“Tell them about the spy from Drogath you encountered and Ogga the witch,” Lord Oaken urged.
Kaelan did, though he did not mention Braden. It was his responsibility to handle Braden, not anyone in Scotara.
Bria listened for a few moments, but she had heard it all before, and she had lived it. Yet only one thing truly mattered to her at that moment… Wynn.
Her gaze found her great-grandmother seated apart from the others. This was the perfect time to speak with her.
Bria slipped away from Kaelan and crossed the room, the discussion continuing behind her. No one seemed to notice. Or perhaps they understood exactly where she was going.
Wynn looked up as Bria approached. A gentle smile touched her lips, and she stretched her hand out to her.
Bria smiled, took her hand and settled beside her. “There is so much I want to know.”
Wynn smiled, though sadness touched her eyes. “There is so much for you to learn, and I fear there is little time to teach you.”
The words struck Bria harder than she expected.
Little time.
She had only just found her. She had believed she had no family left. Her parents were gone and now, suddenly, she had discovered a great-grandmother she never knew existed. The thought of losing her before she truly knew her tightened painfully in her chest. And another fear quickly followed.
Her parents had sacrificed much for her. Would Wynn do the same? Would she willingly place herself in danger to protect Bria?
The thought unsettled her.
“You speak as though you are leaving,” Bria said, not hiding her worry.
“Nay.” Wynn squeezed her hand gently. “I speak as one who has lived long enough to know that fate rarely asks permission before changing a life.”
Before Bria could argue, Wynn continued.
“The Wise are among the oldest tribes in Driochmor. In truth, we are among the oldest people in all of Scotara. We were here long before kings claimed the land as their own. Much like those from Venngraith.”
“The Hunters?”
Wynn nodded. “They lost their way as have some in Driochmor, but the council has hope with Dar regaining his heritage with the land. As for the Wise, our gift begins with sight. Not merely seeing what was but understanding it. The past leaves echoes. Those echoes help guide us toward where the future is going.”
Bria thought of the visions Wynn had spoken of. “Is that why the king fears the Wise?”
Wynn smiled faintly. “People often fear what they do not understand or believe tales they are told when they would be wise to learn more.” Wynn continued. “As our wisdom grows, so too does our ability to sense those around us. Eventually a Wise no longer needs touch to feel what others feel.”
Bria frowned. “You mean emotions?”
“Aye.”
The thought alone sounded exhausting.
Wynn nodded as if reading her mind. “It can be overwhelming if you are not prepared for it. Joy. Fear. Anger.Grief. The emotions of others can crash over you like a storm. As a comfort healer you know how to quell some of those emotions, but you must touch a person to do that, seek their permission. And that is not possible with strangers.”
Bria immediately thought of the heartache she had felt through the woman from the mist and shivered.
“Then how do you endure it?”
“We learn to shield ourselves. A barrier of the mind.” Wynn tapped a finger lightly against her temple. “Without it, the emotions of others can consume your own. You must learn how to protect yourself from that.”
Bria glanced toward the council still deep in discussion. Her eyes landed on Elara, and they both smiled.
“There is another who understands what it is to have her life changed by forces she never expected,” Wynn said and waved Elara over.
