Page 45 of The Tribes of Magic (Paragons #3)

“That’s my name.” He slipped off his gloves and deposited them into a nearby trash can. Then he put on a fresh pair of gloves.

“Killjoy is your name? For real?”

When the burnt Apprentice had said ‘killjoy’ earlier, I’d thought he was just calling the Sorcerer a spoilsport.

Killjoy drew a rune on Rhett’s arm. “When the spirits chose me, I chose a new name.”

I grinned at him. “I like it.”

“You would, wouldn’t you?” he chuckled. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Savannah Winters.”

“I’m sure,” I sighed. “Ok, let me have it. What do they say?”

“Well, people say you’re a Polymage, of course. And they say you stormed into the General’s office, told him he’s a grumpy old toad, and then set his curtains on fire.”

“Dante sure works fast,” I muttered.

Killjoy’s brows peaked. “What was that?”

“Nothing.”

He didn’t need to know about Dante’s plan to make me infamous.

“How much of what the rumors say about you is true?” he asked me.

“I didn’t storm into the General’s office. He had his soldiers escort me out of the dining hall in the middle of dinner, for everyone to see.”

“The General has a flair for the dramatic, to be sure.”

I winced at the humiliating memory. “Everyone was gawking at me like I was being led to the gallows for a hanging. I’m surprised you didn’t see it.”

“The dining hall is so loud. I rarely eat there. I have all the food I need right here.”

Killjoy indicated his collection of cookies, chips, and snacks. He had more junk food on his bookshelf than existed in all of Bayshore.

“What happened after the General’s soldiers escorted you out of the dining hall?” he asked.

“They brought me to the General’s office. Where I did not set the curtains on fire.”

“None of that happened?” He frowned in disappointment. “You didn’t summon a dragon to the General’s office either?”

“No.”

What crazy tales was Dante telling people about me? I’d have to have a talk with him.

“If I’d summoned a dragon to the General’s office, wouldn’t people have noticed?” I pointed out.

“Not if it was an inter-dimensional dragon,” Killjoy replied. “They look like the real thing but don’t exist in our plane of existence, so they don’t do you any damage. Well, besides scaring the snot out of you.”

My life had gotten so weird.

“There was no dragon, inter-dimensional or otherwise,” I said.

“That’s a shame.” Killjoy drew a few runes on Rhett’s head. “His injuries are not minor. How did he get them?”

“Jareth had us doing sprinting drills, and Rhett tried to ram me. I grabbed him and flipped us around so he hit the ground instead of me.”

“Well, that served him right for attacking a superior foe,” said Killjoy.

Rhett’s frown deepened. Angry wrinkles marred his forehead. Killjoy finished healing his head, then moved on to his ribs.

“You’re done. Run back to your mentor,” he told Rhett. “And don’t expect a note to excuse you from training. Being stupid doesn’t win you a free pass to do nothing.”

After Rhett marched off, Killjoy turned his full attention on me. “I have to admit, I find your magic intriguing. The power of all six Tribes. How exactly does your magic work?”

I sighed. “Most of the time, it doesn’t work at all.”

He tapped his magic pen against his wrist. “So you came here to have me fix your magic?”

“No, I came here because Jareth told me to bring Rhett in to be healed. But now that I’m here, maybe you could do something about the pounding headache threatening to crack my skull open?

Rhett wasn’t holding back when he charged at me, so we collided hard.

If you could do something about the pain, I’d appreciate it. ”

He looked at me curiously.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you see the really big bump on my head?”

“Of course. What’s not to see? I’ll see what I can do about your headache.” He ushered me over to the nearest cot.

While he put on a new pair of gloves again, I took a seat. Then he started looking me over, searching my body for injuries.

“The Apprentices are getting more brutal every year.”

“It’s the way the training is set up. They turn us against each other. They turn everything into a competition. That breeds hostility.”

