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

vulnerable. But she needed the training so badly …
    “Truly.” The older woman smiled at her. “You see, one of my abilities, one that’s enhanced by magic, is the ability to gain people’s trust. That’s why you told me something you’d rather not have people know. It helps make me a better teacher, knowing these other things, having you trust me, but I’m very conscious of keeping your trust once I have it. So no, I won’t tell anyone about you being a thief or the magic you have with the mortar and pestle.”
     
    Over the next few weeks Brenna and Mistress Utley fell into a routine. Brenna arrived at the cottage shortly after sunrise every day and would make breakfast of porridge and a tea to help ease the older woman’s aches and pains. Then Brenna would sit down to her studies while Mistress Utley sat by the fire.
    Brenna had been disappointed to find that she’d be spending long hours studying the old gods - she wanted learn how to control her power - but Mistress Utley insisted that the balance of the old gods was the basis of all magic, so she’d concentrated on the task.
    Growing up in Duke Thorold’s estate, Brenna, like all members of the household, had been required to attend services for the One-God - but the church’s strict rules and disciplines had never inspired a child already confined by her circumstances.
    Her mother had taken her to other ceremonies where the old gods had been worshipped. It was a very small group of people, rural folk mostly, tied to the ebb and flow of the land. For them, spring planting, healthy livestock and good weather were all due to the bounty of Ush. Brenna’s mother also prayed to Ush for aid in healing and Brenna had sometimes joined other indentured servants to pray to Jik for safety, but she knew little about the rest of the old gods.
    With Mistress Utley, Brenna learned how the five gods governed all aspects of life.
    Ush held authority over the physical world - the earth, the sun, the seas and all living creatures.
    Jik was the god of safety and kept the balance between chaos and order. Brenna was surprised to learn that the god she had often prayed to while growing up held dominion over the unseen, which included her visions of the future.
    Anu was the gentlest god - the god of families and belonging and love while Simi’s qualities were understanding and acceptance.
    Finally there was Toru, the god the Collegium library was dedicated to. Toru was the god of knowledge but also of fulfilling your destiny – of finding your rightful place in the world.
    Mistress Utley said that to find their destiny, a person must master the attributes of each of the other gods – Toru’s aspects could not be attained until all others were mastered.
    All magically enhanced abilities were centered on the five gods, Mistress Utley explained. Brenna’s talents fell under the domains of Ush – for healing - and Jik – for Seeing. Mistress Utley’s own ability to gain trust was due to Simi and her teaching abilities were firmly in Toru’s realm.
    When Mistress Utley was finally satisfied with Brenna’s grasp of the cycles of the old gods, she started to teach her how to handle her power.
     
    “Imagine you are a weaver, Brenna, and all the separate strands are the pieces of your power. What you need to do is weave all those strands tightly together so that none escape. Not only will you have woven your power into a much stronger force, but you will not waste it.”
    It was a sunny, early spring day - warm enough in the bright sun that they were sitting outside on Mistress Utley’s front step, each wrapped up tight in thick cloaks. Mistress Utley also had a long black scarf wrapped around her neck to keep the chill out.
    “Try it again,” she said.
    Brenna concentrated on her pack in front of her. She spoke the words of the concealment spell she’d learned from her mother, all the while trying to feel and collect her power. All of a sudden, she was surrounded by a