The Goblin's Curse Read Online Free Page A

meet a normal person here. Thanks for walking me down.” She curtseyed, and turned to see the women on the crowded deck of the tea shop assessing her. It made her day.
    Take that , she told them silently, and went inside to get her tea.
    Mrs. Butters’ tea shop was already crowded, even though the morning was barely started. The tantalizing smell of fresh-baked goods made Keelie’s stomach growl as she hopped onto the plain wooden deck that surrounded the little bakery. Sean leaned against the railing that ran along the back and sides of the deck, separating it from the forest. He was holding a mug and laughing with his jousting friends. They were all tall and muscular, but Sean was the best looking. Every female on the deck glanced at him, secretly enjoying his presence.
    Keelie entered the little shop and waited while one of the burlap-and-leather-clad mud men ordered his breakfast. Mrs. Butters’ little brown face, like a living version of the gingerbread man’s wife, split into a smile when she noticed Keelie, and she placed a utilitarian white mug of hot water on the counter. Keelie put a dollar down and edged past the mud man to choose a tea bag from the assortment in a basket at the end of the counter. Today seemed like a “Sweet Orange” day. She tore the top of the little square paper pouch and tossed it into the recycling bin, then dunked her tea bag in the hot water and went to join Sean.
    The jousters greeted her like an old friend. Since she’d spent the winter in the Dread Forest, they were as old as any other friends she had—with the exception of Laurie, who still lived in L.A. near where Mom’s house had been.
    Keelie felt envious glares bounce off her back as Sean leaned over to kiss her. “Hope you didn’t buy any food,” he said. “We ordered extra muffins.”
    Keelie examined the picked-over plate and chose what was left of a bran muffin. Breakfast with Sean had sounded romantic, but she hadn’t counted on the rest of the jousting team. After a few minutes of listening to their jokes and stories, she excused herself.
    “Don’t leave yet. Are you coming to the practice this afternoon?” Sean put an arm around her waist and pulled her to him. He felt strong and safe, and she wished he could come with her to the meadow.
    “I’ll be fine,” she said. “See you tonight.”
    He placed a soft kiss on her rounded human ear, and she felt her other ear blush red all the way to its elven tip.
    Mrs. Butters waved as she jumped off the deck and headed toward the meadow. Before Keelie even got to the pony ride area, she saw Raven striding toward her, wearing jeans, soft tall boots, and two layered tank tops, the top one featuring a unicorn head.
    “Ready to return to the scene of the crime?” Raven squeezed Keelie’s arm.
    “Thanks for doing this.” Keelie didn’t want to admit that she was feeling apprehensive.
    Raven waved at the folks still lingering at Mrs. Butters’. Sean was gone, but some of his guys were still finishing their breakfast, joined now by girls who this weekend would probably be dressed up as fairies and princesses.
    They went through the gate to the meadow and down the wide, unpaved path. The meadow was dotted with a few trees, and on the far side was the forest where the elven village was located. Keelie had never felt welcome there—even though she’d now mastered the Dread, the elven spell that made humans fearful and back away from the woods, not knowing why they didn’t dare go in. She fingered the rose quartz keychain clipped to her belt loop, then pulled out her extra one and offered it to Raven. “You might need this.”
    “Thanks,” Raven said. “Einhorn and I have been talking about adding the Dread to the Wildewood Forest. I’m not sure we need it, but you can understand why he’s a little paranoid about keeping it safe, now that the trees have recovered.”
    Keelie quickly briefed Raven on Sir Davey’s Earth magic lesson about how to keep the Dread