Everything around me slowed as time ground to a halt. He was firing me after only two days. Who got fired after only two days on the job? Apparently, elementals with tempers, no common sense, and zero ability to listen to instructions.
No way. I refused to be a deadbeat elemental with no future. I would be a healer, dammit. I would be an amazing healer, and I’d do it with his blessing. He was a well-respected doctor in our world. I wanted to fill his shoes someday.
“Syd, don’t give up on me. I promise I’ll do better. You didn’t make the mistake. I did by not listening to you. Please. Please give me another shot. I swear I can do better.”
“Katy—”
“Please,” I pleaded, cutting him off. “I know I can do this. Let me prove it to you. I’ll be a great assistant. I’ll even carry your shiny new bag for you on calls. Just… Please don’t take this from me. I want to learn more from you. I want to learn everything from you.”
He removed his glasses and cleaned them with his shirt. “You swear you’ll stop fighting me?”
I crossed my heart and even brought up my right hand for good measure. “I swear.”
When he replaced his glasses and cracked a smile, I let out the breath I’d been holding. “I suppose another chance is in order. Stay right here.” He walked onto the field and spoke with Dean Carter for a bit, then returned and offered a firm nod. “Your tribunal has been postponed.”
Oh, thank you, sweet baby Jesus and all the baby disciples. “How’d you do that?”
“I told him the truth, that I need the extra help now that we’re moving on to the second years. They’re more powerful. Therefore, it’ll take more power from the Council to battle them. That’s sure to cause more injuries.” He leaned in and said for my ears only, “Besides, this will give us time to find a way to conceal how you got that extra element.”
Minor detail. One that would get me sent to prison, so thank you for that, Spencer.
I studied Syd for several seconds. “Thanks, Doc. I appreciate it. I won’t let you down. I mean, I might let you down. Chances are I probably will let a lot of people down. But, I’m going to give it the old college try.”
“That’s all I ask. Now, how about you take that side of the field, and I’ll stick to this side. Keep your eye on Trevor. I’m worried he may not be up to full strength.”
I nodded my thanks and moved to where Trevor stood gaping up at Brooks, his neck craned, his mouth open. He didn’t appear to have regained any of his color since the last time I saw him. Then again, having to go up against someone the size of Brooks, chances were he’d simply lost all his color again.
A whistle sounded. It was showtime. For me as Syd’s assistant. For Trevor as an elemental. For the hardheaded Brooks, whose job it was to unmask those magically enhanced.
Brooks fired first, hitting Trevor with a burst of air and knocking him back. He stumbled but remained upright. Good for you, little buddy. Trevor countered with earth, pulling thin, scrawny roots from the ground that wouldn’t do much more than piss off Brooks if they tried to coil around him. They fell flat even before they reached him.
Fire flew from Brooks’s fingertips, shooting two steady streams of flames at Trevor. He widened his eyes and simply stood there, frozen in place as the fire reached him. When it hit him, he arched his back and screamed as flames consumed him. Dear God, how he screamed. Chills raced up my spine as I squeezed my eyes shut. He’d made that same anguished cry back at the warehouse when Alec had tortured him. I tensed and forced myself back a step instead of racing to his aid.
A whistle drew my attention. The white flag came up, courtesy of Brooks. I looked to Syd, who watched me carefully. Although it just about killed me, I waited for the battles to stop, as he’d instructed. As soon as the field stilled, Syd gave me a nod, and I raced to Trevor’s side. He was flat on his back, smoldering. His skin had burns, the front of his hair had been singed off, and part of his uniform was still on fire.
“Hey, Trevor.” I put out the flames, then checked his pulse. It was strong, thank God. “How are you feeling?”
He blinked his eyes open and righted his glasses. “Katy? Did I win?”
“Not yet, but you’ve got him on the run.” I placed my hands on his shoulders and called earth, pushing it to him. He seemed to settle with a long sigh. Leaning back, I winked and hoped it was enough to keep him going. By the looks of it, Brooks was only getting started. “Better? Do you need help getting up?”
“Did I win?” he asked again, holding my arm as I lifted him to his feet.
This poor kid’s mind was mush. No wonder he couldn’t concentrate on his call. He probably couldn’t remember how to call.
I turned to Brooks. “He just got out of the infirmary. Do you really have to do this now?”
“Not my call, prophecy.”
“Then maybe ease up on him a bit, Hulk.”
He thinned his lips. “Don’t tell me how to do my job, and I won’t tell you how to do yours. Back to the sidelines with you, healer.”
Jerk. Big, stupid, dumb jerk. Reluctantly, I shuffled back to my post and fumed as Brooks readied himself for round two. Trevor brought up his hands just as Brooks hit him with a wave of air so strong, it sent the poor kid flying back several feet. Amazingly, he got back up
