Gillian Summers - The goblin's curse

Heartwood, her father’s beautiful shop, seemed like it was being eaten by a flaming monster. The fire licked up to the trees, and their cries of fear echoed once more in her head. The whole forest was roaring in alarm. Above her, the branches were trembling with the weight of the bhata who’d come to watch.

Water poured onto the fire from the other side of the building and, through the crowd, Keelie saw that Sean and his jousters had dragged up a portable water tank and compressor. But the water wasn’t on Heartwood. They were wetting down the trees and the roofs of the other shops to protect them.

For a second she was angry; then she realized that they were right. It was too late for Heartwood.

The crowd gasped as the front of their apartment fell into itself, folding like a cardboard toy. The roof caved down so that it looked like a floppy hat resting on the ground. Keelie’s knees seemed to dissolve and she found herself sitting on the ground. Legs and long skirts swayed around her, and the trees shrieked in her mind.

As if it was a nightmare revealing itself in flashes of memory, Keelie saw the fire brigade abandon its quest. The wooden roof shingles glowed like rows of coals before tongues of flames licked up around them.

Janice appeared in front of her, face made rosy by the reflected firelight. “Honey, let me tend that cut.” She gestured toward Keelie’s head. Something tickled Keelie’s forehead and she rubbed a hand over her face, wincing as she touched a sticky, sore spot. Her hand came away wet with blood. It seemed as black as the soot that coated her skin.

Janice started to dab at her forehead with a wet washcloth. It stung, but not too badly. She felt something in her other hand-a heart-shaped wooden frame that held her second-grade school picture. She was missing her two front teeth, but her grin was still broad. She looked at it for a moment before she remembered grabbing it off the floor.

The Compendium was gone, but she had saved this. All of Dad’s beautiful furniture was destroyed, including the beautiful counter carved from a single great trunk, but she had her second-grade school picture. Tears began to flow down her cheeks, dripping from her face.

“Oh honey, I’m sorry,” Janice said. “I promise I’ll be done soon, and then I’ll put a nice salve on it to take the pain away.”

Keelie wanted to tell her that nothing could take the pain away, but she was beyond words.

An hour later, Keelie was wrapped in a quilt, freshly showered, in the apartment above Janice’s shop.

“This tea will soothe your throat.” Janice placed the steaming mug of tea next to her on a little table (mahogany, from Belize).

“Thank you,” Keelie croaked, her throat raw, as she sipped from the mug in between her hands. The scent of smoke still lingered in her hair despite having shampooed it several times in Janice’s shower. She wished Sean were here to hold her and tell her it would be okay. He was still with the jousters, making sure the fire at Heartwood was out.

The herbal tea soothed her frazzled nerves a little as she inhaled its earthy goodness. Knot sat in her lap, drooling and making biscuits on her legs. She was so glad to have him next to her, she didn’t care-he could make all the biscuits he wanted and drool on her as much as he cared to.

“Meow.” He nestled next to her in the chair and placed a paw on her leg.

“I know, buddy. I’m glad to be here, too.” She scratched behind his ear. She heard the din of the crowd of faire workers outside, gathered to discuss what to do about no Heartwood. The whole faire seemed to be gathered on the road to the hilltop.

“Hey kiddo, how you feeling?” Raven made her way through the crowded little room and sat opposite her on a trunk.

Keelie dropped her head back against the rocking chair and pulled Janice’s quilt tighter around her shoulders, as if it could keep the world away and make her safe.

Janice sat in the corner of the small room, the glow of the lantern casting a soft light on her. She’d wrapped her arms around herself, and her lips were pursed in worry.

Sir Davey appeared in the doorway of the apartment, a flask of coffee in his hand. “Lass, I have the thing that’s going to perk you right up.”

“I gave her tea with a special herbal remedy to keep her calm. The last thing the child needs is caffeine.” Janice’s usual good humor seemed to have vanished.

“Caffeine will settle her nerves. Everyone knows herbal tea will jack her up, and she won’t be able to sleep.”

Keelie almost smiled. It felt good to have them looking after her. “I think I need some herbal tea and some coffee,” she said.

Sir Davey walked over to her, concern glinting in his chocolate-colored eyes. “Lass, you gave us all a scare.”

“Meow.” Knot dug his claws deeper into her leg.

Sir Davey scowled at him. “Let the girl have some peace and quiet after all she’s been through.”

“Where’s Dad?” Keelie asked.

“He’s over at the elven compound trying to calm everyone down. They’ve got their robes in a knot and their pointed ears stuck inside their eyeballs.” Sir Davey shook his head in disgust.

“Sounds like their normal reaction.” Keelie shrugged and then caught another whiff of smoke. Would she always smell like a grill? “What’s their problem? The fire was far away from their buildings.”

Shepherdess, where is the angry little tree? asked one of the sycamores that bordered the path. Will the fire consume him?

The treeling is fine, Keelie responded. Hob the mask maker rescued it and took it to his shop.

It is afraid, shepherdess, and we can do nothing to stop its fear that the fire will eat it. It’s beginning to convince the other trees that they are in danger from the dragon.

“I’ve got to go.” Keelie pushed aside the quilt. Dad had gone into uber tree shepherd mode, but the little aspen tree was her responsibility. Even afraid, it was a troublemaker.

Keelie closed her eyes and opened her telepathic pathway to Dad. Dad, I need you to meet me at Hob’s shop. The goblin tree is freaking out, and it’s affecting the other trees. I need your help.

I’ll meet you there. She caught a glimpse of a deeply shadowed hillside forest.

Hob had been wonderful during the fire, and afterwards. He had saved the little goblin tree, and Keelie couldn’t imagine why it didn’t feel safe now. She’d heard that Hob appeared right when the fire started and went straight for the tree, dragging its container to safety.

Keelie disentangled herself from Knot. He hopped down to the floor and looked up at her. “Meow?” He raised his kitty eyebrows.

“I need to meet Dad at Hob’s shop.”

“You need to rest.” Janice stepped forward.

“I agree. Keelie, you’ve been through too much,” Sir Davey said. “I know you feel keyed up, but if you try to sleep you’ll feel much better.”

“There’s no choice.”

Keelie suddenly remembered Cricket. Waves of guilt washed over her. Was he okay? She hadn’t thought of him. Her stomach knotted with sick fear as she imagined the little goblin abandoned, trapped in the fiery apartment.

“Have you seen Cricket?” she asked Sir Davey, who exchanged glances with Janice.

Janice inhaled. “No one has seen your little creature.” She couldn’t seem to bring herself to say the word goblin. She didn’t care about a creature she couldn’t see.

“I’m sorry we have no news, lass,” Sir Davey said. “I think the little goblin may be safe, though he’s a darn nuisance. He’s resourceful.”

Keelie took comfort in Sir Davey’s words. Cricket was always taking advantage of opportunities to eat. She’d probably find him safe in someone’s garbage. Yet she couldn’t help but worry about him. She’d check with Dad and Vangar and see if they’d seen him.