Kaelyn explained all she had done and learned, quietly amused and pleased that he was as interested in the affairs around town as he was in her discoveries about Brant and Daisy. When she finished her telling Colm leaned back, pondering quietly, looking down at his hands folded across his stomach. Kaelyn watched him, trying to be patient and learn from the elder healer's wisdom, instead of being frustrated and impatient.

At length Colm spoke.

“Do you know how I first met Sonja?”

It felt wrong to go to bed, comfortable, warm, in a soft flannel night gown, with a soft, warm down comforter, when Daisy was... She didn't want to even think of where Daisy was sleeping or...not sleeping...

Colm's incantation did its gentle work, though, and chamomile and honey did theirs. Kaelyn slipped obediently into bed and closed her eyes. Soon she was asleep, but not inactive.

NOTE: I don't like this chapter at all. It has a few good ideas, but will almost certainly be scrapped, or at the very least massively rewritten. I'm including it just in the interest of writing with the door open. Consider this an outtake.

Head south...that was roughly all Kaelyn had to go on. She went downstairs to discuss her dream with Master Colm, and was somewhat surprised at his reaction.

Daisy pulled Kaelyn's comforter closer around her shoulders and leaned back against the wall. Brant had slept for a while, but was awake and raving again. She tried hard to keep herself from thinking of it as the “Brant Rant”. It wasn't even a good joke.

Instead she thought about Kaelyn's question. Why wasn't she scared? By rights she should utterly terrified, she was in a cave with a man who has repeatedly expressed the desire to kill her and has built an an altar expressly for that purpose. This wasn't a good time for calm. So why was she calm?

Kaelyn had spent a somewhat distressing morning in town, feeling like she was going in circles. She visited the wizards' workshop, and asked Sonja where they felt that demonic energy. Sonja gave her a general direction, and condolences that Mason wasn't in the shop today. Kaelyn set out to the library to look at any maps they might have, and found once again that Strand's library left much to be desired. However, they told her that he wizards might have some maps.

She decided to skip another trip there and just headed east. Strand was well named, the space between the sea and the mountain range was narrow, less than six miles before you got to the peaks, and less than an mile to the foothills. But she was also planning on cheating just a little bit.

Twenty minutes later, Kaelyn wasn't sure this was actually the best miracle ever. As they walked and followed Mason's home-made map she tried to explain how she had come to be there. It didn't go well.

Daisy woke with a start when Brant came storming into the cave. She hadn't been aware he had left. She had no idea what time it was outside, but he was awake so it was probably day time. eh seemed to be leaving the cave from time to time.

Daisy sat up and watched Brant. he was long pas the stage where she felt any real sympathy for him, she was afraid. his life hadn't been perfect, but whose is? The slights he thought were so egregious were just part of growing up.

Kaelyn stood up and pulled Mason up. “I don't think...I don't think another attempt will help right now,” Mason said as he dusted off the seat of his trousers. “How is your head?” Kaelyn asked.

Mason rubbed the back of his head. “I think it's okay... Thank you.” Kaelyn reached up to feel where his head hit the ground. “The swelling is down...and I don't feel much internal trauma, but I'll want to check again in a day or so.” She stood back and smiled, briefly. “We figured out where Daisy is being held, and we got attacked by a demonic presence. Not a bad days' work.” Kaelyn said. Her heart was racing but she was trying to stay calm and efficient.

Daisy looked up when Brant came into the cave. he was holding a live chicken.

“Got a new pet? Am I really that boring?” Daisy said. Brant looked at her but only briefly, and with great fear in his eyes. with his back to Daisy he tied the chicken to his makeshift altar and started chanting quietly. The torchlight in the cave turned blood red again, but this time a shadowy form coalesced to Brant's side. Taller than Brant, a deeper shadow than the gloom in the rest of the cave, shaped like a muscular man.

Sonja opened the door and looked up. “Colm, Marion,” She said. Mama smiled. “It's been too long Sonja,” she said and stepped forward to hug the wizard. Sonja embraced her back warmly and invited them in.

Colm patted Sonja shoulder in a kind fashion as they walked inside and said “we brought tea,” pulling a small rosewood box out of his satchel and handing it to Sonja.

“I should hope so. that's the only thing you healers are good for.”