Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 87731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Henry watched. “So pretty.”
Bria smiled. “It is pretty.”
For a little while neither spoke.
And for the first time since entering Driochmor, she felt she had made a true friend.
Bria gave Henry’s hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it. “Henry, may I ask you something?”
The troll nodded.
“The pendant. Where did you find it?”
He scratched his head. “In stream.”
Bria blinked a bit surprised. “A stream?”
Henry nodded. “Trying catch fish.” His large hands demonstrated the motion. “Fish fast.” A look of frustration crossed his face. “Henry too slow.”
Bria smiled. “I very much doubt that.”
“Fish think so.”
That nearly made her laugh.
“Fish was a big one.” His arms spread wide. “Very big.”
Naturally, the fish grew larger with the telling.
“I reached.” His hand darted forward dramatically. “Missed fish.” A disappointed look crossed his face. “Got necklace.”
Bria stared at him. “You scooped up the pendant instead of the fish?”
Henry nodded miserably. “Wanted fish.”
“So, the pendant was simply lying in the stream?”
“Aye.”
“Was there anything nearby? Maybe a cottage? A village?”
Henry shook his head. “Just water.”
The stream could have carried the pendant from anywhere. Which meant the place where Henry found it would offer nothing new, nothing for her to touch. It also meant there was no reason for them to travel there.
Henry suddenly brightened. “Metal piece brought luck. Got fish after found it.”
Bria smiled. “I am glad that you got a fish.”
Henry grinned proudly. “Big fish.”
Bria heard movement and turned to see her husband move away from a tree he had been leaning against.
“You heard?” she asked, wondering how long he had been standing there.
“I did. That pendant could have come from anywhere. I wonder what made Ogga think it belonged to the healer?”
“Magic,” Henry said. “Strong magic. Hurt Ogga to touch.”
“So, Ogga was vain enough to assume that if she could not touch the pendant then the only person more powerful than her would be the healer the king searches for,” Kaelan said. “And since neither you nor Henry had any trouble holding the pendant then I can assume that the power belongs to a witch and not a healer.”
“Then there is no point in going to where Henry found the pendant,” Bria said.
“Agreed,” Kaelan said. “It is time to seek out the council.”
“Nay. Nay,” Henry said, shaking his head. “Ogga be angry.”
“We are not going back to Ogga, Henry,” Kaelan said firmly.
“Must go back,” Henry said, louder now. “Henry must return.”
Bria reached out and placed her hand gently on Henry’s arm before the troll grew too upset. He looked at her with something she had not expected… hope.
The world around her seemed to soften at the edges the way it always did when she used her gift and she felt it immediately. Worry for his grammy.
Kaelan watched his wife calm the huge troll, though he was surprised to see the sadness in her eyes.
“What troubles you, Bria?” he asked.
Bria explained to him about Ogga threatening to hurt Henry’s grammy if he did not obey her.
“We must help him,” Bria said.
Kaelan was not surprised to hear that. With his wife being a comfort healer, she would do anything to ease someone’s suffering.
“Where is your grammy, Henry?” Kaelan asked.
Henry hesitated. “Not far. Ogga put spell on Grammy.”
Kaelan exchanged a quick glance with Bria.
“What sort of spell?” Bria asked gently.
Henry’s large hands twisted together nervously. “If Grammy go too far from cottage. Grammy die.”
Bria’s heart continued to ache for him. “Did Ogga tell you that?”
Henry nodded quickly.
A sudden wind whipped around them carrying the sharp bite of autumn with it and Bria shivered. Kaelan’s arms wrapped around her like a warm cloak, and he drew her back against him, tucking her close.
Before any more could be said, a familiar streak of gold shot through the trees.
Henry swung at it instinctively and missed.
The golden light darted easily past his hand and came to an abrupt stop in front of Bria.
Fiora hovered there, her delicate wings beating so rapidly they blurred.
“You must come with me. Now. Right now!”
The urgency in the fairy’s voice instantly caught Bria’s attention and Kaelan’s as well, feeling his body stiffen against hers.
“What’s wrong?” Bria asked.
“You will find out soon enough,” Fiora said in a tone that meant she would say no more.
Bria glanced at Henry. The troll stood nearby, worry etched across his broad face.
She shook her head. “Not before we help Henry.”
That perturbed Fiona and she snapped, “What’s the problem?”
Bria quickly explained and afterward Fiora quickly disappeared without a word and reappeared moments later.
This time she was not alone. Two men emerged from the trees behind her, both wrapped in heavy cloaks against the morning chill.
Fiora pointed dramatically at them. “They came with me. The council thought I might need help with you both.”
Bria’s gaze shifted between them.
The older looking of the two stepped forward. “We can secure Henry’s grammy.”
Henry’s frown spoke louder than words, not sure of the two men.