Chapter 42

Briar’s POV

After dropping the kids off at school, I felt useless.

I sat in my car for a while, staring at the wheel, trying to figure out what to do with myself. There was always something to handle, always another crisis waiting, but today, there was nothing.

It felt wrong.

I exhaled sharply and checked my phone. A single message stared back at me. Council Hall. Now.

I sighed. No explanation, no warning, just an order.

By the time I pulled up to the hall, my mood had soured. The council building was old, built with stone that made it look more like a relic than a functioning place of authority. I pushed through the heavy doors, the cool air inside making my skin prickle.

Elder Ama was waiting at the long table, along with three other council members. They watched me with expressions that gave nothing away.

"Briar," Ama said, motioning for me to sit.

I didn’t move right away. "This about the clinic?"