“See?” Sora gave her a wink. “Now, hold it steady over the bowl for a little while. I need to stir up the next part. If someone could hold and support her arm, that would be best.”
The older man who had escorted her in immediately moved to do so. He put his chest to her back, using his hand to support her arm.
“Hold that, Dieter,” Lisette instructed even as she went for one of the lower cabinets. “I have something that might work better. Ah, there.”
Sora paid her little attention as he pulled out other ingredients, this time clay, reflected moonlight, and ice dragon’s tears, as he needed something that would coat the injury and protect the skin until it could restore itself. Many healing properties were included in those elements, and burns especially healed well from the combination.
He measured each into the other mixing bowl, stirring it in a brisk whisk, speaking as he worked. “This has to be blended very well. Treat it like cake batter, no lumps. It will form a paste that I’ll put on your skin, and it will harden rather like a scale until the burn has healed itself. Once done, it falls off on its own. Don’t get it wet; it will undo the hardness and we’ll have to start over.”
“So, treat it like a cast?” Alice asked curiously.
“That’s a good way of thinking of it, yes.” Sora focused on his paste and spoke the finalizing spell. “Rekti gev adi. Hmm, good color. Should work perfectly. You’ll want it a charcoal grey like this.”
Lisette had propped her arm up with a wooden block that was just the right height for the job. Sora had to use a spatula to apply the paste, as it would adhere to his own skin as much as hers. It reacted as it was supposed to, forming an immediate cast around the injury and locking her hand temporarily in place.
“I’ve seen that potion before,” Dieter said with a sad nostalgia. “I remember it from my childhood. Your teacher still remembers it?”
“Remembers it and uses it on a far-too-frequent basis. It seems someone is always burning themselves in my family. You’re correct, it’s a very old recipe.” Sora, finished, eyed it all critically. “Hmm, that should work. I’ll use the rest of the salve on your more tender areas, alright? But don’t touch them, let the salve do its job.”
Alice nodded dutifully even as she eyed her now-grey hand with a mix of awe and dubiousness. “That will really fall off on its own?”
“You’ll be shedding like a lizard would its skin,” Sora promised her, grinning. “If not, come to me, I can take it off. But we don’t want to be premature about this. If it’s still on, its likely because you’re not completely healed yet.”
“Yeah, okay.” Alice’s eyes closed in relief as he smeared the salve on her burned face. “That seriously feels great. Thank you so much.”
“While it is my pleasure, let’s not repeat this, okay?”
“Trust me, I learned my lesson.” Alice was firm on this.
Lisette, Dieter, and Gunter didn’t seem to completely believe her. But then, new mages often had more curiosity than sense. Sora was rather with them when it came to doubting her affirmation. He was polite enough to not say so, though.
Turning to Lisette, he offered, “There’s a few other basic spells and potions I can teach that are useful for first-aid treatments.”
Lisette was relieved at the offer. “Please do join us for magic lessons tomorrow.”
“I’d be honored.”
And it would be the perfect way to observe the clan without anyone looking at him sideways. Two birds, one stone, as the saying went.
Not to mention he could keep an eye on his patient. Alice, he had a feeling, was the type to pick at a scab. Which, in this case, would not do. Not at all. He might have to smack her good hand now and again.
Ravi sent a text first thing the next morning to Sora.
Have breakfast with me.
Should he have done so when he’d only gotten the man’s number the day before and still hadn’t made him that promised drink? Probably not. Was Ravi wise? Hell no. He avoided wisdom on a religious basis, and he had to say, that was working out well for him so far.
The answer came back within thirty seconds.
I’d be delighted.
See? Wisdom was totally overrated.
Ravi bounced into the shower with a wide, shit-eating grin on his face. Breakfast had never been so enticing.
Even as he washed his hair, the water sluicing over him, Ravi tried to figure out what it was about Sora that appealed to him. There had been other mages who’d come into the clan, after all, and all of them attractive in their own ways. But he’d never felt inclined to flirt with any of them. It was as if some part of him could sense they were meant for other people.
Which, good instincts, they had been.
But Sora—something about Sora appealed to him. Was it his too-sexy voice, so smooth and low, like a fine cognac? Was it the intelligence in those dark eyes? The competency the man radiated just standing there? Sora had that air about him, as if he could handle whatever shit was thrown at him without flinching.
Ravi had a serious weakness for people like that. He adored the competent. He also liked doing things to shake them out of that calm, get them laughing. Was it years of doing it to Alric that had made it a habit? Ravi shrugged, not really caring to psychoanalyze himself on that level.
Anyway, he liked the look of Sora. He enjoyed the man’s company. Sora struck him as a touch shy, but he’d readily joined in on the teasing Tori had started yesterday. So, he had a good sense of humor, he just wasn’t the type to readily show it. It’s alright. Ravi would give him lots of openings.
He popped out, dried and dressed, then was out the door again in a flash. The clan had often bemoaned that Ravi was the only one who didn’t need coffee in the mornings. He couldn’t help it. He was a natural Energizer Bunny. Someone had to be, right? Who else would start the coffee machines if everyone was anti-mornings?
Sora beat Ravi to the dining hall, but only barely. Sora stood near one of the tables, clearly waiting on him. He even looked awake! Most impressive. Ravi normally had to pour three cups of coffee down people at this hour to get them upright and sensible.
“Good morning,” Sora greeted with a smile.
Aww, such a cute smile. The man should smile more often.
“Good morning! Let me introduce you to a German breakfast.”
“It smells very enticing,” Sora agreed as he followed him to the buffet.
“Oh, we have great cooks. Except Gunter, he can’t be trusted. He walks off and forgets things are still cooking. He’s burned many a pan, let me tell you. Wait, have you met Gunter yet?”
“Yesterday, while I was treating the new mage’s burned hand.”
“Ahhh.”
Ravi regarded him, intrigued at this reminder. He’d been told what Sora did yesterday. The mage had said a few times in his hearing that he was trained as a healer, and clearly those claims were not exaggerated. He’d known precisely what to do. Lisette had been absolutely enthralled after spending the evening picking Sora’s brain.
She hadn’t yet ordered someone to seduce Sora. But it was coming. Ravi could see the writing clearly on the wall. Lisette absolutely did not want Sora walking back out of their gates.