“Grandmother, don’t you think it’s weird that the smaller trees don’t talk to us at all?” Keelie sipped from her water bottle and looked down the path at her grandmother, dressed in twenty-first-century hiking togs. They’d been searching for Viran for an hour, senses open, looking for signs of the missing tree shepherd, but feeling none of his essence.

“I think they’re frightened.” Grandmother put her own bottle back into the special holster at her belt and glanced at Norzan, who was frowning up into the canopy far above them.

“There could be another reason, but we don’t know yet. It will take a while to understand,” he said. “The rules of this forest are different.”

“I’ll say.” Keelie replied. The strange quiet extended all the way to the forest floor. Except for the small animals, there was no motion in this forest. No fairies at all, no clicking of the sticklike bhata or humming wings of the feithid daoine. “What’s next, then? It’s pointless to just wander around looking for him, especially if the trees can’t find him either.” Keelie placed a hand against the young tree’s bark and didn’t feel its presence. Tree silence, just as it had been before her gift had grown.

Grandmother frowned. “I believe I may know where he might be,” she said slowly. “But we can’t move too fast, if he’s in danger.”

“So you don’t think he’s just lost or hurt—you think someone has him? If he’s in danger, shouldn’t we move faster?” Keelie looked from Grandmother to Norzan.

“We can’t rule anything out.” Norzan gestured toward the coast. “Don’t you feel it? Something is definitely wrong here.”

Keelie remembered the blinding headache that had hit her when she’d first entered the forest, and the black spots she’d noticed along the edge of the tree magic. Norzan was right. These woods were unlike any she’d ever seen.

“Trees, Keelie,” Grandmother intoned. “These aren’t teenage girls. They are ancient trees. And their ancient tree shepherd moves slowly as well.” The ancient sequoias were like great buildings that rose straight up, the open spaces around them filled with great ferns and smaller trees and bushes. Keelie couldn’t relate to a tree of this size and age.

A dark shape suddenly plummeted down toward them and Keelie ducked, arms over her head, until she realized that it was an owl. It soared through the dark forest, a blacker shadow against the darkness.

They marched on, heading deeper into the forest, with Norzan leading the way. Keelie walked behind Grandmother, listening for signs of tree speak or Viran’s presence. She heard nothing … except, once, the faint, far jangle of bells.

Laurie arrived on Monday as promised, black D&G wraparound sunglasses hugging her spray-tanned face, freshly highlighted blonde hair whipping around her head as she drove her BMW into the parking lot, honking the horn and leaning out the window yelling, “Woohoo, faire people!” She swung expertly into a parking space and hopped out of her car.

Keelie envied her friend, who looked fresh and just out of the salon. As opposed to Keelie, who’d spent the weekend manning the store and trudging through the woods looking for Viran—with no luck. At least sales at Heartwood were good.

Tavyn was standing at the edge of the parking lot near Keelie and Sir Davey. He stared, frozen, at Laurie’s bright hair and tight jeans. “Who is that?” he asked.

“That’s my friend, Laurie,” Keelie replied. “She’s from Orange County.”

Tavyn nodded as if he understood. “We have people who come up from Orange County. They always seem so unbalanced, removed from nature.” But his admiring looks didn’t agree with his words.

Laurie hurried over to hug Keelie and Sir Davey. “You’ve got to give me the two-dollar tour!” she demanded, looking around. She beamed at Tavyn. “You are all so cute!” Laurie kept talking as she pulled Keelie aside. “When I told Mom you’re staying where they put on a Shakespeare Festival and you wanted me to visit, she was all for it. She said it would be educational for me, so she let me skip school. She booked a week at a Catalina spa. She said you were a good influence on me, and Mom thinks your dad is hot. She calls him Sexy Zeke.”

Eww! Keelie just couldn’t imagine Laurie’s mom and Dad together. She needed to change the subject. “Let’s go watch the actors get ready for the show.”

The morning performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream was packed. Tavyn had been right. The parking lot was crammed with cars from up and down the coast, here just for the show. When Peascod strode onstage, playing Puck, he was wearing his red and green harlequin’s costume. Didn’t the man ever change his clothes?

Knot hissed as the actor took his place onstage.

“That is one strange guy,” Laurie noted.

“I’m glad you picked up on that, because we all agree that he’s very creepy.”

The bearded actor playing the part of Bottom said his line, “Enough; hold, or cut bow-strings,” and left the stage. One of the pie sellers came in with fairy wings strapped to her back. Peascod strode in from the other side of the stage. “How now, spirit! Whither wander you?”

Or rather, his lips moved to the lines, but all anyone heard was Knot’s loud yowling.

Peascod glared in their direction, and so did everyone sitting around them.

The fairy said her next lines undisturbed, and then Peascod opened his mouth and Knot started to howl again.

Master Oswald leaped up. The actors stopped, and everyone in the Globe looked at Keelie and Laurie. Master Oswald pointed toward them. “No cats allowed in the Globe.”

Knot looked very satisfied with himself as they slunk out of the theater.

“I can’t take you anywhere,” Keelie groused.

“Personally, I think it’s kind of cool. First time I’ve ever been evicted from a Shakespeare play,” Laurie said.

They headed to Sir Davey’s RV, ready for lunch. The RV was uber-luxurious and retrofitted for everything the dwarf wanted.

“So, when we get to L.A., want to go shopping?” Laurie asked as she picked the tomatoes out of her salad.

“I’d love to go shopping.”

Sir Davey plunked a tuna fish sandwich in front of Knot. Knot meowed piteously.

“What?” Sir Davey looked hurt. “I made you a sandwich.”

