His hand moved to my shoulder. I winced from the cold of it, then I felt his magic activating in my skin. The relief started to flow.
“They kind of look like ferns,” Fin said.
“This is why they are called Ferning,” Boutros said as his magic worked through me. It felt odd. I was used to giving healing, not receiving it, so I wasn’t ready for the tickling sensation of builders shifting through my veins and flesh and hammering out the damage.
“They are the marks of the electrical power passing through the body,” Boutros went on. “This is why you see some on the torso and some down the arm. Given the burn on his palm, I would suggest that that was the discharge point. Some of these marks will fade, others may not. Like all wounds. Are you interested in healing, boy?”
“That’s not my magic,” Fin said. “I’m just interested in my dad getting better.”
Boutros worked in silence for a few more minutes, and I did feel better for it. All the boiling under my skin was gone, and the water was warming me through. The cold that had frozen my core was starting to thaw.
Finally Boutros moved away and checked Ang in the tub next to me. Ang’s head rested back on the rounded metal lip, his skin looked more its usual golden hue. The grey was gone from his lips, but the shadows remained under his eyes.
“You will both be fine, but you need to warm up and rest.” Boutros turned to Fin. “This man is your father, yes?” Fin confirmed it. “Do you share accommodation?” Again Fin confirmed it. “Then go to your accommodation and ensure a blazing fire. He will need that once we have his core temperature up.” Fin nodded and rushed away. Boutros looked around. “Perhaps one of you gentlemen can do the same for your captain?” Someone promised to do so. “Next they will need to be fed. Soup would be best. Can someone—”
“I’ll get on that now.” I couldn’t tell who said that as I was drifting into a comfortable miasma of warmth without pain.
When next I opened my eyes, I saw the room was empty but for Ang and me. His arm was out of the tub, which wouldn’t help him, so I reached out and took his hand. The touch instantly startled him. Then I felt his fingers curl around mine. His head went back to resting on the tub, his eyes closed. I did the same, and somehow the connection between the two of us was as warming as the hot water.
Chapter Fifteen
“I feel burned out,” I told Boutros when he asked the next day. I was in my apartment, in my bed. Under orders not to rise. “Like I don’t have any energy left.”
Boutros nodded. “You had a lightning bolt pass through you. You are lucky you did not die.”
I couldn’t agree more. “I …”
“Yes?” he prompted when I failed to go on.
Thankfully I knew Fin had left for school, so I was free to speak. “I tried to heal myself and … couldn’t,” I said. “Have I… lost it?”
Boutros shook his head, lifted his chin, and rolled his eyes. “You had alightning bolt pass through you,” he repeated “You are lucky you did not die.”
“I know, but—”
“Do you have a hearing problem?”
“No.”
“Hmm, are you sure?” His tone dripped sarcasm. “You had a lightning bolt pass through you! You are lucky you did not die!” he said, louder this time.
“You’re telling me I need some recovery time?”
“Thank the Gods!” He clapped his hands together as if in prayer, but loudly. “He can be taught!”
“Thanks.” If he wanted to deploy sarcasm with his healing, he could take some in return.
“Flight Sergeant Segast,” he said carefully, “your colleagues say you are something of a powerhouse for keeping going. If your abilities are half as impressive as your son’s, then I suspect they, rather than luck, are the reason that both you and Flight Captain Shi remain alive. But there are limitsto all healing powers, and right now you need to finish healing naturally. I am certain that once you are recovered, your healing magic will recover as well. We will see next week.”
“Next week?” I asked. “I can’t not work for ten whole days.”
This time his eyebrows went up and his chin down.
“Last time I had to take that much time off duty, I was in deep trouble.”
“You mean when you overextended your abilities to save your son, attacked a monster of a Stable Master, got your face and nose sliced opened, and healed yourself to the point that there is only the most minimal of scars on your cheek before you collapsed in exhaustion?”
My eyes narrowed at him. “How do you know all that?”
