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“Since you didn’t put your hand up, you must have a weak seed,” Amara said. “That means you’re exactly where you should be. We don’t want to create more victims. But those with sufficient strength and an elements affinity should come with me to the harbor.”
“The harbor?” several voices called, followed by someone exclaiming loudly, “The ships!”
Amara nodded. “I’m an elements mage, and that’s where I’m going. I’m sure that’s where I’ll find others with an elements affinity. Who will join me?”
After a brief hesitation, several people stepped forward, about half of the group who had raised their hands. The rest were probably plants affinity, and it only took me a moment to realize what Amara wanted them doing.
I raised myself as tall as I could go and tried to project my voice. “As for those with a plants affinity of reasonable strength, you’ll be with me. I’m a healing mage, so I’ll be staying here at the square. But people are trapped, so I’ll need help with all that fallen wood and stone.”
Amara took my arm, pulling me slightly aside. “Are you sure?” she whispered. “These are all adults, but officially you’re still underage. By rights, I shouldn’t be abandoning my apprentice in a dangerous situation like this, but I’ll be needed at the harbor, and your strength could make a real difference out there.”
“Don’t worry about me,” I said with more confidence than I felt. “I’ll have these people to help me.” I gestured at the remaining people who had stepped forward. From the look of it, Amara had successfully roused all of those with high enough strength to be useful.
A girl who looked about twelve watched me with sorrowful eyes. “I have a high strength seed,” she said. “If only I was older, I could help.”
“You can help now.” I cradled Ember, whose body trembled in response to another peal of thunder, and held her out to the girl. “Could you look after my fox for me?”
“Your fox?” The girl took her, sheltering her against her body and stroking her fur with an amazed expression.
“Her name is Ember, and she doesn’t like the storm.”
I glanced upward to where Phoenix perched on one of the stable rafters. He had taken off from my shoulder almost as soon as we stepped inside and would be fine up there until I returned.
“I’ll take care of her,” the girl promised, still focused on Ember rather than me.
Managing a small smile, I murmured thanks and turned for the door, bracing myself for what was to come. We all stepped outside together, Amara’s bubble still keeping the rain off. But we were about to part ways, which meant I would soon be wet.
Amara hesitated for a final second, looking at me with concerned eyes. But I shooed her away, calling for the plants people to follow me. Taking a deep breath, I jogged out of the protective bubble, gasping as the freezing rain hit my face.
Almost immediately I was soaked, the enormous drops quickly permeating my layers of clothing. But within a few steps we were inside the square and the chaos around us drove out thoughts of my own discomfort.
Other people scurried around, pulling at fallen structures or kneeling over injured people, but with the rain affecting visibility, it was hard to see how many or how organized they were.
Don’t look at everything,I told myself.Just focus on one thing you can fix.
I looked at the closest collapsed stall and then the next one down. No one was at the nearer one, but at the further one, a man knelt beside a trapped woman. From the way he held her wrist, I guessed him to be a healer.
“Two of you go help him.” I pointed at the healer. “The other two, help me lift this.”
I hoped they didn’t need more detailed instructions because I had no idea how to direct someone to use their plants power. Nik would be helpful in the situation, but he could be anywhere in the city. I didn’t doubt that wherever he was, he was helping, though. And with his strength, he would be making a difference.
Thankfully, the young lad and older woman who had stayed with me got to work on their own, calling out words to each other that I couldn’t clearly hear over the sound of the storm. Their coordination worked, however, and the jagged planks of wood slithered to the side, as if moving of their own accord.
The man beneath was soon uncovered, but as they were about to move the last piece of wood, I screamed for them to stop. Both of them froze, staring at me wide-eyed.
“Wait a moment,” I shouted and dropped to both knees beside the man.
I had nearly missed that the wood, shorn in half and turned into a spear, had impaled the man in the side. I’d never dealt with an injury like that, but I knew you needed a healer ready before you removed any object still piercing a person. The blood loss when the wood came out could be immense.
“It’s all right,” I yelled at the man, trying to sound reassuring despite my volume. “I’m a healer.”
The man instantly relaxed, although his eyes remained wide and wild.
I pushed my power into him, masking his pain as I tried to ignore the discomfort of feeling something foreign that didn’t belong. He had several broken bones as well, but I bypassed those, focusing on the severed veins and seeping blood.
My two assistants approached, kneeling beside me and staring at the man in horror.
“It will be all right,” I said when the wind quieted slightly for a moment. “Just be ready to pull the wood out when I say so.”
