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The man could haggle anyone out of anything for nearly free.
Not to mention the seeds he brought back to the farmers that were toted as magical. There was a saying among them: “If Declan Rafferty didn’t bring the seeds across the gate on his person, I want nothing to do with them.”
Everyone had laughed until another one of Declan’s authorized men had brought them through, and the seeds never even attempted to bloom. Another few tests and they all figured Declan was damn good at getting the best seed.
It all equaled up to him being the most valuable trader in the entire country, which was vast outside of the town, and Bryn wished she could explore it. Maybe go even further and explore the parts that King Bres hadn’t yet brought to heel under his rule. To see what it was like when culture wasn’t contained and controlled by a man far away in the farthest city to the west of Ifreann, Drystan.
It was all words to Bryn, never having seen even a picture of the king, yet she knew since the town paid a tithe and honored the king’s favored religion they were left to their own devices. As long as they followed the rules, the wraiths would not be making a surprise visit.
Closing her eyes against a sudden wave of dizziness, she leaned back and was met by a hard chest.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” a voice whispered into her ear, making her jump.
Jumping and spinning away, she saw Travis stop where he was walking to make sure she was all right before moving quickly down the road toward the meeting hall. Bryn breathed a sigh of relief at seeing him in one piece after working the guard tower during the storm. She knew it had to have been him who sounded the horns.
Turning back to Caden, he smiled at her, his white teeth in contrast to his dark olive skin and long black hair pulled back at the nape of his neck. Always ready for some good humor, the man lived to tease her.
“Don’t scare me!” Bryn clutched at her shirt over where her heart was, taking a deep breath as she stared down the bartender she had seen only hours ago.
A loud guffaw from the man brought the attention of those on the street to her and Caden. That included Declan, one of the many people whom she had hoped to avoid.
She was so tempted to touch Caden’s arm and see if she had a vision but stopped herself. The temptation to see if it was only Sage and Kessler she could touch without an issue was strong, but the thought of seeing a friend die was too much. Unless he was old and surrounded by loved ones, she couldn’t handle it.
When Mr. Rafferty walked down Saints’ Road at a clipped pace, everyone’s eyes followed him. Declan’s too, before he cut a look to her that promised a conversation later before he continued with his work.
Mr. Rafferty went into the sheriff’s office just after Travis, the door slamming shut behind him. She figured it was a meeting about the storm, but why the sheriff’s office and not the meeting hall?
“What’s going on, Caden?” she asked, watching Declan making a motion with his hands to the men to continue on before jogging over to follow his father in. The man was graceful for being well over six feet tall and built like a mountain. Both him and Kessler were huge compared to the rest of the men in town.
Leaning too far forward, Bryn stumbled from the step of the porch, almost meeting the dirt road face-first before Caden grabbed her hand.
No vision, but no shock either.
“Whoa now!” Caden laughed, his face going from humorous to confused as Bryn rounded on him. She had no idea what her face looked like, but Caden took a small step back, putting his hands up before they went back to his sides. “Time for bed, Brynnie-bear.”
“I’ve got her. Thanks, Caden.” Jace’s voice flowed over her, and she turned to her cousin as he moved his medical bag from his right side to his left side so she could take his arm. A static shock just as with Sage and Kessler moved between her and her cousin.
“Let me know if y’all need anything. Looks like it’ll be a hot minute before this place is up to par.” Caden gave a nod, concern marring his brow for a split second before he shook his head and sauntered off in the same direction Travis had gone. Bryn wanted to follow but thought better of it.
Giving Caden a nod, Jace pulled Bryn behind him, walking them to the clinic.
“Are there lots of injured?” Bryn asked as she pulled out of his grip, needing some space. Touching people could be overwhelming when one wasn’t used to it, and she needed a moment to reset her thinking.
Her mind still spun with the visions and realizations she’d come to in the past hour, but thankfully the sensitivity to her environment calmed down as they walked. Almost as if just the nearness of her cousin helped to divert all the excess energy and soothe her frayed nerves.
“Yes... but there is more than that,” he whispered, looking around, then moved them faster to the apartments above the clinic, Bryn trying to keep up with him. She hoped Mallory was with her beau so she wouldn’t have to deal with the woman on top of everything else. One crisis at a time. She’d had more than enough to deal with today.
His shoulders were tense, his knuckles white, and anxiety was palpable as he gripped the doorknob to her apartment door.
She wondered if somehow he took her fear and nerves onto himself.
Ridiculous thought, she chastised herself.
Throwing open the door, Jace all but pushed her in before slamming it closed behind them, making Bryn wince. If Mallory was home, she was sure to investigate now.
Turning on her, she watched Jace attempt to calm himself and gave him a minute to gather his wits before she started in on the questions.
There was not a thing in their tiny little town that she could think of that would set him off like this.
