“Okay, Niece, explain to me why you went AWOL and where you were fitted with prosthetics. That hand looks to be top of the line. The Army didn’t fit you for one that good and your walk indicates that your leg must be at least as good as that hand. What’s going on kid?”
I was only mildly surprised that my apprentice seemed to be having trouble deciding how to start. I took her left hand in my right, and we shared emotions. She was nervous, but not afraid. No, I’d say she was more embarrassed than afraid. I projected my confidence in her as warmly as I could.
Emily noticed our clasping hands and her eyes widened. “Oh, my God! Did you run off and get married?”
Tess’s emotions immediately switched to shock. She pulled her hand from mine as if I’d burned her. “Married? To Rafe? Goodness no!”
I thought I should have been insulted by the strength of her denial.
“Then what’s going on? Wait a second. The flyboys told me you left with a man on a motorcycle. Didn’t I hear a Harley just before you rang the doorbell?”
“Yes, yes to both your question and your statement. Rafe did rescue me from the hospital, and we rode here on our Harleys.”
Tess stepped forward, suddenly, and Emily made a flinch backward before she held her ground. Tess raised both of her hands to Emily’s face. “Feel my flesh, Aunt Emily. Do my hands feel like one of them is prosthetic?”
Emily’s face darkened in thought and then her own hands rose to take Tess’s in them. She held them in front of her and ran her fingers across the skin and the short hairs on the back, and then she flipped them over and studied the lines and calluses on their palms. Her eyes rose to meet Tess’s. “How has this happened? You were missing this hand less than two weeks ago.”
Tess laughed nervously. “I know. Isn’t it amazing? It’s Rafe’s doing.”
Emily turned her head sharply to stare at me. I grinned disarmingly, I hoped.
“What is he? Some sort of healer?”
“Sort of, but much more than that, Aunt Emily. He healed my burns that first night and convinced me to leave with him. Since then he’s regrown both my hand and my leg. If it weren’t for Rafe, I’d still be in that hospital bed, waiting to heal enough to be fitted for an artificial hand and leg.” Tess turned her head to the side and ran a hand across the new growth of hair above her ear. “You didn’t see the burns on the side of my face, Aunt Emily, but I’d have been scarred for life if not for Rafe.”
Emily shook her head slowly. “This isn’t possible, Tess. You can’t regrow hands and legs.”
“You want to feel my leg?” Tess asked.
“No, I don’t. It’s some kind of trick. It must be.”
Tess turned slightly to look at me. “She needs convincing.”
She held out her hand, and I saw her eyes dart toward my boot. I reached down and drew out Walt’s knife.
“What are you–No, don’t!” Emily shouted as Tess drew the keen blade across the center of her palm.
Tess winced slightly as the blade left a half-inch deep slice across the width of her palm. Blood welled up and began to pool in her palm.
“Damn it, Tess, what did you do that for?” Emily plucked a white handkerchief from a pocket and reached for her niece.
Tess stepped back out of her reach.
“Just stay where you are and watch,” Tess ordered. She spoke the words to the healing spell I’d taught her, and I could feel the power amplification of Loki’s amulet kick in. The bleeding stopped within seconds, and Tess held out her hand, palm up to her aunt.
Emily took the hand and dabbed at the blood. When she had Tess’s palm revealed, the fresh pink line across her skin was already closed, and the skin was darkening to match that around it.
“Holy crap!” Emily said. “How can you do that? It’s got to be some kind of trick.”
“No tricks, Aunt Emily. Rafe’s been teaching me things,” Tess said as she took the handkerchief from Emily. She dabbed at her hand once and then put the bloody material in a pocket.
She was actually making sure she didn’t leave any DNA residue behind. I had to grin. My apprentice was learning fast.
Over the sound of the fireplace’s flickering flames, and the pounding sound of Emily’s heart, I heard the sound of a garage door going up.
“We’ve got company,” I said. “Are you expecting someone?”
“What?” She glanced at a stylized clock on the interior wall. “Yes, it’s time for Ashley to get home. She called to say she was on her way.”
“Ashley?” Tess asked.
“Yes, ah, I’ll explain about her,” Emily said. With my enhanced senses, I could see a slight brightening of her facial skin.
“What’s to explain? I was wondering how you could afford this beautiful house. I guess having a roommate to share the expenses makes sense,” Tess said.
A car door shut, a garage door settled back down, and a moment later a door in the huge kitchen opened. A light-skinned woman in her late thirties came in. Her hair was pulled up, similarly to how Emily wore hers, and she wore the uniform of an Air Force officer with silver oak leaves, a light colonel. She took in the unexpected company and hesitated. Then she smiled and walked into the great room and directly up to Emily. Before Emily could say anything, the woman put her hands behind Emily’s head
