“Here ye, here ye. The play begins at the stroke of six bells.” A town crier yelled. He wore a big green poofy hat that matched his doublet and hose. “Hie thee to the Globe, good gentles.”

People began to stream out of the shops near Heartwood. Several patrons stumbled out of the Queen’s Alehouse. The din of loud conversation filled the air as the costumed crowd followed the crier. Each day was to begin and end with a Shakespearean play at the Globe. Today’s evening performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream would be performed by the professional actors, with the vendors helping out.

Keelie glanced around Heartwood, glad that the shop was empty and that it was time to close. She was tired, but she wanted to watch the performance. She started to put away the cash box and receipt book.

Scott waved to her from Tudor Turnings. He had one last customer in his shop, a woman hemming and hawing over a chair. Keelie wasn’t going to say anything to Scott, but she thought the quality of his pieces wasn’t up to Heartwood standards. She hoped he wouldn’t mention the confrontation with Sean next time they talked. She’d flirted a little, yes, but this was the real world, not some Shakespearian tragedy. Men didn’t start fights over meat pies and sandwiches.

Keelie ran her hand along the counter. The heavy Compendium she was supposed to be studying rested on a shelf beneath it. The board was barely strong enough to hold it. She ignored the ominous bend in the middle of the board and would continue to ignore it, at least until her guilt at not getting her charms memorized grew as heavy as the book. She was always good at cramming, though. How hard could it be to study a few little spells? Make that a few hundred spells.

Risa had packed up her cart and left for the Globe earlier in the afternoon, since she had a costume fitting. She was to be one of Queen Titania’s backup handmaidens. This would give her something to feel superior about without actually adding to her workload. Typical.

The laughter from the Queen’s Alehouse proved to be two women, one dressed in a cerulean blue overdress who lifted her skirts delicately as she stepped down from the deck and onto the road. Her friend, wearing a maroon velvet Francesca costume, laughed as she held up a pewter tankard. Beads of condensation dripped down its sides and onto her skirt. Knot walked beside the woman, tail held high as if he were her escort. He leaned a little to the left and teetered. The cat had been hitting the mead again, Keelie knew. Maybe the stress of dealing with Risa had driven him to drink. Keelie so understood.

She narrowed her eyes. Wait a minute. Knot was supposed to be her guardian. Ever since the ale house had opened he’d forgotten all about his guardian job. Keelie leaned out and saw that a tree spirit disguised as a cloud was hanging over the shop. People were glancing up, noticing the cloud in the otherwise blue sky.

By the time the crowd thinned, Keelie had closed Heartwood. She stretched her arms back as she stepped out on the path, then reached overhead, moving her muscles. Furniture selling was hard work, and it felt good to be finished. Dad would be pleased at her sales today. She glanced over at Tudor Turnings. Scott was still dealing with the customer who couldn’t make up her mind, and she could tell he was losing his patience.

Keelie was glad that he was the one stuck with a customer, not her. She was anxious to catch up with the crowd headed to the Globe. She didn’t want to miss the opening act, and she wanted to get a good seat.

“Keelie, wait up.”

Turning, Keelie was astonished to see her Earth magic teacher, Sir Davey. His elegantly garbed and very short figure was hurrying to catch up with her.

“I didn’t know you were here already!” Keelie rushed back to where he stood, huffing and regaining his breath.

“Your father got me here.” It was unusual for an elf to be close friends with a dwarf, but Dad and Sir Davey were best buds. Keelie was torn between feeling relief that she had Sir Davey to rely on, and irritation at Dad for thinking that she’d need help. “Did you set up your rock shop here?”

He looked at her sideways. “The Dragon Hoard, milady. Didn’t you hear that we must call each other lord this and lady that and mention our shops by their full names? Admin says it’s good for business.”

“Don’t want the mundanes catching on to the fact that everyone leaves here and returns to being schoolteachers, actors, and carpenters, right?”

Sir Davey put a finger along his nose. “They might even believe in elves and fairies,” he said.