Keelie wiped her hands on her napkin. “He wants you to cut the crusts off.” She sawed off the crusts and set the sandwich back in front of Knot. He swatted at her hand.

She nudged him with her foot. He purred as he ate.

Laurie shook her head. “He’s so weird.”

Sir Davey snorted. “You don’t know the half of it.”

Laurie nibbled at her salad.

“Knot should act more like a guardian,” Sir Davey added, pointing with his fork at the cat. Knot’s eyes turned to slits. His tail twitched.

There was a knock at the door.

Sir Davey looked alarmed. “I hope it’s not the costumer.”

He opened the door, and in walked Risa. Keelie wanted to hiss. She’d been hanging around Knot too long.

“There you are.” Risa glided into the camper. “Your grandmother suggested I’d find you here.” Her eyes drifted to Knot. “I’ve been searching for you all morning,” she continued, her voice rising in pitch as she dropped down to her knees and gazed at Knot. His eyes dilated and his tail trembled with agitation.

“Who is that?” Laurie asked, as she and Keelie exchanged looks.

“Risa.”

“Oh,” Laurie’s eyebrows rose. She shifted in her seat. “That Risa.”

“That Risa.” Keelie glared. She wondered if the Elven Compendium of Household Charms contained a “charm” to get rid of pests. She needed to study more.

The elf girl turned her head and glowered at Laurie and Keelie. “Yes, I’m that girl.” She pushed herself up to her knees. “I’m that girl who was betrothed to Sean, but now my heart belongs to Knot.” She stood. Even while proclaiming that her heart belonged to a cat, Risa held herself with dignity and grace. Keelie always felt those certain qualities were lacking in herself.

Sir Davey walked over to Risa. “I think this upcoming trip will be good for you, too.”

“What upcoming trip?” Risa asked, turning to Keelie for answers.

“The one Keelie and Knot are going to take to L.A. It’ll do you some good to be away from Knot. See if you can break that spell. Shouldn’t have cast it in the first place, but I think you’ve suffered enough.” Sir Davey stroked his Van Dyke beard as he studied Knot.

Keelie’s mouth dropped opened and she stared at Sir Davey. Whose side was he on, anyway?

Risa shook her head. “No, that’s impossible. I can’t be separated from Knot. I have to go to L.A., too.”

“She can’t go to L.A.” Keelie said. Laurie kept eating. Knot hopped up beside her and looked at her as she ate. She ignored him.

“Besides, where I’m going there aren’t a lot of trees. Canyon lands, scrub brush, freeways, malls, you know. Urban nature.”

“All the more reason I need to go. How dare you take Knot into such a dangerous and polluted environment? He’ll need my healing powers to help cleanse his system of the toxins.”

Waving her hand, Laurie pointed to Knot, who now sat in her lap. “He’s already polluted. He needs a breath mint.” She pushed her salad away. “And that’s just his sweet side.”

Risa’s eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. “What charm have you used, sorceress, to make Knot sit in your lap?”

“I’m not a sorceress. I’m a junior at Baywood Academy,” Laurie said defensively.

Sir Davey looked from Laurie and Knot to Risa, then back to Keelie and shook his head. “It’s a good thing Sean is going with you to L.A. You’re going to need all the help you can get on this trip.”

“Sean is going?” Risa stomped her foot. “And Knot? That does it. I’m coming, too.”

Keelie felt nauseous as she imagined the clown-car effect of having two elves, a fairy, and a mall brat in the same car with her.

In the afternoon, Keelie gave Laurie a tour of the festival. Even though the shops were closed to mundanes during the week, the streets were lively with vendors cleaning their booths and calling out to one another. Knot accompanied them everywhere they went, apparently trying to overcome the accusation of being a slacker guardian. Then, leaving Laurie with Sir Davey to happily discuss precious and semi-precious stones and their metaphysical properties, Keelie went to find Grandmother.

Lady Keliatiel was at the Globe. She was dressed in her elven robes that had embroidered trees on the bell sleeves. Her hair was pinned up in an intricate bun, held in place by two gem-studded sticks. She looked very fashionable, not as dusty and uptight as she once did. Acting was good for her.

Grandmother walked with Keelie around the stage.

“I’m going to L.A. tomorrow,” Keelie told her. “Remember? I have to handle some things for Mom’s estate. They’re selling the house.”

“I’m not senile, Keliel. I know all about your trip. Why have you not introduced me to your friend? She must be a charming girl, for Alora to think so highly of her.”

Keelie grinned. “You’ll meet her tonight.”

“While you’re away, I will be meeting with Bella Matera,” Grandmother said. “The redwoods are growing more and more worried with each passing day about Viran, and I am, too.”

Keelie didn’t know if she should bring it up, but she decided to go ahead. “I’m not exactly sure about the redwoods’ motives, especially after Bloodroot and his demonstration last week.”

“I’m going to ask Bella Matera about him,” Grandmother said. She looked up at the stands, as if practicing hearing the applause.

“Don’t say too much to Bella Matera until we know more about the redwoods,” Keelie replied.

Grandmother’s face became pinched and drawn, and she was once again the more serious, uptight woman Keelie knew. “Child, I am centuries older than you, as old as many of these trees. Give me credit for a little sense.”

“I’m sorry.” Grandmother did know a lot, but she didn’t have any modern street sense.

A mist rose suddenly from a corner of the stage and Bella Matera drifted forward.

Keelie backed away, seeing anger in the tree spirit’s ethereal features.

Grandmother started forward, but Bella Matera blocked her path and confronted Keelie. The tree spirit ran her sticklike fingers down the side of Keelie’s face. “Calm your fears, child. There are no secrets in this forest.”

And that was what Keelie feared most.