probably not expecting me to have handled myself as well as I did. It's astonishing to me how, even though he's in multiple forms and fending off two armed assailants, he doesn't even seem to be breaking a sweat.
I catch a glimpse of movement out of the corner of my eye and turn just in time to see the baton guy coming at me, his face red with blood. I allow him just close enough to reach for me and then sidestep him, shoving him clumsily from behind into the raging flames that Theo has conjured up. It's not the most elegant solution, but it's effective, and the other soldier is forced to go help his now on fire companion instead of continuing his attack on me.
Satisfied, Theo expands his force field to knock the other agents into the alleyway walls, temporarily stunning them, and then he's back in his human form. "Come on," he instructs, his voice surprisingly calm.
I don't need to be told twice. Clutching my throbbing arm, I race after the other shifter, around the limp forms of our assailants, and out of the alleyway. Now that the adrenaline is wearing off, I have to clench my teeth to fend off the pain, looking every which way as I follow Theo back in the direction of the apartment complex.
"Not bad, Millie," he observes.
I give him a weak smile. "Shade will be happy, at least." It's only as the shock and fear wear off that I'm struck with a strange sense of pride.
I stood my own back there. And I did it without shifting a single time.
I wince as a fresh bolt of pain goes up my arm, and Theo slows to a stop once we're outside the apartments. "Let me see that," he says, reaching out a hand.
"It's fine-" I protest, but before I can pull away, his cool fingers are already closing around my wrist, glowing with the telltale blue light of witch magic. Almost immediately, the soothing cold of a healing spell chases away the pain, and I breathe a sigh of relief.
"You fractured it," Theo says, letting go of my arm. "Don't worry—I fixed it."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that," he replies. "A century of practise, remember?"
"You son of a bitch," says Silas, taking a step forward. "She could have been killed."
"She wasn't," Theo replies coolly. He's sitting on the other side of the desk in his office, the rest of us gathered in a cluster in front of him. My arm is still sore, but the worst is behind me, mostly replaced with exhaustion. "In fact, Millie did an excellent job defending herself. I'm impressed."
Hunter's eyes narrow. "You don't sound surprised."
"I admit, I was curious," says Theo. "There's no other way of gauging someone's skill besides seeing them in battle. You will be a force to be reckoned with once you get your powers back, I think, Millie."
"You two are on a first name basis now?" Landon asks, raising an eyebrow. He and Shade exchange a look.
"We just went for a walk," I assure them. "Considering Theo's putting us all up, it was the least I could do."
"Yeah. And you almost died because of it," Silas says.
"Wait a minute," Hunter speaks up, his face twisting with anger. "You planned this, didn't you?" He glares daggers at Theo. "This was some kind of a test."
"How very astute of you," replies Theo. "If you're asking whether I tipped the agents off, the answer is no. The humans have had us in their sights since long before the five of you arrived. I will admit, though, I was curious. If the occasion to see Millie in action presented itself…" He trails off, leaving us to fill in the details.
"Fuck," mutters Shade, running a hand through his shaggy hair. "You're lucky she did well. That's all I can say."
"It's fine," I say, although I'm not sure whether I'm reassuring them or myself. I guess I shouldn't be surprised; someone in Theo's position would want to ensure a return on his investment, especially if I'm taking up a bed that could go to a fully powered shifter. It sucks, but… we're not exactly in a position to complain. "I hope that was proof enough for you."
"It was," says Theo. "We'll need to make restoring your abilities our top priority, though."
Damn. I guess I should have known that was coming. I was on the verge of telling him back at the coffee shop, and this time there are no Academy