“Or dwarves who can pull magic from the Earth.” Keelie smiled, enjoying herself. Sir Davey was like a favorite uncle. Even when he was teaching he had a way of making everything fun.

“Exactly so.”

They hiked up the hill to the Globe. Keelie’s leg muscles ached from her midnight stroll the other night. But she sensed no tree wraiths hanging around. From up here she could see glimpses of the Pacific ocean through the trees. Today was a cool day—sweater weather, and just right for the garb she wore. No clouds of mist hung over the ocean. This could change, but right now, Keelie enjoyed a delicious sense of freedom.

At the Globe she set aside her anger at her grandmother and was thrilled to see her sitting in the middle of the theater on a carved throne, dressed as Queen Elizabeth the first, waving to the crowd. Several of the costumed actors had gathered around and from the expressions on their faces, they were enthralled. They’d tone down the admiration if they knew the person under the clown-like white makeup.

She noted that the actors weren’t under any sort of enchantment now. They were livelier, and definitely into their parts. Keelie wondered if they remembered anything from the other night. She thought about Bloodroot’s power over humans, and Peascod, who seemed to be immune to it.

Just as Keelie was about to walk inside the Globe, one of the Admin people stopped her and handed her a sheet of paper with instructions for the “townspeople.”

“You don’t get a speaking part in this festival, but you’ll need to know how to act when street theater happens around you for next week’s performance.”

Keelie was peeved for a moment that she didn’t have a speaking part, but then she laughed. She sure didn’t want one. She had enough to do.

“I wouldn’t be so upset if I were you,” Sir Davey said as he glared at the departing Admin person. “Last vendor in gets the only part available,” he groused.

“I don’t understand,” Keelie said.

“I’m going to be the Mustard Seed Fairy.”

Laughter overcame Keelie. She envisioned Sir Davey dressed in a glittering costume with gauzy wings, flitting around like a bearded cherub.

“I can’t wait to see you in cute little wings.” Keelie wiped her eyes and leaned against a tree (hemlock).

“If you’re through having your hissy fit, then I’d like to show you something. Laurie contacted me.”

Sir Davey held up an iPhone. Keelie felt saliva gathering in the back of her throat. “Oh, my precious!” She swallowed hard, afraid of drooling like a bulldog anticipating a steak.

He held it out, and Keelie took it reverently. She missed technology. It wasn’t like she didn’t have a cell phone, but hers was hooked up to trees, and regular cell phones often didn’t work either in the town of Edgewood or in the Dread Forest. Zabrina said sometimes magic and technology canceled each other out.

Keelie read the message:

Leaving L.A. On way 2 Redwd.

Stopping to shop

Arriving Monday

Can’t w8t 2 C U

XOXO

Laurie

“She’ll be here Monday.” Reluctantly, Keelie gave the phone back to Sir Davey, who slipped it into a leather pouch.

Sir Davey nodded. “It’ll be good for you to have your friend with you. Your father called her mother, and the woman said Laurie had her permission. She’s driving a BMW, and that’s a perfectly safe automobile.”

“Laurie’s mom has always had a different view of the world.” Keelie was quoting something Mom always said about Laurie’s mom.

Loud feminine laughter, mingled with a horse’s whinny, drifted to Keelie. For a brief moment, it was hard to distinguish the two. Sean and the other jousters were leading their horses to the nearby paddocks.

Maybe that feminine laugh had been one of the horses. Weird.

Sir Davey motioned his head toward the jousters. “Have you forgiven them for being Niriel’s army?”

Keelie blushed. “Shh. Sean is coming near, and Niriel is his Dad, you know.”

Nodding, Sir Davey smiled mischievously. “I get it. You’re still sweet on the elf.”

“Niriel is doing community service,” Keelie said out of the side of her mouth.

“Prithee, tell me what that rapscallion is doing that could be recompense for his actions.” Sir Davey’s smile transformed to a tight line as he pressed his lips together.

“Niriel is helping Uncle Dariel, and he’s working with Zabrina. Together they’re mending the rules that the mayor of Edgewood broke when he let humans into the forest. Niriel has people skills,” Keelie said in a soft voice. She wondered if Niriel was using his elven charm to help convince the Edgewood city council.

