Free Blaize and the Maven: The Energetics Book 1 by Ellen Bard Page B

desire. It made for an uneasy tension between them, and Cuinn tended to avoid him if he could. But this prophecy was too important to involve personal issues. He needed to make Minh understand. Believe.
    “It’s not a full prophecy at the moment, not while I can barely put words to half of it. But it is a warning of some kind.” Cuinn leaned forward in his chair.
    “Continue your dreamwalks, your research into the area. See if you can link what you’ve seen to anything we know. Take more books from the library.” There was a hint of impatience in Minh’s tone. “When do you start working with Marius’s girl? I heard she did well in her Manipura trial.”  
    He leaned back in a wide, high-backed chair, and tapped his fingers on the formal wooden table they sat around.
    “She’ll be there when I get back. Although I don’t really have time for it. I’ll start her on theory first, and reading, while I carry on with this task.” Cuinn shrugged.
    Damanea, the Ajna leader representing the future, whose gaze had been turned inwards until this point, appeared to refocus on the others in the room, and shook her head. Her eyes met Cuinn’s with a surprising intensity. “Blaize Blackfire’s destiny is bound up with yours, Cuinn. This I have seen. You must train her quickly. Troubles come before we ask for them. Have you looked into her future?”
    Cuinn shifted in his chair. “I tried, but it’s hazy, blurry. I thought that might be because she wouldn’t stay long with me …”  
    He felt a trickle of power in the room, like static along his arms, where it raised the hairs to attention.
    “You’re too close to her to see,” Damanea continued, her voice low and forceful. “And there are many possibilities. But in all of those that turn out well, you need her. She is the female Warrior. You are the male Sage. You will also need the Protector, Creator, Healer, and Communicator. Male and Female elements. You have seen the troubles coming, and you are correct. They are not what they seem. Six smaller challenges will come, and be overcome, before the final battle is faced. The success of the small challenges will determine the last. Balance and harmony may depend on all.”  
    She closed her eyes and bowed her head for a moment, taking a breath. “Work wisely and well with Blaize, Cuinn. You must lead, connect, unite.”  
    Cuinn felt prickles of ice down his spine, and he shivered. He hadn’t been involved personally in many others’ prophecies. He’d made his own, which had had implications for others, and sometimes implications for himself. But for him to be mentioned in this way in a prophecy—for that’s clearly what this was—by Damanea, of all people, was disturbing.
    Minh raised his eyebrows. “This is a personal prophecy Cuinn. We will scribe it for you and you can review it to see if any of the elements resonate with your own dreamwalks and prophecies. Perhaps there is something to your own dreamwalks after all. For now we support you taking the girl as an Adherent. But be careful. You must provide stability. An anchor to her pride. Come to us again if you think you have more dreams of note. We will discuss this further between ourselves.”  
    Minh stood up, as did Damanea.
    Kenji, the past farseer rose more slowly. “Your history is weighing you down. It is a millstone around your neck. Be confident now that you have come through that experience wisely. There is no need for the past to be repeated in the future.”

Chapter 10

    Cuinn arrived home after a long night of travelling and very little sleep. He’d stocked up on coffee at the airport, knowing he would drive home tired. When he arrived at Cathair Cuinn, he wanted nothing more than a shower and bed. But before he could head upstairs to his rooms, Tierra appeared from the direction of the kitchen. She gave him a warm hug, then took his hand and led him back to the kitchen. “You need food. Sit there, and I’ll get you something.