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I remembered she’d said she worked part-time as a nursing assistant, but I’d never seen her here before.
“I’m not usually in this department,” she said. “They send me wherever they need help for the day. I’ve been in the ER a few times, at the dialysis center once or twice, but my favorite is the maternity ward.”
“You’re majoring in medical studies, then?” I asked.
She nodded as she continued arranging medical supplies. “I have my CNA certificate, then I’ll get my nursing license, but I’ll be going for my doctorate eventually. If I pass my exams, I’ll have my nursing license by the end of the semester. I want to specialize in women’s health.”
“That’s really cool,” I told her. “I’m majoring in Criminal Justice.”
“That makes sense, since you’re a priestess.” Onyx kept her gaze on another nurse as she walked a patient out, leaving us alone in the room. “Can I ask you something about being a Curse Breaker?”
“Sure, ask me anything,” I offered.
Onyx sat on the chair beside me. “How does your magic work? You can use Alchemy crystals. I’ve seen you.”
I remembered the first day of my Alchemy 101 lab, when I was still posing as an Alchemist. Onyx had been my lab partner, and our cauldron exploded. I’d dropped my Alchemy crystal, and she’d handed it back. I always wondered if she suspected something.
“When did you figure out what I was?” I asked.
“I wasn’t sure, actually,” she said. “I knew the crystal held magic as soon as I touched it, but I still believed you were an Alchemist. I didn’t say anything, because I thought you needed the crystal for your disability.”
“It would help, but that’s not why I was using it.”
Onyx frowned. “It’s lame they don’t allow these crystals in class anyway. Some people need accommodations like that.”
I eyed her curiously. “You say that like you know.”
She shook her head. “I’ll never fully understand your chronic illness. But I think working with crystals would help with my powers. Sometimes, it feels like my magic is trapped inside of me, and if I could just feel what that power felt like, maybe I’d be comfortable working with it.”
She dropped her gaze. “I don’t think it was your fault our cauldron exploded that day.”
I couldn’t believe she thought so little of herself. “Onyx, you’re a talented witch. You made that exploding potion during the Burning to distract the guards. It seemed really advanced.”
“I guess I’m good at some potions. Not so much at others.”
“Don’t discount your strengths,” I encouraged.
Onyx chuckled, though it sounded forced. “That’s easy to say when you’re good at something other than destruction. I destroy everything I touch.”
“That’s not true,” I argued.
“It is. Our cauldron isn’t the only thing I’ve destroyed…” She trailed off, like she’d said too much.
My heart broke for her. “What do you mean?”
“It’s nothing. I didn’t mean that—”
“Then why’d you say it? A part of you must believe it.”
“I don’t know. Maybe because that’s what I’ve heard my whole life.” She sighed. “My parents got divorced after I was born. My mom says my dad never would’ve left if it wasn’t for me. I guess he didn’t want me, and I ruined their marriage.”
“That has nothing to do with you,” I promised. “Your parents couldn’t handle having a kid, and that’s on them.”
Onyx wiped her nose, and her sleeve rolled up. I spotted a purple bruise on her upper arm. She caught me staring and quickly dropped her arm, like it might erase what I’d seen.
“What happened?”
She rubbed her arm. “I exploded another cauldron.”
