"I would project a casting to mirror bone placement - if there weren't any physical deformities or skin breakage, since those alone would confirm his suspicions without magic." That was Ronan – my brother's friend and sometimes rival, a fellow second-year that had ranked first in their trial year at the Academy.
Master Joan chose a fifth-year to perform the casting. The girl stood proudly, eyes alight with anticipation as she began her magic. I braced myself – the last time I had visited the infirmary for dehydration a painless casting had resulted in skin rash. Nothing like trial and error to make me wary of my fellow apprentices.
Luckily this time the girl appeared to know what she was doing. I didn't feel anything above a faint, humming vibration as my arm slowly took on a translucent outline with glowing lines shining through it. My stomach turned a little as I realized those bright orange things were my bones. There was an unnatural break in the round nook at the end of my forearm connecting to the elbow.
"Minor fracture," the girl said proudly. "Nothing we would need to realign with plating. I would recommend conservative treatment since there is no breakage and her bones do not appear to be displaced."
I swallowed, immediately grateful they would not be inserting metals into my arm.
"How would we treat with magic? And without?"
The same fifth-year replied with the proper response for both – and I was happy to hear neither detailed anything complex.
"Good. Now splint her arm as you would without magic. Byron will want her to heal naturally since it is not severe."
****
When the girl had finished wrapping my arm and secured it in a sling I was dismissed. As I passed Alex my twin caught my arm – under the pretense he wanted to check my bindings, but really so he could ask about Ella.
"She hasn't forgotten me, has she?"
I scowled at Alex, attempting to reposition my arm more comfortably. "Gee, thanks for asking about me."
"I'm not worried about you, Ry." He chuckled. "You have taken more trips to the infirmary than anyone else in your faction and I never hear you complain – even with that nasty Byron as your training master." Noting Master Joan's frown he quickly examined my wrist, placing two fingers to check my pulse. "Circulation is still steady," he declared loudly.
As soon as the master's back was turned Alex gave me a pleading look – one that had stolen countless hearts in our hometown of Demsh'aa. It did not work on me. "But, really," he whispered, "how is Ella? I've barely had a chance to talk to her since the apprenticeships started-"
"You see her every day at meals."
"But she's with the rest of your faction," Alex pointed out. "They expect me to sit with my own – comradeship and all that nonsense. And all you Combat apprentices have such airs."
I sighed. "Well then stop by the our table after you are done with fostering your 'comradeship.' I am not going to serve as a go-between for your apologies. Tell her how you feel, or leave the poor girl alone already."
Alex released me with a groan. "You are no fun, Ry."
"Neither are you when you are hurting my best friend." I didn't feel sorry for my twin – he'd had his chance and blown it. I loved my brother – but he knew I was no fan when it came to his relationships. Especially his last one. Handsome, lovable Alex was a scamp when it came to the heart. It served him right that the one to break his was Ella.
"Ry." His eyes were somber.
"Yeah?"
"I miss her."
"I know."
****
By the time I had returned to my faction everyone had already left the training grounds and started their third session of the day: Strategies in Combat. It was the final class before our lunchtime break and my favorite since we had started our desert training.
I quickly ran up the four long flights of stairs nearest our barracks to the local regiment's council chambers. Protruding out of a rocky cliff face, the fourth floor of the great, many-pillared building contained a large hall for the outpost's Commander, highborn officials – including Baron Eli - and the local regiment of soldiers, knights and mages to gather and discuss various strategies for dealing with any and all topics of military interest. Though the Crown's Army served the capital and made official decisions in times of war, it was the duty of each city's assigned regiment to enforce Crown law and deal with local issues unless brute force was needed.
Finding Ella in the crowd I quickly made my way to the back of the hall. Ella made room on her bench and eyed my bad arm with interest. "Ouch," she whispered. "Maybe Byron will feel bad for yelling now that he knows you broke it."
"Ha." The man was incapable of remorse.
"Will you two be quiet already? I've got better things to do than listen to Ryiah complain." Priscilla, one row in front of us, shot Ella and I a nasty look.
"She wasn't complaining," Ella hissed back. "Certainly not like when you broke your shoulder last month!"
"I did not!"