𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐄𝐓𝐇, Fitz Vacker

IV

"She was saying thank you, when I found her," a hushed voice whispered as Amber blinked and tried to get used to feeling again. "In her head. I went into her mind because she wasn't responding to anything else-and it was so dark. It was terrifying-there was just something pushing me away but it kept on weakening, so I sent a message and it sort of lightened, but not by much-so I just did that over and over until we got here and Elwin gave her a sedative. And she was saying thank you when the sedative started to work."

Amber wasn't sure who was talking. It sounded like a familiar voice. She struggled to blink her eyes open, almost immediately closing them at the harsh fluorescent lights above. "Her eyes opened-why did she...oh." She saw the red behind her eyelids fade slightly and cracked her eyes open again, the light having been adjusted to a soothing warm.

Someone unfamiliar, with messy brown hair and circular glasses that reminded her of Bobble from Tinker Bell. She blinked and suddenly, violet light appeared straight in front of her nose and Amber frowned, about to sit up when the Bobble lookalike pushed her down and the violet was replaced by cyan. "Your vitals look good," he announced. She heard a sigh of relief and tilted her head slightly to see Fitz and Alden standing by the side. Whoever had sighed was uncertain.

Amber scowled, sitting up. The guy at the side didn't try to push her down this time, but handed her a vial of something clear. She glared at him, uncorking it and smelling the beverage. It had no smell. That was always suspicious. "No thanks," she told the guy, who she presumed was a doctor.

He grinned. "It's cute how you think you have a choice. Drink up-it's just Youth."

I'm sorry, did he just say Youth?

Reading her perplexed expression the guy explained "Water with added minerals to rid you of any toxins. A must-have for any elf."

Right, she was an elf now.

Begrudgingly, Amber took the bottle and sipped. It was as though someone had reached down and just plucked the fog like cotton straight out of Amber's brain. Damn, I need more of this stuff.

The guy watched amusedly as she went from her tiny sip to full-on chugging the bottle, not looking concerned in the slightest. "Feel better?" He asked. Amber took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp air-which was a wonderful change from the ash-infested streets of San Diego-and set the bottle down on the next table, nodding smally.

She wondered briefly who the guy's name was and flinched when a voice flooded her headspace.

"His name is Elwin."

It was familiar, but...it couldn't be. Or could it? Telepathy was a thing here. So maybe telepathetic transmission was too.

"It is."

She scowled in Fitz's direction and his lips tugged up into a smile as his accented voice spoke more.

"I thought humans had that expression about faces. 'If you keep glaring, the wind might change and you'll get stuck that way.'"

How do you know that? She thought, irritation giving way to curiosity.

"I've been searching the human world for twelve years."

Right, for Sophie. Unexpected emotion, equal parts jealousy and wistfulness, surged up in Amber's heart and her eyes flickered down. Remembering that Fitz was still in her head, she imagined a hand shoving him towards a door that said "Exit" in bright red lights. Fitz jolted in his chair. "How did you do that?" He asked in shock. Alden and Elwin glanced at him but he didn't pay attention. "You shouldn't be able to shove someone out of your mind."