Healer (Brotherhood of the Throne Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

filled a clean mug. One small measure of powder went into the mug and the rest she dumped into a small bowl she found in the cupboard. Mistress Utley could use this for another dose later if she needed.
    “What are you doing, girl?” The voice was querulous, and stronger than Brenna had expected, given the woman’s obviously frail state.
    “Just making you a tea.” Brenna grabbed the mug and walked over to her. “See, it’s something to help.”
    “What’s in it?” Mistress Utley reached one shaky hand out and gripped the mug, bringing it closer as she sniffed.
    “A little meadowsweet for your aches and pains and some ginger to ward off chills.”
    “I can smell that, girl.” Mistress Utley’s eyes narrowed as she sniffed again at the tea. “I mean the magic. What spell did you use?”
    “Spell? I didn’t use a spell.” She looked over her shoulder at the mortar and pestle sitting out on the table. Too late, she realized that she should have put them away. She turned back to see Mistress Utley’s eyes dart from the tabletop to her and back to her tools again.
    “Sit down.” Mistress Utley motioned for Brenna to sit on one of the chairs opposite her.
    Nervously, Brenna complied, settling onto the hard wood with a lump in her throat. She could still see the mortar and pestle, innocently sitting on the table across the room.
    Brenna watched as Mistress Utley sipped her tea.
    “I don’t think you’re trying to kill me, girl. I can’t detect anything amiss in this tea.” The elderly woman sighed as she took another sip. “It works wonderfully well, as a matter of fact.”
    Brenna watched silently as Mistress Utley finished her tea and placed the mug on the bench beside her.
    “Thank you my dear, that was very helpful.” Mistress Utley let the green cloak fall from her shoulders and she sat up straighter. “A most unusual beginning. I’ve never had this happen before.” She turned her dark eyes on Brenna. “I start all my students off the same way, Brenna, by letting them decide what needs to be done first. But you are the first one to feel that my well-being needed tending to first.” She smiled, her face wrinkling up around her yellowing teeth. “And the first to use magic on me. Don’t worry, I can tell you meant no harm. Likely you don’t even know what you did.”
    Brenna nodded. She’d suspected that the old steel mortar and pestle somehow helped make her poultices and potions work better but she hadn’t been sure it was actual magic.
    “I do want to know more about that magic,” the witch said. “Bring me that mortar and pestle.”
    Reluctantly, Brenna stood and went back over to the table. She blew the last few particles of the tea from the bowl of the mortar. She could leave now, stuff everything back into her pack and simply walk away. But then she’d never get to learn magic, really learn it. And she had no doubt the witches of Aruntun would soon be on the lookout for her - a renegade witch with too much power and no control. She had to stay. Her shoulders slumped as she picked up the mortar and pestle and turned and walked back to Mistress Utley. Wordlessly, she handed them over to the papery grasp of the elderly woman.
    “Well, well,” Mistress Utley muttered under her breath as she turned the objects over. She smoothed a hand along the mortar and Brenna felt a ghost of a shiver run down her spine. “Very interesting. Where did you find these, girl?” Black eyes bored into her.
    “In Kingsreach,” Brenna said. She ducked her head as she sat back down in the chair. “They more or less found me.” The urge to snatch them out of the other woman’s hands was strong. She clenched her fists and reminded herself that even if taken far away and hidden, she’d always be able to find the mortar and pestle. She automatically reached for their song and on hearing it, relaxed.
    “What did you do? Just now?” Mistress Utley looked from Brenna to the mortar and pestle she held.