The Quicksilver Faire by Gillian Summers Read Free Book Online Page B

gaze on Saliel, who had snorted. "Lady Keliel is uniquely qualified to go, since her, er, mixed blood may be acceptable to the fae. Lord Sean, of course, is her protector and must attend her."
    "So they'll love me because I'm a mutt?" Keelie took a tentative taste of the salad. She'd kill for a tofu hot dog.
    "Mutt." Terciel seemed to consider the word. "Yes, I believe that is correct. The dwarves speak well of you."
    There were dwarves here, of course. They lived under mountains and forests. Keelie's heart warmed as she thought of Sir Davey and Barrow. Maybe the ones who lived here knew them.
    "Is there anything I need to know before we go?"
    Lord Terciel looked at her silently for a long moment. "You are our hope, Keliel. Go, speak to the queen, and ask her to agree to a meeting of all who live in the Northwoods. A summit, if you will. Do not linger at the High Court. It is seductive, and time does not flow there as it does here."
    "What dangers might we encounter?" Sean asked.
    Terciel and Miszrial glanced at each other quickly.
    Not a good sign.
    Sean frowned. "We will be prepared to do battle, if need be, to return here."
    Terciel nodded. "It would be wise. Do not draw weapons while you are there, unless you are directly threatened. At midnight tomorrow night, you will travel through the portal. Rest now."
    Keelie met Sean's troubled gaze. She thought of what the trees had told her. The fae were all around, it seemed. Did that mean the bhata, or had Queen Vania sent spies to watch them? Or maybe the bhata themselves were her spies. This forest was very different from the Dread Forest, which, despite its scary name, only inspired dread in the humans who neared it. She'd call Dad as soon as she got to her room. This sounded way more dangerous than he'd described.
    By the time Keelie returned to the lodge she was exhausted. She punched her father's number into the phone again, but no luck.
    "I don't get it," she told Sean. "It's not like it relies on cell towers. This works with forests. Why won't the trees connect my call?"
    "Ask the trees." Sean yawned. "I'm going to bed, Keelie. I've got to tell you, I'm worried about what Lord Terciel said. I'm glad I brought my armor and sword."
    "Maybe a gun and hand grenades would have been a better choice," she muttered. "Go on to bed. I'll be right behind you. I'm going to try one more time."
    "Good night then. Don't go outside alone." Sean kissed the top of her head and went upstairs.
    The lower rooms of the lodge were spartan, and Keelie was ready to go to bed, too, if only to give her backside a break from all the stone seats. Apparently the Northwoods elves didn't believe in cushions. She stood close to a window and tried her father's number again. Nothing. With a sigh, she headed up the stairs. Elia had hurried ahead of them and gone to bed without saying good night.
    Keelie's room was just as she left it, except that the logs in the fireplace were fresh. Someone scratched at the door. She hurried to open it, hoping it was Sean, but Knot crept in. The hall was deserted.
    She looked at the door. The scratching had come from shoulder height. Her shoulder, not the little kitty's. She shrugged. This close to the fae court, there was no telling what the cat would do.
    "Where were you while we went to dinner?"
    Knot jumped onto the bed, ignoring her.
    "You didn't miss much. Slug steak. Turns out it was some giant grilled mushroom, but it sure tasted like slug."
    Knot yawned, showing much kitty fang.
    "Yeah, me too." Keelie said. "You aren't going to invite all your fairy friends in here to party, are you?"
    Knot blinked at her.
    "Just a warning. I need sleep." Keelie undressed and slipped into bed, relieved that the sheets were clean and fragrant with lavender. She'd half expected burlap. She closed her eyes, wondering what the next day would bring. The High Court sounded kind of exciting, actually. If she didn't reach Dad tomorrow, she'd have to go without briefing him on Peascod