Chest tight, Khai headed down to the lower districts.

“Ah, healer!” one of the old men, sitting outside a tea shop drinking tea, waved him over.

Khai bowed. “Good afternoon, sir.”

The man’s eyes crinkled. “If only young men these days were as polite as you! I heard from Noy that you visited her last night with Mage Yang. You wouldn’t mind looking at this old man’s back, would you?”

Shoving away thoughts about Quy and Baashi, Khai nodded. “Of course. If you can turn a little in your chair.”

The old man compiled, and he thumped the table, calling out, “Oi! Thon! Fetch the healer a cup of tea would you?”

“Ugh, fine, old man!” a voice from inside the tea shop yelled back.

Khai pressed his hands together, drawing heat and magic, and pressed them firmly against the man’s spine. He eased the muscles, strengthened the bone, and encouraged the nerves to heal and recover.

The old man sighed with relief. “Never seen a fire healer before, but you’re a damn fine one, grandson,” he said happily.

Khai smiled despite himself. “Thank you, sir. I recommend walking more often.”

“Ah! Noy’s always talking about Tai Chi.”

Khai’s smile turned into a grin. “It would do you good,” he admitted.

The old man chuckled.

“Hey, your tea,” a young man—Thon—said, setting down a teapot and cup.

The old man wriggled and stretched his back, and sat back properly on the chair. “Thon, this is the new healer round these parts. You better show him hospitality,” the old man chided. He nudged at Khai. “Go on, drink the tea. Thon’s good at making tea, even if it’s the only thing he’s good at.”

“Old man!” Thon protested. The old man just grinned.

Hiding a smile, Khai poured out some tea and took a sip. He nodded to Thon. “It’s very good tea, thank you.”

Thon shrugged. “Right, I better get back to work—”

The old man snorted. “Work? Traffic is slow. Sit, Thon, talk to this nice healer. Maybe you’ll learn some manners!”

Khai winced. “It’s fine.”

“I’m busy,” Thon complained.

“Tch,” the old man said. Their attention turned to an older woman approaching their table.

“Ah, you are the healer, yes?” she asked.

Khai stood up. “Yes. Healer Khai,” he said, bowing.

The woman gave a smile of relief. “Do you mind helping? My daughter is not feeling well…”

“Of course, ma’am.” Khai bowed to the old man and Thon, and followed the woman on what would be just the second healing of many he would do that evening.

*

Han’s house was empty.

His father was away on merchant business, and his mother and sister were at a weekly event. There was no food in the pantry, and so tiredly, Han rummaged around the house for loose coins and headed to the market.

Oddly, there was a group of people clustered around one of the bordering tea shops: chatting quietly, but a group nonetheless. It was Thon’s, Han realised as he got closer. Guiltily, he realised that he hadn’t talked to Thon since he started at Baashi University.

Han skirted the crowd and headed inside the tea shop. “Thon!” he called out.

Thon straightened from behind the shop counter. “Han, long time no see.”

Han rubbed the back of his neck. “Been busy with Baashi.”

“Ah-huh. C’mere, let me fix you a cup of tea.”

Han took a seat by on the counter. “Looks like business is busy.”

Thon pulled a face. “I guess so. The old man’s being a pain in the ass.”

Han grinned. “Shouldn’t you be more polite towards your grandfather?”

“Nah,” Thon said immediately. “What’s it like prancing around Baashi with the nobles?”

Han shrugged. “It’s fine. Met some interesting people.” He immediately thought of Quy, but also Raah and Jin, who had both turned out surprisingly fine.

There was the sudden sound of a fist against wood. “Oi! Thon! Fetch us some treats!” came a shout.

Thon pulled a face, even as he started to pile on baked goods onto a tray. “Ugh. Speaking of interesting people, the old man’s been hanging with the new healer for hours. Mage Yang found him yesterday—don’t ask me how, but the old man’s basking in the celebrity.”

Han sucked in a breath. “Healer?”

“A fire mage healer, can you believe it? We barely even get earth mages round here.” Thon shook his head and went round the counter.

Tense, Han stood up too. “What’s the healer’s name?”

Thon wrinkled his nose. “Khai, I think.”

Han relaxed, disappointed.

“Want to meet him?” Thon headed out of the tea shop, and Han followed him out. “Coming through!” Thon shouted.

The crowd parted. And Han’s heart jumped into his throat.

It was Quy. Clothed differently, hair styled differently. But Quy’s eyes were unmistakable. The sense of Quy’s fire was unmistakable.

“Old man!” Thon was saying. “Han’s here!”

Thon’s grandfather grinned. “Han! Our very own Baashi boy! Come here, come here.”

