera smiled. “I was most anxious to meet you.” The tree’s gaze fell on Keelie again.

This was creepy. Keelie had seen trees walk and talk, and she had seen one, Alora, grow from a seedling to a mighty oak queen in just weeks, but she wasn’t quite sure what to make of Bella Matera. All forests were different. She just wished there was one rule book that all of the forests followed.

“We have been summoned to the Globe.” Bella Matera said this as if it was an invitation to Sunday dinner.

“You mean the Globe Theater on the festival grounds? Aren’t you afraid the humans will see you?” Norzan asked.

“It is a customary meeting place for us, ever since the town was founded. We are so inspired by William Shakespeare, who the townspeople revere. We’re redwoods, after all, not like the other trees. Since the coming of the humans, they have performed the Shakespeare plays, and we have learned much about humans from them. Now they flourish, and we enjoy watching the performances.”

“You leave your tree body”—Keelie couldn’t think of what else to call it—“as you have tonight, and then you float into town and watch A Midsummer Night’s Dream?”

“The humans do not see us. We take the form of fog, and because of the ocean mist, we blend in perfectly. “

“Aren’t you afraid of the humans discovering your presence?” Norzan asked.

Bella shook her head. “You know the humans would panic if we took our tree forms. Besides, the fog adds a certain ambiance to the mood of the play. The Los Angeles Times’ arts critic always complains about it being foggy when he attends. Of course, he seems like an unhappy man and a soul who likes to complain about everything. Master Oswald said so once.”

Keelie liked Bella Matera. She seemed like a fun but very smart tree. Who knew? Trees liked Shakespeare.

“Now we must go to the Globe. Bloodroot has called a meeting.”

Bloodroot? That was definitely not a tree name. Keelie couldn’t shake the sound of the Red Cap’s laughter from her thoughts.

“Bloodroot the tree called a meeting. Huh.” This was a different kind of place. “The trees in the Dread Forest don’t call meetings.”

“No, but they attend meetings,” Grandmother said. She didn’t seem to think there was anything weird about this place.

Bella Matera floated over to Grandmother. She looked down at Keelie, and her ghostly, sticklike fingers touched Keelie’s face.

The child is tired. Let her sleep.

Keelie felt warmth, then cold, eddy through her. It was sort of like being filled with hot cocoa, then having a woodsy whip cream sprayed on top. She stared at the tree spirit. Awe and a deep respect for this Ancient One filled her. The tree smiled.

Bella Matera held out her branchlike hand and blew. “May the stars send you dreams and let you hear the songs of the spheres circling the sun.”

Keelie could hear a soft melody forming in the back of her mind, along with images of shooting stars and planets swirling around one another like in a planetarium show. It was so lovely; the musical harmonies touched the core of her magic, which sparked, then glowed like a banked fire. Her energy faded, and suddenly she simply wanted to go to sleep.

“I am tired.” She tried to suppress a yawn.

Bella Matera began to dissolve into a gaseous mist. The mist floated toward the open window, and a disembodied voice floated in the room. ’Til tomorrow, sleep dreaming of the stars.

Drowsy, Keelie thought of Grandmother and Norzan meeting with Bloodroot without her. Did Bella Matera want to keep her away? She wanted to see the forest at night. She fought to wake up, feeling the tree’s magic around her like a comfy spiderweb. The lovely music faded a little, but held.

“So powerful,” she murmured.

Then burning pain slashed across her ankle, and the dreamy moment vanished—leaving only the drone of Knot’s purr.