Page 255 of Alchemised
“She’s younger than me, you know,” Soren said. Helena nodded. “No one ever guesses that.”
He leaned forward and whispered something in Lila’s ear, his voice so low Helena couldn’t make out the words. Then he straightened, walking out.
Helena followed him. The hollow under his remaining eye looked like a crater. His face was drawn, pain lines visible around his mouth and the corner of his eye. Someone had removed his cast already. Elain.
“Come on,” she said, taking him into a curtained-off area and making him sit down.
She worked on his arm and hand first. The bone had been mended well, but it was a new injury, which made it more at risk of being broken again. She knew he wasn’t going to be careful. He’d be out in the field as soon as there was word. The best she could do was heal as far as she could, imitating the way Kaine’s body regenerated, not merely to “fixed” but all the way back to its prior state.
“I need your help,” he said as she placed new gauze over his eye.
Her hands stilled. “For what?”
“I need a healer, and you’re the best.”
She drew back, tilting his head to study his face even though his expressions were always evasive. “Soren, what have you done?”
He raised his eyebrow. “Nothing … yet.” A helpless smile just barely touched the edge of his lips. “You have to promise to help first before I can tell.”
Helena hesitated. With Luc or Lila around, Soren had never needed to create his own trouble. He was, Lila once joked, like a cat, feigning indifference but somehow always in the same room with you.
Soren alone was a mystery. She didn’t know what he might do when all the choices were his to make.
“All right. I promise. Tell me.”
“Not here,” he said, standing up.
They left Headquarters, wound through several alleys, and entered an abandoned shop.
“I got a healer,” he said as they entered the back room, his hand on Helena’s shoulder to push her through the door as if she might bolt otherwise. Which she might have, given how clearly planned her presence was.
Waiting there, fully armed, stood the two remaining members of Luc’s unit, Alister and Penny, as well as Sebastian and Crowther’s informant from the hospital, Purnell, who carefully avoided Helena’s eyes.
“Marino?” said Alister. “I thought you were getting a medic.”
“A medic’s not good enough,” Soren said as he walked up to the table in the centre of the room. Helena hung back. “We need a healer. Helena’s the best.”
“Maybe …” Alister said, dubiously, “but she’s never been in combat. She’ll be deadweight in a fight. Same as this one.” He pointed at Purnell. “You’re going to get us all killed if we don’t get this perfect.”
“We don’t need her to fight. We can fight. The thing none of us can do is make sure we can get Luc out alive. Hel’s the best bet for that. We don’t know what kind of condition he’s going to be in when we find him. She can fix anything.”
Helena wasn’t sure she appreciated the degree of confidence Soren was placing in her.
“Have you ever been to the front?” Alister was staring at her.
“No.”
“This is insane,” Alister said. “I’d follow you anywhere, Soren, but this is not a good plan. What if Luc’s in a bad way, and all we have is her; is she going to carry him out?”
“I’ll help!” Purnell spoke up abruptly. “After I show you the way, I can help with Luc. I’m good in the hospital.”
“Soren.” Helena’s voice was tight. “Can I talk to you?” She dragged him back outside. “What are you doing?”
“We’re getting Luc back,” he said.
“Yes, I’ve gathered that,” she said, shaking him, not caring that he was injured, because he was about to go commit suicide. “You’re barely recovered. Why is Purnell here?”
“Sofia?”