As Sir Davey and Keelie neared the jousters, she saw Risa was with them, standing close to Sean.

Keelie’s eyebrows rose when she realized it hadn’t been a horse that had laughed. Risa tossed her red hair across her shoulder. She was dressed in a green satin gown with fake fairy wings that glittered cheaply in the early evening light. Keelie could almost imagine Risa being one of the Shining Ones, even with the tacky wings.

Sean turned to look at Keelie, and flashed a smile at her. He waved to her, secretly pointed at Risa, and crossed his eyes.

Warmth flowed through Keelie as she waved back. Sean wasn’t falling for Risa’s flirtation. Instead, he was making a jest about her, and Risa was oblivious to it.

Keelie watched as Sean said something to Risa and the other jousters. He motioned toward Keelie. Risa smirked and finger-waved at Keelie as if saying “Look at me, I’m with Sean, and you’re not.” Then she grinned wickedly as she placed her hand on Sean’s shoulder and leaned intimately against him.

A growl formed in the back of Keelie’s throat. If she had a wand, she’d make Risa’s wings become real and take to the air, and then elf girl would crash into the ocean. The image eased Keelie’s jealousy. She shouldn’t think things like that, but sometimes a girl couldn’t help herself.

Sean shrugged Risa’s hand off and moved away from her. Risa glared malevolently at his retreating figure.

“Holy Granite. That girl never gives up,” Sir Davey said in a loud voice, loud enough that Risa must have heard him because she turned around and scowled at them.

As if on cue, Knot threaded his way through the jousters and sat down near Risa. He started washing his tail. Risa’s expression transformed from evil-vulture glower to besotted love ogle. She dropped to her knees and her wings bounced up and down as if preparing to take flight. “Knot, my love, come to me.”

The cat stood and backed away from Risa. His tail swished back and forth as the jousters gawked at the spectacle. Sean laughed. He left the group.

“Earthworms from Mars, what has happened to that girl?” Sir Davey said, his eyes popping out of their sockets.

Risa advanced on Knot. He leaped, and then bounded away and was lost in the gathering crowd of people waiting to attend the play.

“What is that about?” Sir Davey looked up at Keelie.

Keelie explained about the mixed-up potions and the result: Risa being hopelessly in love with Knot.

Tears formed in Sir Davey’s eyes as he laughed. “’Tis certainly hilarious, but that cat needs to careful. He is your guardian, and Risa is a distraction that he doesn’t need at this time. There is danger here, and I can’t put my finger on what it is.”

Keelie rubbed her hands over her arms as a chill spread through her body. Several tree spirits now hung over the Globe. Sean was weaving his way through the crowd to her.

“You’re right, and I can’t rely on the trees, either.” She started to tell him about the trees, but there were too many of them about. Maybe in town it would be better.

“Milady Keliel,” someone called out.

Keelie turned and saw Tavyn step out from behind a hemlock tree. He was dressed in his dark brown gambeson, green hose, and tall boots. His dark brown hair was loose and free. A pointed ear tip poked through the strands. Keelie assumed it would go unnoticed—there were mundanes here with fake elf ears.

He bowed his head. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but I was wondering if you will allow me to sit with you.”

Surprised at the request, Keelie looked at Sir Davey, who winked at her. Then Sean came over to join them. He nodded politely to Tavyn.

The Redwood elf clasped his hands behind his back and returned Sean’s nod with a distinct not-glad-to-see-you gaze. There was definitely an undercurrent of tension between the two elves.

Sean stepped close to Keelie. “I was going to ask Lady Keliel to dine with me, and you, too, Sir Davey.”

“I’d like to, but I have to go for my fitting.” Sir Davey pulled out a slip of paper from the leather pouch holding the iPhone. “‘Costume fitting: 6:30.’ I’ll see you later.” Sir Davey wandered away—mumbling about how vendors shouldn’t be forced against their will to be in a stage production.

