Gabriel refrained from advising his impromptu student never to make assumptions about the enemy. “I said I locked the pieces of one in the trunk. They must’ve regrown into three individuals. They were smaller than a standard hunter.”

“You’d think it would’ve occurred to you to scatter the pieces,” Jadren observed uncharitably.

“I didn’t care for the idea of multiple points of attack, should they get free.”

Jadren grunted but said nothing more.

Asa wasn’t particularly pleased to have to heal Jadren, or the wound on Gabriel’s thigh he’d already forgotten about. Narlis had remained in the infirmary, seeming to be happy to take care of small tasks, placidly donating magic to replenish Asa.

“You shouldn’t be draining your magic already,” Asa scolded Gabriel. “I might’ve let you out of bed, but you’re far from fully recuperated.”

“I have things to do,” Gabriel replied, keeping his tone mild. It didn’t fool Asa, who gave him a long, unhappy look.

“I know you want to recover Lady Phel,” Asa began, “but—”

“But nothing,” Gabriel said, cutting off the dire predictions he didn’t want to hear. His wizard’s instincts stirred with the distinctive stink of hunters. Still a ways off, but gaining. “Are we done here? The time for our next fight is upon us.”

Jadren lifted his head like a bloodhound. “Is that what I sense? It feels like those things smell.”

Asa stepped back, hands up in a gesture of resignation. “I suppose I should expect you brave idiots back here in even worse condition shortly.”

Jadren grinned and clapped the Refoel healer on the shoulder. “Happy to help you feel indispensable.”

Asa shrugged him off irritably and pointed at Gabriel. “You need to restore some of your magic.”

“I won’t need it,” Gabriel replied, tapping his new, enchanted sword. “I have this.”

Asa shook his head firmly. “Wrong. Magic is part of your health and vitality, even if you don’t plan to use it.”

“When we have Iliana and Han safe, I will,” Gabriel promised, mostly to get Asa off his back. Or he’d visit the arcanium again. That had worked beautifully to top him off.

“You can have my magic,” Selly said, shyly tugging on his elbow.

Gabriel gazed at her in some surprise. Did she even know what she was offering? Patting her hand, he smiled gently. “Maybe someday.”

Her wide brown eyes narrowed. “It’s mine to give, isn’t it? You used the magic when we were in the mist. Let me help you this time, too.”

She still sounded off, more like a child than a grown woman, but he recognized the determination in her posture. She seemed sane, seemed to know what she was offering—and had surprised him by remembering that moment in the mist. Still, he looked to Asa. The healer nodded. “It’s good for her to release magic. I can’t quite get a handle on it to transmute for healing. That water and moon magic is so odd. If you can use it, that will benefit you both.”