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She shook the thought away She was in no danger Her neighbors did not fear her Did they? Frowning, she turned to the task of ers ca an object that had been lost, or for potions to ward off the evil eye They sought her aid in bringing rain to drought-weary crops or for charainst any nue and fertility charood luck, or prosperity, or good health They thought of her as a healer Didn't they? She had never heard any of them call her a witch

Troubled, she went to the well What if the stranger was right? What if her life was in danger? She lowered the bucket and filled it ater, then returned to her house Morgana trailed at her heels like a small black shadow

Brow furrowed, Brenna filled a kettle ater and hung it over the fire to heat, the stranger's words echoing in her mind as she moved about her daily tasks And all the while, she experienced a growing sense of foreboding An o?

Tihout the day, she went to thelooking for him, not certain if she was relieved or disappointed by his absence

Toward ardens Roses, violets, lavender, vervain, and rosearlic, rue, and wood sorrel for healing; wort, yarrow, and ood for divination Juniper, mistletoe, basil, fennel, flax, rowan, and trefoil were protective herbs, and she grew these in abundance for use in sachet bags and protection wreaths

Returning to the house, she went to her work area, where she kept herthe leaves of rose with a handful of herbs The love chary, as shters

Purring softly, Morgana brushed against Brenna's ankles, then sat at her feet while she worked Brenna hu a bit of music to the char the color for love and affection

Colors played a vital part in the casting of spells and preparing charreen heralded fertility and prosperity; red was for passion and vigor, it was believed to increase wealth; orange increased sexual potency; blue brought peace and healing to the soul; yellow stiick for ani spells Brenna surrounded herself with the color purple to increase her own ical powers

Late in the afternoon, John Linder ca man with a shock of white-blond hair and sad blue eyes John was shy to the point where it seemed almost painful for him to speak He fancied himself in love with her; perhaps he was, but she felt only friendship for him, friendship and pity

Today he ca a char, she bade hi "Thank you," he followed her inside, re his orn cap as he did so

He sat on the chair beside the hearth, his cap clutched tightly in his lap, watching her every move as she mixed a bit of sheep's suet and the rind of an elder tree and boiled theether in a small silver pot

When the ointment was ready, she removed it from the fire

"How did you do that?" she asked while the ointed "I… I burned it on the handle of… of a pan" A blush stained his cheeks "I forgot it… it as hot"

Nodding, she applied a thick layer of ointment to his palm, then wrapped his hand in a strip of clean cotton cloth "It will be gone in a day or two"

"Will I have a… a scar?"

"No"