Saige stared at the water that bubbled in the fountain at her feet. Mother Giselle was giving a sermon to a group of Andrastians near the herb garden. Her Orlesian accent was calming to the Inquisitor's tumultuous thoughts, many which centered around the mark on her hand. It had hurt at first. A deep, aching pain that lingered. In more recent days, it had become nothing more than an annoyance. A hum under the skin.
With a sigh, Saige blew a piece of her light blonde hair out of her face. She needed a distraction. Something that would keep the mark and other thoughts out of her mind.
"Fast heartbeat. Like wind in the hair. Too much and yet, not enough." A familiar voice spoke from behind her.
A quick glance over her shoulder allowed her to place the spirit. He was standing only a few feet away, his large hat covering his eyes, the sun blocked from his pale face.
"What is that?" Saige asked, unable to hide her interest. When Cole spoke, she listened. He didn't waste words.
"Raven hair. Skin like silk. She doesn't understand why she feels these things. She just does." Cole walked towards the fountain, his gray eyes staring down at the swirling current. "You feel them too."
Saige shifted on the bench. She liked Cole, respected him, but the fact that he could easily get into her head, read her feelings, made her uncomfortable. "I'm not sure I understand what you're talking about."
The spirit child turned his face towards her, eyes looking at her, but not really seeing her at all. "You can tell her. She cares. She can heal the hurt."
Before Saige could question him further, Cole was gone.
She lifted her right hand, the scar where her source of fade ripping power came from mocking her. Cole knew her better than she knew herself at times. There were things that Saige was hiding, from herself, from the rest of her friends and allies. Things she was afraid of. Her blue eyes swept the expanse of the garden and found the Inquisition's diplomat, the Antivan, Josephine Montilyet, sitting in the gazebo and reading a book.
Raven hair. Skin like silk. She doesn't understand why she feels these things.
You feel them too.
Sometimes Cole knew her too well.