That got Bria thinking Ogga had touched the cord but not the pendant or she would have seen it. Why hadn’t she touched the pendant?
“Nonsense,” Ogga snapped. “The Wise can see all the way back to its creation.”
“Her ability has only made itself known,” Kaelan said. “It needs time to mature.”
Ogga glared at him. “She has no time. She sees it or she is useless to me, and if she is useless…” She let the thought hang there.
“This pendant has a piece missing from it,” Bria said.
“Useful after all.” Ogga smiled. “Tell me.”
“The piece interlocks with a similar piece,” Bria explained, pointing to a spot on the pendant where something had connected with it. “But I cannot tell where that piece is by touching this one. If I were able to touch things around where the piece was found, I might learn more.”
Ogga’s eyes brightened. “A chance to learn more. We will take it.”
“We?” Kaelan asked, though he did not need to. It was obvious what the witch was thinking and he did not like it one bit.
Ogga smiled. “You, your wife, and the troll.”
The beast stirred beneath the surface, not enough for anyone else to notice, but enough for Bria to feel it. The air around him seemed to tighten and she slipped her hand into his. His fingers immediately closed around hers firmly and she did her best to comfort, to ease the beast within.
“What of Braden? Does he know about this pendant?” Kaelan asked.
Ogga’s gaze sharpened. “Nay, Braden serves Tharne.”
Kaelan needed no further explanation. “If he learned someone could lead him to the healer, he would not hesitate to alert Dreth.”
“And your wife would be taken from you never to see her again,” Ogga informed him of something she was sure he already considered.
Bria felt Kaelan grow even more agitated beside her. A faint gold appeared in his eyes and brightened briefly before he lowered his head.
Ogga caught it and took an involuntary step back, warning, “Careful, Kaelan.”
His gaze lifted slowly to hers. “If harm comes to my wife because of this, there will be nowhere in Driochmor you can hide from me.”
The threat settled heavily between them.
For once, Ogga did not smile. Instead, she turned to a servant lingering near the doorway.
“Fetch the troll,” she snapped sharply.
The servant hurried off.
Silence settled briefly over the hall.
Bria’s hand remained wrapped in Kaelan’s. She felt the tension running through him and try as she might to comfort and ease, it was difficult, the beast too powerful. She understood too well what troubled him. Every path seemed to lead to danger. The king. Drogath. Ogga. None offered safety for them… for her.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the hall before the troll entered.
His gaze immediately settled on the pendant. “Found that.”
“Aye, you did,” Ogga said. “And now you will take them to where you found it.”
The troll frowned. “Long walk.”
“How long?” Bria asked.
The troll scratched his head, then held up a thick finger. “One day there.” A second finger joined the first. “One day back.”
