The Stars Said Hello [1]

C H A P T E R - 15

"Welcome back," Elwin said, placing a cool compress across her forehead. "You know, for a girl who hates doctors, you sure can't seem to stay away from the Healing Center."

She pulled herself into a sitting position, wincing as pain whipped through every muscle.

"Easy there. You've been out nearly ten minutes." Elwin flashed an orb of yellow light around her and put on his glasses.

"Ten minutes? What happened?"

"No idea. I've never heard of anyone getting seriously injured while splotching. Leave it to you." He chuckled.

Her memories flooded back. Splotching. Flying backward through the room. Meredith's crumpled body. "Where's Meredith? Is she okay?"

"She's fine." Elwin pointed to her left, where Meredith lay in a bed with her eyes closed.

"She's unconscious!"

"She'll come around any minute." Elwin placed a cold compress across Meredith's forehead and her vivid sea-green eyes sprang open.

"WhermIwhahapped?" she mumbled, closing her eyes.

Elwin chuckled. "Must've been some splotching match."

"Will she be okay?"

"Of course. If she weren't, Bullhorn would be freaking out right now—or worse: laying next to her." He pointed to the slinky gray creature curled up in the corner. "Banshees can sense when someone's in mortal danger. Meredith hit her head a little harder than you, so she needs another minute for the medicine to set in."

"This is all my fault," Sophie groaned. She wasn't sure if that was true, but it seemed like the most likely option.

"What did you do during the match?" Elwin asked.

"I don't know."

Meredith stirred, and she looked more lucid when she opened his eyes.

"How are you feeling?" Elwin asked her.

"I've been better, but I'll live." Meredith winced as she sat up. "Are you okay?" she asked Sophie, rubbing the back of her head.

Elwin handed them each a blue vial. "This will ease the pain. You'll still be stiff tomorrow, but I can't help that."

The glands behind her tongue zinged as Sophie swallowed the sour medicine, but the ache in her back vanished.

"Do either of you remember what happened?" Elwin asked as he collected the empty bottles.

"Not really," Meredith admitted. "I remember pushing toward the splotcher, but then it was like it rebounded or something."

"Rebounded?"

"Yeah. I felt my force hit hers and bounce back at me."

"That's what I felt too," Sophie agreed.

Elwin's eyes widened. Then he shook his head. "Nah. Couldn't be."

"Couldn't be what?" Sophie asked, with a horrible feeling he was going to tell her it really was her fault.

"That sounds like what happens when someone does a brain push—using mental energy for telekinesis instead of core energy. But a brain push is a highly specialized skill only the Ancients can pull off."

Sophie's heart hammered in her ears. She had pulled energy from her mind in the match—was that a brain push? "Doesn't telekinesis always use mental energy?"

"It uses mental control," Elwin explained. "Your concentration controls how you use the energy—where you send it, how much you send. But the actual energy and strength comes from your core. Don't you feel the pull in your gut when you draw on it?"