Han barely dared to look at Quy. “Hello, Mr. Kiri.”

Thon’s grandfather ushered one of the crowd to pull up a chair for Han. “Here’s another mage your age! Healer Khai been helping us out. Khai, this is Han.”

Quy’s eyes dropped down.

“Nice to meet you, Khai,” Han said stiffly.

“And I you,” Quy returned just as stiffly. He turned back to the person he was treating, saying, “If you can afford it, try to eat some more citrus fruits.”

Thon’s grandfather turned his eyes on Han. “Tell us about Baashi! We want to hear!”

Han’s glanced to Thon in alarm, but Thon was quickly escaping.

Resigned, Han turned his head so that Quy in the corner of his eye, as he told Thon’s grandfather about the fancy magic of Baashi.

*

“Kiri! What are you doing?”

Han turned with relief to the newcomer, Yang, with her son Minh on her hip.

“Keeping these kids from their dinner,” Yang scolded.

Thon’s grandfather gulped. “How time flies!”

Yang rolled her eyes and turned to Han. “Han, your mother must be worried.”

Han hid a wince. “My mother and sister are out tonight.”

Yang pursed her lips. “Khai, have you had dinner?”

Han’s gaze was unwillingly dragged towards ‘Khai’. His stomach felt heavy when he realised just how tired Quy looked. While Han and Thon’s grandfather had talked, there had been a steady stream of people coming to see Quy, and Han had vaguely heard Quy promising to visit homes later for those too sick to move.

Quy shook his head. “No, ma’am.”

“Call me Yang,” Yang scolded. “Well. If your guardians don’t mind, you’re coming over to my home for dinner. You too, Han.” Her voice was stern.

And that was how Han found himself seated at Yang’s dinner table, quietly entertaining Minh as Yang cooked and Quy stood near the cooking flames.

“Don’t extend yourself,” Yang was saying to Quy. “I won’t have you collapsing.”

“I know,” Quy replied quietly. “Something. Happened today, that’s all. I’ll be fine with tomorrow’s sunrise.”

The fight with Raah? Han thought. But Quy had looked fine after that—it was Raah who was worse off.

“Han! Show me again!” Minh demanded.

Han sighed and cast the earth spell again that made little rock figurines moved.

The dinner itself was quiet. Afterwards, once everything was cleaned up, Quy bowed to Yang.

“Thank you for dinner, but I must get going.”

Yang’s eyes narrowed. “Going where? You’re not going home, are you?”

“I promised. There are those I need to see.”

Yang pursed her lips. “Han, if I may ask you a favour?”

Han startled. “Yes?”

“Do you mind looking after Minh for a few hours? He really should get to sleep soon, while I go out with Khai.”

Minh grinned. “I want big brother Han!”

Han scrubbed Minh’s hair. “Sure.”

*

It was late by the time Yang returned, without Quy.

Han had put Minh to bed a few hours ago, and he himself had ended up with Yang’s small collection of books.

“Minh?” Yang asked.

“Asleep.” Han closed the book he was skimming over.

Yang smiled gratefully. “Thanks. But Han…”

Han looked up at her.

“There’s something between you and Khai, isn’t there? You’re not—it’s not because he’s a healer, is it?”

Han quickly shook his head. “No, it’s just...I know him,” Han admitted.

Yang’s eyes narrowed. “From...hmm.”

“And I don’t understand what he’s doing down here. Amongst us.”

Yang sighed, and scrubbed Han’s hair. Han ducked away from the motion reflexively.

Yang withdrew her hand and sighed again. “Han...regardless of who Khai is, sometimes things are as simple as they seem. Better than waiting for the district council healers to come by once a month.”

“But what if he stops?”

Yang patted Han. “Then we go back to our previous cadence. But we would be healthier for it.”

Han looked down, scrunched his hands into fists. “He’s a noble.”

“Despite so, there are good and bad people among all the classes. Han, go home, go to bed and have a refreshing sleep.”

Han nodded, throat tight.

“And come back for dinner tomorrow, if your mother allows it. Minh likes you.”

Han’s head whipped up. “I, I don’t know if she would.”

“We can talk about earth magic, if you would like an excuse. But nonetheless, my home is open,” Yang said gently. “Have a good night, Han.”

“Good night, Yang.”

With this stomach rolling, Han went home, to a house that was dark, his mother and sister in bed and no candle to await for his return.

*

The next day, Han woke up remembering Quy’s face, lips downturned. And he decided.

*

Khai ate breakfast silently. Quy was looking at him from across the table, eyes narrowed.

“Where did you go last night?” Quy asked.

“Out.”

“Wearing my face.”

