Flashback ( PDFDrive )

“I can,” he promised. “And I will. The Neverseen might be stepping
up their game, but I can step up mine, too.”
His tone had such a strange mix of anger, confidence, and
exhaustion that it made her reach for him with her good hand.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice thick and squeaky. “I don’t know
where I’d be without you.”
But she did know.
She’d be dead.
And so would Fitz.
Elwin cleared his throat, squeezing her fingers back. “And to think,
the first time you met me, you were afraid of me.”
She had been—though it wasn’t because of anything he did. Several
traumatic hospital stays during her years living with humans had left
her terrified of doctors—and the needles and pain and scary beeping
machines that always seemed to go with them.
But Elwin was different—and not just because his treatments were
gentle and he always wore funny glasses and silly tunics covered in
colorful animals.
After everything they’d been through together, Elwin . . . felt like
family.
“Well,” she told him, “now you’re my favorite.”
“You’re mine, too. And it’s a good thing. Because we’re going to be
spending lots of time together. I set your bones as much as I could, but
the shattered parts have a lot of missing pieces, which means a lot
more marrow regenerator—and you can’t move any part of your arm
or hand until everything’s sealed. That’s why I have you wrapped up
like that. And even after the bandages come off, you won’t be able to
light leap for at least a couple more days, because breaking your body