“They are known as the Wise.”
Kaelan followedthe narrow eastern path through the village, aware of watchful eyes tracking his every step.
Driochmor’s people hid their caution better than most, but not entirely.
Women gathered in talk paused to look his way. A man sharpening tools outside his cottage lifted his gaze briefly before returning to his task. Even the children remained quieter than children ought to be, studying him from behind fences and doorways with open curiosity.
Outsider.
The word lingered silently around him no matter how politely Winnie had welcomed them.
Kaelan paid little attention to it, his thoughts remaining elsewhere.
Too much had changed too quickly since arriving in Scotara, and he trusted none of it. What began as a simple search had become something far more tangled. The creature remained hidden somewhere within Driochmor, outsiders now crossed forbidden borders with growing boldness, and Bria…
His jaw tightened slightly.
He never expected it. One touch had been enough. Since that moment, every instinct within him remained fixed upon Bria with relentless certainty. Even now, with distance between them, he remained aware of her presence as keenly as if she stood beside him.
Yet instead of bringing peace as it should have, the bond sharpened the unease quietly growing within him.
Bria asked questions no one else would dare ask. Worse, she noticed things others overlooked entirely. The longer sheremained near him, the more difficult it became to decide which truths must remain buried and which eventually could not.
And then there was the matter of her touch.
Kaelan shoved the thought aside before it settled too deeply. He needed his thoughts elsewhere right now.
The path curved gently ahead, opening into a small gathering place near the center of the village. Several weathered stones circled a wide fire pit with flames burning brightly while beyond it stood a larger cottage built of dark stone and heavy timber.
An older man sat outside upon a wooden bench, his silver hair braided back from a deeply lined face weathered by years and harsh seasons. Though age had touched him heavily, nothing appeared frail about him. His sharp eyes settled immediately upon Kaelan the moment he approached.
“You are the outsider who returned Winnie’s Tibby.”
The man’s voice carried calm authority without effort.
Kaelan inclined his head slightly. “I am called Kaelan and was told you are Kilham, elder of the village.”
“Aye, that I am,” Kilham said with a pleasant smile. “And you, Kaelan, have questions for me.”
Kaelan nodded. “Does everyone in Driochmor possess sight?”
“Most possess awareness beyond what you know of it, but villagers and areas of Driochmor vary. You would be wise to be careful where you go and who you trust. Just like the rest of Scotara, good and evil exist here.”
“Advice I will be sure to mind,” Kaelan said.
“Now what do you want to know?”
Kaelan’s gaze drifted briefly toward the forest beyond the village before returning to Kilham. “Have outsiders passed through here recently?”
Kilham’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.
“One time no outsider dared cross into Driochmor willingly. The king’s edict made sure of that. And now?” Kilham gave a low, humorless grunt. “Now the king sends emissaries beyond the borders and suddenly others grow curious enough to test boundaries best left alone.”
Kaelan thought immediately of the man who had taken Tibby.
“More than one outsider then.”
“Aye, most come searching for something.”
