Kin: Bran’s Diary Entry

Day whatever, still in the forest

Something really weird happened tonight and I’m still trying to get my head round it.

We were all reading these old books Nix found in the loft. Heavy stuff about magic and awakenings and some proper dark things I don’t want to think about right now. Everyone went a bit quiet after and I couldn’t sit still, needed to do something with my hands.

So, I just reached for that bowl in the middle of the table. The one with all those glowing acorns I’d picked up earlier. They were still shining a bit, and I thought they were just interesting. Put my hand on them whilst I was thinking about other things.

Then this sound. Like metal chiming. Really clear.

I looked down and the acorns were gone. Just. Gone. And instead, there were these gold coins with all these symbols carved into them. Ivy and flames and a stag with crystal antlers. Proper detailed work. They were warm and they caught the candlelight and threw little rainbow colours everywhere.

I just stared at them for a bit going “did you see that?” which was obviously stupid because they’d all seen it.

I wasn’t trying to do anything. I swear. Just touched them. But somehow, they changed.

Oren reckons they’re tokens or something. Tavik thinks maybe they’re charms. Nix says we should keep them which is probably right but also slightly worrying because Nix usually knows things the rest of us don’t.

I keep looking at my hands like they’re going to suddenly make sense. They look exactly the same as they did this morning. Same hands I use for mixing poultices and checking pulses and all the normal healer stuff Yilda taught me.

Except now apparently, they can turn acorns into magic coins. Which wasn’t in any of my training.

The thing is I’m not scared. I’m excited. Properly buzzing actually. Like when you realise something you thought was impossible might actually be possible.

I’ve always known I’d be a healer. It’s what I’m good at, what makes sense. But this is different. This is something I didn’t know I could do and I’ve no idea how I did it or what it means or if I can do it again.

My magic is waking up and it’s nothing like what I expected. It’s not just the healing stuff. It’s something else. Something to do with the forest maybe. The tree house has been giving us things. Food and books and light and everything we needed. And now this. Like the forest is teaching us somehow.

Oren’s got four years until his awakening. I’ve got seven. But something’s already starting and I don’t think it’s going to wait for the right time or the proper ritual or anything the books talk about.

The coins are still on the table. Still glowing a bit. I don’t know what they’re for. Don’t know if they’re important or just. I don’t know. Forest things.

But I did that. Me. Without meaning to or knowing how.

That’s got to mean something.

I should probably try to sleep but I’m too wired. Keep thinking about it. About what else might be possible. About what my magic actually is.

Right. Going to try to get some rest. Big day tomorrow probably. Isn’t it always.

Written in haste and wonder, Bran