Keelie gritted her teeth together, trying to repress a laugh as the image of Sir Davey in wings returned to her. She wondered if his wings would be like Risa’s, cheap and glittery. Nah, Sir Davey would carry the whole fairy handmaiden look much better than Risa could ever do.

“Lady Keelie, if you’re ready, I’ll escort you into the theater.” Tavyn held out his elbow in an invitation.

Sean stepped forward. “May I interrupt? I need to speak to you, Keelie, about your father.”

“Is something wrong?” Keelie’s heart had started thumping, either from Sean’s nearness or his mention of her father.

“Not at all,” Sean replied quickly. “But it’s a personal matter.” He stared coolly at Tavyn.

Tavyn stepped back. “Of course.” A flash of irritation crossed his face. “Until later, Lady Keliel.” Tavyn took two steps back, turned, and walked away, blending into the crowd.

What was up with Sean? He’d acted all macho elf when Scott had been paying attention to her, and now he was doing the same thing with Tavyn. Part of Keelie was secretly thrilled that he was acting like a boyfriend, but there was another part of her that wasn’t too happy. Relationships were so confusing.

Knot had returned. He sat down next to Keelie and proceeded to wash his butt. Risa was nowhere in sight. That was a small favor, and one less thing to deal with.

Sean held out his hand toward Keelie and motioned with his head to the path leading back down to Juliet City. She accepted Sean’s hand, and a tingle skipped up and down her spine.

As they walked, a cloud was following them from above. It had to be the same tree spirit Keelie had noticed hanging around the shop. It was so obvious. Sean turned, and the cloud floated up. He looked puzzled, shook his head, and continued walking.

“You said you needed to talk to me about Dad. Why?”

“Your father wants me to go with you and Laurie to L.A. next week. I know he didn’t tell you that. Typical Zeke.”

Sean in L.A.? Keelie was thrilled, but her head spun at the concept of her lordly elven boyfriend in worldly Los Angeles. Of course, with his surfer good looks, he could fit in. She’d have to come up with a good costume for him.

The cloud was back, floating along. It was trailing them again like a bad detective. Keelie saw, from the corner of her eye, that Knot was watching it too, his eyes dilated.

All of a sudden, Sean stopped. He glanced up. The cloud scooted into some bushes. It could at least try to act like a cloud. Knot darted off into the rhododendrons.

“What is going on?” Sean pointed in the direction of the cloud and cat.

Keelie looked to the left and the right of the path to make sure no one was around. She leaned close to Sean and whispered, “It’s a tree.”

“It’s a tree?” Sean blinked as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing.

Keelie nodded. “It’s a tree spirit. The redwoods can spirit walk, and allow anyone to see them. Even humans.”

Sean’s eyes widened in surprise. He turned to look for the cloudlike form and found it hiding behind a large rhododendron. Sean gestured in the direction of the ocean. “What about the mist. Is that a tree, too?”

“No, just mist. But they use it for camouflage. They blend in with it.”

A small breeze began to blow. The tree spirit flew out of the bush, carried by the wind, then dissolved. Knot walked out from underneath the bushes. The end of his tail was crooked.

Sean made a grim face. “There were always stories about the power of the redwoods, but this goes beyond what anyone imagined.”

“I think it’s just the tip of the branch,” Keelie said. Now that the cloud was no longer following them, she felt free to talk to Sean, although the tree spirits were probably all around, listening. “Tonight, Grandmother, Norzan, and I are going to hunt for the missing tree shepherd. Want to come?”

“Why not do it during the day? It seems dangerous to go out into the forest at night. You could twist your ankle.”

“You are so sweet to worry. But Grandmother has this Queen gig, so we have to work around that. You can come and protect me.”

“What time? I will defend you against any evil ferns and fog.” He smiled down at her.

“Don’t worry, you’re excused. I know that jousting is hard work, and I’ll have plenty of company in the woods. If too many of us go hiking at night, it’ll look weird.”

“Then it will just have to look weird. I’ll be there to protect you.”

Keelie smiled and squeezed his hand, but she had the disturbing feeling that the woods were more dangerous than either of them knew.