him.
* * *
“Master Brok!”
Brok turned and greeted Beth Stone, a tall, handsome woman with sandy blonde hair to her waist and merry blue eyes. Those eyes were anything but merry this morning, and her normally smooth brow was furrowed with worry.
“Is something wrong, Mistress Stone? Is it one of the girls? Has one of them taken ill?”
“No, it's not any of my girls.” Beth wiped a hand across her forehead and smoothed her hair back. “It's Jon.”
Master Brok's eyes widened. “What about Jon? Has he been hurt?”
“No, I don't…” She was a little taken aback at the urgency in his voice. “The trouble is, I don't know.”
She shook her head and crossed her arms across her ample bosom. “He's been gone for over a week. He left a note saying he had gone camping in the Stone Mountains. But he has never been gone longer than a few days.”
Master Brok felt the faint stirrings of fear, like a small creature gnawing at his belly. If something were to happen to Jon, it could have catastrophic effects that would touch much more than this one family.
“Did the note say anything else?”
“No. It simply said he was going camping in the Stones. Oh Master Brok! What if something's happened? Should we gather theVillage Council to begin a search party?” she asked, her voice cracking under the strain.
Brok shook his head and held his arms up to placate her. “Let's go speak with the other students first. Perhaps Jon said something to them of his purpose in going to the mountains. It may be nothing more than his going on an excursion for medicinal herbs and plants.” Brok said this to convince himself as much as to soothe the frightened mother. But he didn't really believe a word of it.
Beth nodded in agreement and the two set off down the dusty road to Master Brok's house. Despite the gravity of the situation, Master Brok couldn't help but appreciate the beautiful fall morning. The sky was blue and cloudless. Flowers opened their petals to drink in the warm, golden sunlight. Birds flitted from tree to tree, frolicking and singing dozens of different tunes. Colorful butterflies and fat, bright orange nectarbees flew lazily among the flowers.
The two adults turned down the thin dirt path leading to Master Brok's home. His pace was quick, tight, and determined. Beth's pace was broken, moving quickly to catch up to Brok after her distracted thoughts caused her pace to slow. She was quite out of breath when they reached the Mystic's home.
The four Chosen sat in a semi-circle, studying and questioning each other on herb lore. One student would describe a plan in exquisite detail, and another would provide the name of the plant and all of its uses, medicinal or otherwise.
The students stood as they noticed Master Brok and Mistress Stone approaching, and brushed the dust from their robes.
“I have something of great importance to ask you.” Master Brok's blue eyes sought those of the Chosen. “Have any of you seen or heard from Jon Stone in the last week?”
Gwen, Saemus, and Keera all looked at each other in puzzlement. While none had seen the boy, they had assumed he was helping at the family farm, which he often did this time of year. Kaelin looked at the ground and shuffled her feet, unable to meet the eyes of her fellow classmates.
“Kaelin, what is it?” Gwen's voice shook. Kaelin's reaction to the question posed by Master Brok, and the presence of Mistress Stone, face pinched and eyes tight with worry, made Gwen's heart fall to her feet.
“Kaelin, speak of what you know. Quickly child!”
Kaelin's tear-filled onyx eyes met Master Brok's stern blue ones. She took a shuddering breath and spoke in a rush.
“It's all my fault. I told him the truth and I thought I was doing the right thing. If something has happened to him I will never forgive myself!” Kaelin sobbed.
Master Brok looked at the other students in utter confusion. The hysterical girl's words made no sense. Saemus had his arm around
* * *
“Master Brok!”
Brok turned and greeted Beth Stone, a tall, handsome woman with sandy blonde hair to her waist and merry blue eyes. Those eyes were anything but merry this morning, and her normally smooth brow was furrowed with worry.
“Is something wrong, Mistress Stone? Is it one of the girls? Has one of them taken ill?”
“No, it's not any of my girls.” Beth wiped a hand across her forehead and smoothed her hair back. “It's Jon.”
Master Brok's eyes widened. “What about Jon? Has he been hurt?”
“No, I don't…” She was a little taken aback at the urgency in his voice. “The trouble is, I don't know.”
She shook her head and crossed her arms across her ample bosom. “He's been gone for over a week. He left a note saying he had gone camping in the Stone Mountains. But he has never been gone longer than a few days.”
Master Brok felt the faint stirrings of fear, like a small creature gnawing at his belly. If something were to happen to Jon, it could have catastrophic effects that would touch much more than this one family.
“Did the note say anything else?”
“No. It simply said he was going camping in the Stones. Oh Master Brok! What if something's happened? Should we gather theVillage Council to begin a search party?” she asked, her voice cracking under the strain.
Brok shook his head and held his arms up to placate her. “Let's go speak with the other students first. Perhaps Jon said something to them of his purpose in going to the mountains. It may be nothing more than his going on an excursion for medicinal herbs and plants.” Brok said this to convince himself as much as to soothe the frightened mother. But he didn't really believe a word of it.
Beth nodded in agreement and the two set off down the dusty road to Master Brok's house. Despite the gravity of the situation, Master Brok couldn't help but appreciate the beautiful fall morning. The sky was blue and cloudless. Flowers opened their petals to drink in the warm, golden sunlight. Birds flitted from tree to tree, frolicking and singing dozens of different tunes. Colorful butterflies and fat, bright orange nectarbees flew lazily among the flowers.
The two adults turned down the thin dirt path leading to Master Brok's home. His pace was quick, tight, and determined. Beth's pace was broken, moving quickly to catch up to Brok after her distracted thoughts caused her pace to slow. She was quite out of breath when they reached the Mystic's home.
The four Chosen sat in a semi-circle, studying and questioning each other on herb lore. One student would describe a plan in exquisite detail, and another would provide the name of the plant and all of its uses, medicinal or otherwise.
The students stood as they noticed Master Brok and Mistress Stone approaching, and brushed the dust from their robes.
“I have something of great importance to ask you.” Master Brok's blue eyes sought those of the Chosen. “Have any of you seen or heard from Jon Stone in the last week?”
Gwen, Saemus, and Keera all looked at each other in puzzlement. While none had seen the boy, they had assumed he was helping at the family farm, which he often did this time of year. Kaelin looked at the ground and shuffled her feet, unable to meet the eyes of her fellow classmates.
“Kaelin, what is it?” Gwen's voice shook. Kaelin's reaction to the question posed by Master Brok, and the presence of Mistress Stone, face pinched and eyes tight with worry, made Gwen's heart fall to her feet.
“Kaelin, speak of what you know. Quickly child!”
Kaelin's tear-filled onyx eyes met Master Brok's stern blue ones. She took a shuddering breath and spoke in a rush.
“It's all my fault. I told him the truth and I thought I was doing the right thing. If something has happened to him I will never forgive myself!” Kaelin sobbed.
Master Brok looked at the other students in utter confusion. The hysterical girl's words made no sense. Saemus had his arm around
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