ice to my temple a little firmer, wincing when Felix digs one of the thorns out of my back. “Shouldn’t you hate me for rejecting your favorite student?”
He shrugs. “The best things in life don’t come without hard work. If he wants you, he should prove himself to you. I’ve known a lotta bad kids in my time here, you’re not one of ‘em.”
Then he turns on his heel and stalks off, barking orders at the other students around us. He’s not even a little nice to any of them and that makes me feel better for all of a second before Gabe shows up and collapses on the ground in front of me. There’s mud and dirt on him but otherwise he’s untouched, which is annoying, especially as Felix finds another thorn in my back to dig out.
“How far did you get? I heard Zoey sabotaged you and she missed out on the flag because of it.”
I roll my eyes at him. “Don’t come here to rub it in, I’m not in the mood for it and if you think I’m a bitch to you normally, you have no idea of what I’m capable of when I’ve had a passing grade snatched away from me.”
He straightens and blinks at me, the asshole exterior melting away in an instant. “You got to the flag?”
I grit out from between my teeth, “Yes, asshole, I made it there first and then you’re little girlfriend—”
“She’s not my fucking girlfriend. You made it to the flag and Zoey knocked you out there? Are you fucking kidding me?”
Oh, of course, because a Gift-less brat couldn’t possibly beat all of these amazing and Gifted athletes. Of course I couldn’t possibly control my fears and work through my pain like the others. Of course fucking not.
So I smirk and shrug at him, the picture of a smug bitch. “What, like it was hard? I’m honestly a little disappointed in your abilities if you couldn’t get through without help.”
Felix snorts and then glances at Sage for a second, like he’s gauging her response to whatever he has to input here. When his eyes finally flick back to me, he gives me a lopsided grin. “The bones are all set and the thorns are out. If I can put my hand on your chest, then I can fix all of the cuts and scrapes at once… is that okay?”
Gabe’s eyebrows pull down tight and I just fucking snap, “What, you’d rather me heal slowly and painfully after getting through two rooms and the entire fucking maze by myself?”
I don’t give him the chance to answer me. Instead, I yank the neckline of my shirt down and snap, “Thank you, Felix, I appreciate you helping me for no other reason than our friendship.”
Sage coughs like she’s now the one smothering laughter and Felix snorts at the look on Gabe’s face as he presses his palm to my chest, his gift flowing into me and healing everything it touches.
I feel the moment it touches my own gift, skirting around it respectfully.
Felix’s eyes snap to mine.
I give him the smallest shake of my head that I can manage and, bless him, he presses his lips together firmly in silent reply. I decide that I’ll back him with Sage if she ever asks my opinion because that right there is a truly good man.
The moment I’m healed and Felix steps away, my entire body checks out for a good nap time. Sage squeaks a little as she catches me, my body slumping down into hers, and my last thought is about how lucky I am to have found friends like her and Felix, with his magic healing hands of gold.
I wake up in my tiny, uncomfortable bed in my dorm room.
I’m still dressed in the rags of my TT workout gear but a blanket has been thrown over me and a glass of water left on my tiny bedside cupboard. I guzzle the whole thing down and then check my phone for the time, finding messages from Sage, Atlas, and North waiting for me.
Gabe carried you the whole way back to your room. Felix and I came too, and I tucked you into bed, call me if you need anything. x
Sage is my favorite, and while Gabe gets points for physically getting me home, he’s still an asshole.
I called Draven when you missed our usual call, I’m having something delivered for you in the morning. I told your jailer what it is, so