That was interesting. Lizzie had served countless hours as nursemaid when Moira was recovering from her stroke. “What do you mean? Different how?” One of the healer trainee’s more difficult tasks was learning to put words to things vaguely felt in scans.

Lizzie’s face screwed up in thought. “Well, the hurt is in his head, just like Gran’s, but there’s nothing really there. It doesn’t start anywhere-it’s just kind of all over. With Gran, we healed the hurt spot, and she got a lot better.” She looked down at Marcus, who was stirring now. “We can’t heal his whole head-it’s too big and grumpy.”

Sophie hid a grin-truer words were never spoken. “Sometimes when we aren’t sure what happened, it’s best to ask the patient.” She directed a light flow of energy into the healing trance. Time for Marcus to wake up and face the music. The fairly limited music-they’d cleared the room.

Some patients appreciated waking up to a room full of love. Marcus was not one of those patients.

When his eyes finally opened, the pain in them nearly knocked Sophie over. And then it eased-locked behind the impenetrable wall he always wore like armor. She felt the healing trance disconnect, lopped off by the strong mental will at the other end.

Marcus growled, the kind of hungry-bear sound that would have had most six-year-olds running for the door. Fortunately, Lizzie was made of sterner stuff. She patted his cheek and gave him a glare that would have done Moira proud. “Lie still while the blood finds your head or you’ll just end up lying on the floor again, and Uncle Aaron says you were heavy enough to carry the first time.”

Bright spots of red popped up on Marcus’s cheeks. His eyes zinged to Sophie’s. “What happened?”

Some things weren’t meant for little ears, even ones preparing for important responsibilities. Sophie put a hand on Lizzie’s shoulder. “Go send Gran in, lovey-and then if you could make up some of my chamomile tea, that would be helpful.” She leaned in and whispered, knowing it would take a good bribe to separate Lizzie and her newest patient. “You can doctor it up with anything you’d like from the bottom shelf of my herbals.”