Page 161 of Alchemised
The pain and swelling in Helena’s wrist and fingers rapidly vanished, and Ivy searched for the fracture in Helena’s wrist. In a matter of minutes, Helena could move her fingers again without much pain and begin to feel her resonance.
“Thank you,” she said, drawing her hand away as quickly as she could.
Ivy’s hand dropped to her side. She watched Helena, an uncanny look of curiosity in her eyes. “My sister likes you.”
“Oh. Does she work in the hospital?”
“Ivy,” Crowther said sharply, “out now. And not a word about this to anyone.”
Ivy gave a careless nod as she left.
Crowther closed the door again. Helena wanted to ask who the girl was, but she dreaded the conversation and turned her attention to her right hand. She blocked the nerves at the elbow and began a cautious examination.
“What happened?”
“I think Ferron was upset about last week,” she said, glad she had something to focus on so she didn’t have to look at Crowther. “You know how prideful he is. I don’t think he liked that I’d helped him. I barely arrived and he said he wanted to see me fight.”
She glanced up in time to see Crowther’s lips disappear into a thin line.
“Did you reveal your vivimancy?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
Crowther nodded, still looking sceptical.
“Who was that girl?” Helena asked.
“Orphan,” Crowther said. “Found her in the slums.” He made a sound of irritation. “You’ll say you caught a cold. You can have a few days off. But you can’t be seen returning to Headquarters like this again. There’s a drop location a little way away; it’s kept stocked with clothes, basic supplies. In the future, you’ll go there for things like this. If you don’t turn up here, that’s where you’ll be looked for.”
Helena gave a dull nod as the swelling in her right hand was finally reduced to the point that she could use it to examine Ivy’s work on her left hand.
She had nothing to do while her hands finished recovering. Having days off was overly cautious, but better to be safe. If she ended up with nerve damage in her hands, she’d be rendered almost useless.
She preoccupied herself by sorting through the contents of her trunk. There wasn’t much inside it but old notebooks from her classes at the Institute. Most of her possessions had been left behind in Etras because the Institute had small dorms and strict dress codes. Inside a small box lay a tintype of Helena with her father just before she’d begun at the Institute. Ten years old and in uniform, her expression so eager. Her father had worn his white medical coat for the picture, even though he wasn’t licensed in Paladia. He’d wanted to look professional when he brought her.
She closed the box and picked up the amulet, letting the rays align with the scars in her palm.
She went over to the window, still holding it, as she clambered out onto the roof. It had been Luc who’d shown her how to climb from the windows and onto the gently sloping roof below the Tower beacon.
The fires of the Eternal Flame glowed overhead as she stood there alone, a low iron railing the only barrier between her and the lethal drop.
She wished she could shut her mind off for a little while. The redirection technique could only create a little space, but her misery just kept seeping back.
She stared at the suncrest as the white flames overhead glittered across its surface. She almost let it drop off the edge, wanting to watch it fall until it vanished.
She felt ashamed every time she looked at it, embarrassed by how much meaning she’d thought it had.
She let the chain slip through her fingers but stopped.
No. This amulet didn’t represent Ilva, it stood for Luc. Ilva had exploited that, but it wasn’t Luc’s fault. Helena was doing this for him, and he was worth it.
She pulled the chain back over her neck, hiding it beneath her clothes, and sat staring across the city as the gold grew warm against her heart.
WHEN SHE WENT BACK TO the Outpost the following week, there were contingencies in place. The drop point in an abandoned basement would function as a makeshift safe house. If injured beyond her healing abilities, Helena would go there. There were basic medical supplies and a shortwave radio. A coded message would have Ivy dispatched.