“Indeed it does,” he agreed. “I was in the second Blending, three years ago. Things were different back then. They just brought all the kids to the spirits and let the spirits choose. But things have changed. Now the Government decides which kids are allowed to go to the Blending.”

“They only select people they think they can control,” I said.

“Yes.” He fell silent as he continued to examine my injuries.

“So, you thought I’d come here so you could fix my magic?”

He smiled. “I was just making small talk.”

“Can you fix my magic?”

“You can only fix something if you know why it’s broken.”

“And do you?” I asked. “Know why my magic is broken?”

His gloved hands held mine. He flipped one of them over, then he used his magic pen to write something on the underside of my wrist. A glowing symbol, some kind of rune, pulsed a few times, then faded.

“There’s nothing wrong with your magic, Savannah.”

“Then why is it so erratic?”

He shrugged. “You just need to learn to control it.”

That seemed to be the recurring theme right now.

“Let’s see what we can do about that bump on your head.”

I spied my reflection in a mirror on the wall. “I look terrible.” I touched the bump on my head, wincing when it hurt.

“There’s nothing to worry about, Savannah. It’s only a minor wound. I’ll have it fixed in no time. Just relax.”

I remembered how he’d healed Rhett so quickly and effortlessly. And that boy with the burns. Obviously, Killjoy knew what he was doing. I forced my aching body to relax.

Humming a jolly tune, Killjoy pulled out his magic pen again. I watched in the mirror as he drew a rune on my forehead. It pulsed only once before it faded. The pain in my head disappeared.

“There you go, good as new.”

“Thanks.” I slid off the cot, then crossed the room to the door. I turned back to give him a parting wave. “Well, see you around, Killjoy.”

“Do you want me to write you a note to get you out of training for the rest of the day?”

“You’d do that for me? Why? You told Rhett you wouldn’t do it for him.”

“Let’s just say you intrigue me.”

“I? Or my magic?”

“Both. So do you need that note?”

“No.” I sighed. “I should get back. I can’t avoid Rhett and his cronies forever. We’re all going to be Knights. That means sooner or later we’ll probably have to work together.”

“Of course you can avoid them. Why do you think I asked to work in the Clinic?”

“But that only means you see even more of everyone.”

“Only when they injure themselves. And when that happens, I control the encounter. I’m a healer, which means they need to be on their best behavior. They need something from me. I don’t need anything from them.”

He really had this all figured out. Except…

“You can’t hide in here forever,” I told him.

“Sure I can.”

“Doesn’t it ever get lonely?”

“No.”

“I don’t believe you. Even if you choose to isolate yourself from everyone, eventually you get lonely. Eventually, you miss interacting with people.”

“I interact with people.”

“ Really interacting with people. As in, having friends. You have patients. You don’t have any real friends, do you?”

“Friends are overrated. It’s easier being alone.” There was a note of melancholy in his voice when he said it. That told me he’d cared about someone and lost them.

I walked back across the room and took his hands, squeezing them. I met his eyes and smiled. “Being alone might be easier, but it’s not better. I will be your friend.”

“I told you. I don’t need friends.” His tone was adamant but not unkind.

“Everyone needs friends.”

“Savannah—”

“ Especially grumpy hermit Sorcerers who think they don’t need anyone.”

“You’re not going to drop this, are you?”

“Nope.” I smirked at him.

He sighed. “I’m a lost cause, you know.”

I pushed my grin wider. “Even better.”

He shook his head. “Why do you care about me? Why are you doing this?”

“You seem like a nice guy. And you’re hurting.”

“That has nothing to do with you. You don’t have to help me. You don’t have to fix me.”

“Oh, haven’t you heard? I like to stick my nose in other people’s business.”

He snorted. “You don’t say.”

“You have a friend now, Killjoy. I care what happens to you. When you need me, I’m here for you. The sooner you accept that, the happier you’ll be.”

He chuckled. “Goodbye, Savannah.”

“Until next time, Killjoy.” I gave him a hug, which seemed to confuse him even more, then I left the Clinic.