Covet (Clann)

“Looks like you might have broken your hand there, Albright. Let’s see how you finish the volleyball season like that.”
    Still laughing, Dylan gathered up his books and sauntered off down the catwalk toward the main hall.
    As soon as he was gone, Anne collapsed onto the cement, rocking and cursing. “Sav, my wrist…I think it really is broken!” She looked up at me, her face stark with fear and pain. “What do I do?”
    I looked at it. Unless Anne had developed amazing flexibility in her wrist that allowed her thumb to naturally rest a mere inch away from her forearm, it was definitely broken.
    “We have to get you to the nurse,” I said, grabbing her shoulders and trying to help her up to her feet.
    “No! I’ll miss the tournament tomorrow.”
    She’d be missing way more games than that. She’d be out of commission for the rest of the year.
    “Can’t you do something to fix it?” she pleaded, shocking me.
    “Like what?”
    “You know, something witchy.” She hissed that last part as if afraid others would hear us despite the fact that we were the only people on the catwalk.
    I glanced at my watch, my heart racing even faster. We had only minutes till the bell, and the cafeteria would be emptying a flood of people soon. Including a lot of descendants. Already students were trickling in singles and pairs through its various exits, though most were passing below us to the other ground level areas of the campus.
    Oh boy. Was I ready for this? Could I even fix it? What if I made it worse?
    “Please,” she whimpered.
    Anne never whimpered. Or moaned. Or begged.
    She’d broken her wrist and jeopardized the rest of her volleyball season for me. The least I could do was try.
    “If this doesn’t work, swear to me that you’ll go to the nurse,” I told her.
    She nodded. “I swear.”
    “Hold out both wrists.”
    She did, and I carefully laid a palm on both of them, memorizing the shape and feel of her uninjured wrist so I could have some idea of what I was aiming for. Carrie, with all her medical studies and desire to be a doctor, would have been so much better prepared for this.
    If I did this wrong, or somehow set the bones back incorrectly…
    No. I would not paralyze my best friend. Anne was counting on me, and I would get this right. I had to. Besides, Nanna said all magic was created from my will and my intentions. And I intended to do this right.
    I closed my eyes, focused on her broken wrist and envisioned the snapped bones within it realigning to match the good wrist. She started to cry out, then pressed her lips together so it became a whimper instead.
    “Sorry, almost done,” I muttered.
    I told the bones, now realigned, to knit together, putting all of my will and determination into it. I imagined my energy flowing out of my left hand into her broken wrist.
    “It’s getting warm,” she whispered. “And it’s stopped throbbing. I think it’s working!”
    I nodded but kept my eyes closed, continuing to send my will and energy into the broken bones.
    Then the bell rang and the cafeteria doors burst open. Time was up.
    “How does it feel?” I asked.
    “Better. Still hurts, but not as bad.”
    “Try not to use it,” I said.
    “For how long?”
    “I don’t know, I’m not a doctor!” I muttered, grabbing her books from where she’d dropped them on the cement. “Anne, are you sure you don’t want to go to the nurse? I really think you should have it looked at. What if I set it wrong, or—”
    Slowly she circled her right hand, then looked up at me. “I think it’s okay.”
    I blew out a long breath and shook my head. “If it starts to hurt again, or feels weird or—”
    “Yes, Dr. Sav, I will get it checked out by a professional,” she said in an ultra deep and somber tone, one corner of her mouth twitching. She reached for her books.
    “Use the other hand!” I blurted out.
    But if Anne was joking around again, she must be feeling better.
    “Yes ma’am!” She used her right hand to salute me. Then she grinned and relaxed. “And thanks, Sav. You just saved my volleyball career.”
    “No. Thank you for that awesome right hook.”
    “I can’t believe he actually tried to choke you,” she muttered as we walked along the catwalk. “Maybe I should make an anonymous tip to the principal or something. Then again, his dad’s on the school board, so unless Sav agrees to press charges…”
    Staring straight ahead of us, I clenched my back teeth. “At this very