The Secret of the Dread Forest: The Faire Folk Trilogy by Gillian Summers Read Free Book Online

meowed at Keelie as if he was scolding her for dropping him, then walked away with his tail bushed out. He wasn’t happy. He had a cool cat image to maintain and somebody, or something, was going to pay. Some unsuspecting feithid daoine was going to be on his hit list, but Keelie wasn’t worried—the bug fairies always retaliated.
    Knot was sure to come home pink, or shaved, or smelling weird.
    Elianard slowly rose from the bench and said, “I was advising Keelie to expose herself to the Dread without the shielding magic of her rose quartz. She needs to build her natural resistance, now that she lives among us. She can’t rely on rocks and crystals to keep the Dread at bay.” He held out the book.
    Dad took the book from him.
    Keelie’s heart raced, wondering what would happen when she saw the symbol again. It was eerily hypnotic, and so enticing. Her fingers still tingled, wanting to touch it. Dad turned the book over and ran his hand over its smooth binding.
    The symbol wasn’t there.
    Dad touched the embossed oak tree on the front cover, then nodded at Elianard. “I think you should try it, Keelie.”
    “No way am I going to walk around the Dread Forest without my quartz or tektite.” She was resigned to living here, but to go without any protection was like throwing her in a lake and telling her to swim. She wasn’t going to doit.
    Grandmother Keliatiel appeared behind Dad. “Good morrow, Tree Shepherd, Lore Master. And Keelie. How did your lessons go this morning?”
    “I’m amazed humans have survived as long as they have,” Elianard said, then sniffed.
    Keelie hoped this was the beginning of a cold.
    “I didn’t expect you to come here, Mother.” Dad didn’t seem surprised to see her, though. “I came to ask Keelie and Lord Elianard a question.”
    Her grandmother nodded her head regally. She was really beautiful, in a white-haired, elderly way. Too bad her insides weren’t as nice. Definitely not a bake-cookies-and-cuddle kind of granny. “Very well. I came to inform our Keliel that Lord Niriel has generously consented to give her lessons in swordsmanship and horseback riding.”
    “Fencing lessons?” Keelie asked. She’d fenced at Baywood Academy one semester, but had stopped when Laurie wanted them to run cross-country instead because the shorts would show off their legs.
    “No, fencing is with foils and rapiers,” Dad said. “Niriel will teach you to use a broad sword.”
    “That sounds dangerous.” The Faire jousters wore swords, and they hacked away at each other after all of their lances were broken and tossed aside. Even choreographed, it looked deadly.
    “You are going to learn how to use a sword.” Grandmother glowered at her. “It is part of our history and part of our culture, and I expect you to understand every aspect of our society.”
    Elianard stood up. “If you’ll excuse me, I am expected at Lord Hamriel’s house. I’ve been invited to a celebratory tea in honor of his daughter’s betrothal.” His voice wasstrained, as if it was an effort to be polite when saying this out loud.
    Keelie winced. She wondered what he really thought about the engagement of his daughter’s old boyfriend, but she thrust aside the train of thought. She’d tried very hard not to think of Sean and Risa’s betrothal again, but hearing it from Elianard was like having a broad sword stab her through the heart.
    Grandmother Keliatiel looked at Keelie. She thought she saw a concerned expression flash across her face, but it disappeared quickly. Dad’s hand was once again on Keelie’s shoulder, offering support. Keelie fought tears, imagining Knot making an appearance at the betrothal ceremony and causing havoc.
    It didn’t help.
    Later, at Grandmother’s house, Keelie slumped in a chair at the dining table as Grandmother poured tea into blue glazed pottery mugs that looked a lot like the ones Ellen the potter had made at the High Mountain Faire. The peppermint tea’s aroma was bracing