Khai looked up. “No. Wearing mine.”

“You look tired, body double of mine.”

“I’m working hard. As you said.”

Quy snorted. “Is that so?”

Coins, that Khai had counted out for the hours he’d spent during lectures, sat in a pile in the middle of the table.

Khai stood up. “Have a good day at Immin, Quy. Thank you for breakfast, Shima.”

Shima silently handed Khai a lunch box. Khai bowed, and thanked him again.

And Khai headed out.

At Baashi University, the other students were looking at him, he just knew it. Han didn’t seem to be around. Not that Khai expected it, after last night. Khai had spent sleepless time after trying to come up with a good cover story, but there was only so much lying Khai could bear.

It didn’t matter, anyway. Han didn’t talk to Khai at all during the day; and Khai only briefly spotted him a few times, head turned towards Raah and Jin in conversation.

And Khai tried to ignore the tightness in his chest as he sat alone, again.

*

At was with relief that the day ended, and Khai was more than ready to escape. Maybe to see Yang and the others again...

However, a large group of air mages clustered at the front gate, and as Khai approached the gate to leave, those mages moved and hemmed him in. Khai tried to turn, stumbling back at a sudden blast of air.

Khai scowled, hands curling into fists.

The tallest of the air mages stepped forward, grey-eyed and hair in tight curls. “They say you’re the top ranking first year,” he said, smiling pleasantly. “I would dispute it. Being the leader of the first years is more than just barbaric fighting skills. Let us do this without fighting. My friends and are much more suited being the representatives of Baashi.”

“Don’t underestimate him,” was Han’s voice.

Khai twisted around. Han, Raah and Jin approached him, and Han came to stand on one side of Khai, and Raah and Jin on the other. Something clogged in Khai’s throat. What was Han doing here?

Raah shrugged one shoulder. “You can be the little leader of your little air-headed clique if you wish, Tao.”

The tallest air mage, Tao, twitched. “Defeated by this little fire mage here, and you’re feeling it, don’t you?” Tao said, his tone still pleasant. But a chill wind blew about them.

Khai refrained from heating the air again, and gave a slight shake of his head. “We either agree on a mutual alliance. Or we duel. I cannot give up my rank.” And he wouldn’t mind a fight right now to get his mind off the weird feelings in his chest.

But Han stepped forward, magic pulsing. “You’d have to fight me first. No point wasting Quy’s time with someone inferior.”

Khai whipped his head towards him. “Han—”

Han glared back at him. “You need to conserve your strength for more important things.” He gave Khai a meaningful look.

Khai swallowed.

“And you’re not important, Tao,” Raah added.

Tao sighed. “You’ve forced my hand. Let us fight.” He shrugged. “I’ll take you two blind dirt mages at once. I rather not waste me time, you see.”

Raah and Han shot each other looks. “If you insist,” Raah smirked.

Jin grabbed Khai’s arm, keeping him in place as Han and Raah moved off to the training field.

“Let them do this,” Jin said. “They’re good mages. Even Han,” he added.

Khai narrowed his eyes as the fight started. But, surprisingly, Han and Raah moved together, two different beats that synchronised. Han controlled the ground as Raah threw projectiles in the air, battling against Tao’s control of the wind. Tao couldn’t land without being attacked, and the air was filled with sharpened rock.

“Why?”

Jin frowned. “You don’t know? Han approached us. Wanted Raah to help improve his form, and the two spoke.” He shrugged.

Khai nodded tightly.

“But you’re a healer,” Jin added, quietly. “I can respect that. Most combat mages can’t heal.”

Khai grimaced. “Or perhaps most mage healers can’t fight.”

Jin gave him a curious look, but Khai shook his head.

I’m not un-lucky, Khai suddenly realised, as Han and Raah defeated Tao. The two of them clapped each other on the backs and swaggered back towards Khai and Jin.

“Easy,” Han boasted.

“Why?” Khai asked, despite himself.

Han gave him a level look. “Because.”

“How can I repay you?”

Raah scowled. “Quy. It’s not about payment and favours. This is about being honourable. We can’t have any riff-raff thinking they can take you on. You’re the top ranking first year. And I’m standing with you.”

“There are still factions amongst the first years. It’s natural, of course,” Jin said. “But we believe you are the best person to stand with.” He shrugged. “We’re your faction.”

“This is hardly a war zone, or the courts,” Khai said, frowning.

Raah raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it? You’re your own man, Quy. Stand.”

Overcome, Khai bowed. “Then I accept.” He startled when someone slapped his shoulder.

“Head up,” Han said. “We hope that this will be more than Baashi.”

“Yes.” The flame in Khai’s core burned higher.