“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 thependant 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.”
