Page 4 of Salvation
“Someone was following you?” LaShawn scrubbed the towel over the back of his neck.
Great. Here we go again. Nick pushed out of the chair and stalked toward the kitchen. “Very funny. I’m making chili and corn bread for dinner. Take it or leave it.”
~*~
Sakura Yamata slipped through the door of the educational exam lab of the Collegium of Healers Satellite Campus, also known as the New Damon Beach Infirmary. Magister Dacian was in full lecture mode as his latest batch of Matiran students gave him their undivided attention. Maggie Bock sat on the exam table swinging her legs back and forth, showing more patience than any average nine-year-old. She had been the ‘patient’ for the Immune Systems of Terrian Children versus Matiran Children lecture since before Sakura had arrived ten months ago. Sakura suppressed a chuckle. There was only one reason for the little girl’s extraordinary patience, and that was the chocolates waiting for her once Magister finished. A little bribery never hurt.
Maggie glanced her way and grinned. Sakura gave the pocket of her grey smock a pat.Yes, Maggie-chan, the candy is here. All children deserved spoiling, this one in particular. After arriving in New Damon Beach nine months ago, Sakura had not known anyone except Magister Dacian. Maggie had gazed up at her with those big green eyes and said, “You’re Uncle Dante’s new disipula. That means you’re part of his family. Me too. I like you.”
Melancholy seeped into her heart. It would be difficult to leave her newfound family, but she would have to, soon. The next phase of her healer training required her to be at the Collegium of Healers on Matir for as long as a year. Although, Magister’s former disipulas, Alex and Nick Bock, had completedalltheir training in just over two years, which was unusual. Normally it took four to five years. She was only the third Terrian to receive this training, and she hoped she would follow the same timeline as Maggie’s mother and uncle.
Alex had said much the same, and so far everything seemed to be right on schedule, which meant her stay at the Collegium might only be six months.
“All right, Maggie.” Magister ruffled the girl’s curls, which were every bit as dark as Sakura’s. “Thank you for helping us out yet again, but I believe it’s time for you to get to Professor Singh’s for your lessons.”
“Okay, Uncle Dante.” The girl slid off the table and bounced over to Sakura.
“Here you go, Maggie-chan.” Sakura fished through her pocket until her fingers closed over the Matiran candy. If only it was Meiji Chocolate, the Japanese candy she had grown up eating. Maggie would have liked that, but Meiji did not exist anymore. Not since the Anferthians had wiped out just about everything seven years ago.
“Thank you, Sakura.” Maggie sing-songed her words, then opened the door and skipped from the room.
Sakura met Magister’s stern gaze. It would have been more effective if not for the twinkle of laughter in his brown eyes.
Magister turned back to his students. “Very well, then—”
“Uncle Nick!” Maggie’s shriek from the lobby cut off whatever Magister had been about to say.
Uncle Nick?TheUncle Nick? Sakura glanced at Magister. He seemed composed and in no way angry. He should be angry, though.Shewould be. Magister had never spoken ill of Alex’s brother, but she had heard from other students and townspeople about the day Nick had left. He had just walked out of the Infirmary, boarded the surface shuttle, and was rumored to be in the New L.A. area. Apparently he did not want to use his Gift anymore. Sakura clenched her teeth together. He disrespected everything their Gift to heal stood for, that self-centered jerk. Oh, yes, she would be furious if she was Magister. Shewasfurious.
Magister smiled at his students, then at her. “There is someone here all of you should meet.”
The students followed him from the exam room and Sakura fell in behind them. The farther from Nick Bock she was, the better. The current state of her emotions might lead her to do or say something that would embarrass Magister.
“Nick, good to see you.” Magister’svoice was warm as he exchanged a hug with the tall Terrian man in the lobby. Maggie squeaked, squashed between them as she clung to her newly-returned uncle like a barnacle to a pier.
Nick’s lean frame was about three inches shorter than Magister’ssix foot four inches. His brown hair had a hint of a wave to it, and his eyes were exactly like Alex’s: brown with bronze flecks. And, he was handsome.
Sakura gave her head a shake. No, not handsome. Okay, handsome. The type of guy who probably dated tall, anorexic super-model type women, not five-foot four-inch women with full hips and next to no breasts.
No! What was she thinking? His actions had proven him to be selfish and self-centered. A man who did not think about anyone’s feelings except his own.
“And this is my new disipula, Sakura Yamata.” Magister’s introduction yanked her from her jumbled thoughts. He was beaming at her.
This was not good. She had been so busy arguing with herself she had missed everyone else’s introduction. And now it was her turn to meet the wayward healer.
“You have a new disipula?” Was that a touch of envy in Nick’s voice?
“Indeed. I discovered Sakura and her Gift on a visit to Japan. She came to the infirmary last April.”
Nick’s smile seemed to have gone from genuine to forced. He extended his free hand, since Maggie did not seem inclined to release him. “Nice to meet you, Sakura.”
She moved her gaze from his face to his hand and back again. Then gave him a deep bow. “Ohayo gozaimasu, Nick-san.”
After she straightened, she raised her brows at him. Would he dare call her out for not accepting his handshake?
He lowered his hand to his side. “I have no idea what you just said.” His discomfort was clear, as if the admission somehow made him inferior to her. Good. A true healer would never have ditched his responsibility.
“I said, good morning. Magister Dacian once mentioned that you know other languages. Japanese is not one of them?”
His mouth opened, closed, then he shook his head. “No, Japanese is not one of them. Maybe you could teach me?”
A suggestive smile hovered on his lips, and she swallowed hard against the rising distaste at the back of her throat. She had not expected him to throw down his own challenge, especially one like that. But he was a man, so she should not be surprised.
“Students,” Magister said to the others. “If you will, retire to the study hall and review this morning’s lesson. Sakura and Nick, I will see you in my office, please.”
