Much to my relief, Mistress Maggie was the clinician on duty. I was conscious of the fact my healing might show and having her be the one to fix me up would mean I didn't have to worry about my secret coming out. Already at work tending to Billy's back, she barely looked up as her hands moved with practiced ease, cleaning the raw, torn flesh left behind by the lashes. Before I could say a word, Maggot shoved me forward with a rough kick to my back, sending me stumbling into the room, my back screaming in agony.

"Another maggot for you," he sneered, before shooting a venomous glare at Billy. He lingered just long enough to make his disdain clear, then turned and strode out.

I barely had time to catch my breath before the door swung shut behind him. Thankfully, the other guards followed him out instead of staying behind so we had a modicum of privacy to discuss what had happened. I glanced at Billy, his face as impassive as ever despite the pain he must have been in. I wasn't sure if the guards would take us back separately, and there was no telling whether something else would come up before we'd get the chance to speak, so with the guards gone, and Mistress Maggie being a friendly face, I figured it was safe to have a conversation with Billy about all that had happened.

"So…," I began lamely. Before I could get any further, a bandage flew at my head. "Ow!" I said in mock pain as it bounced harmlessly from me.

"Brandon Horlock! I cannot believe you are back in here already! What is wrong with you?! Do you have a death wish?!" Mistress demanded of me, as I cringed away from her ire. This was the teacher I remembered from school. no-nonsense force of nature who could silence an entire room with a single look.

"No, I–"

"You what? Hmm? Just enjoy getting into trouble?" She shook her head as she continued to treat Billy. Her fingers deftly flowing over his wounds as she worked her magic. "You're heading down the wrong path young man, let me tell you that right now."

I could see the ghost of a smile play on Billy's lips as he listened to the interaction.

"It wasn't even my fault," I moaned pathetically.

"Not your fault?" She scoffed incredulously. "Do you take me for a fool? This isn't school any more Brandon. I thought you were clear on that."

She fixed her glare on me and it was just as bad as being lashed. Worse even.

"Sorry Mistress," I mumbled into my chest.

"What was that? Hmm? Speak up."

I raised my head up and repeated myself, looking slightly to the left of her face so as to not quite make eye contact.

"Do not go thinking all is forgiven young man. I'm telling you now, you need to start taking this seriously or bad things are going to happen," she threatened, gesturing at me with a pair of scissors that I could have sworn glinted in the light.

I raised my hands in surrender, lowering my eyes until she let out an exasperated huff and turned back to her work.

"What happened this time?"she asked, her voice deceptively calm as she spread a thick salve over the wounds on Billy's back. The pungent scent of herbs and something acrid filled the air. I wouldn't fall for her trap though, I wasn't out of danger yet.

I hesitated, fingers idly fiddling with the bandage she had thrown at me earlier.

"I got into a fight with three goons. They wanted me to make weapons for them but I said no."

She didn't look up. "The others are on their way then?"

"Err… no, they're um… They're dead," I cough, the words getting stuck in my throat.

Mistress turns to face me, shock evident on her face.

"Dead?" She repeats, as if she didn't hear me the first time. "What? Why?"

I swallowed, suddenly feeling like I was disappointing my favourite teacher. Which I suppose, strangely, was the case.

"Well, Pete was about to kill me and I'd, um, sort of made it obvious… I had powers."

Both Billy and Mistress Maggie tensed up at my words, each looking at the other through the corner of their eye like they were watching a wild animal.

"You both know already," I tell them, rolling my eyes.

"Do you not know how to keep a secret, fool boy?" Mistress shouts at me before remembering the guards outside, and lowering her voice into a loud whisper. A look of thunder on her face. "Do you want to go underneath?"

"Mistress Maggie is right boy, you shouldn' be tellin' anyone. What you just did was foolish. The best way to keep a secret is to not say anythin' about it. Ever. Do you 'ear me?"

"Yeah I know but in my defence, Mistress has known for ages and hasn't said anything, and you've just killed to protect me. I think that counts for something?" I responded, defensive with them both ganging up on me.

"You've just told us of the other's complicity though lad. Now we have something to hold over the other."

Mistress froze at his words, suddenly aware that a prisoner might try to use it against her leading me to panic at the possibility.

"You wouldn't do that to each other though. You're good people," I ventured, hopefully. Though I know it doesn't matter. As soon as he said the words, I knew he was right. Announcing I had powers was extremely stupid of me. Another dumb, arrogant mistake. I scuffed my feet on the ground which only served to worsen my mood. There wasn't anything substantial to take my frustrations out on, and even if there was, my back was screaming in agony. It was all I could do not force the tiny bit of mana I had regenerated into the wounds.

I lamented my own stupidity instead. It took Billy killing three people to protect me before my doubts about him went away, and now I'd instantly elevated that trust and deemed him good enough to essentially invite him to a conspiracy with the only person I knew for a fact I could count on. He didn't even have concrete proof I had powers until that moment. If he was setting me up, I'd given him all the ammo he needed.

The look he was giving me told me he knew what was going through my head and he helped ease my worries.

"Don't worry I'm not gonna tell anyone but you need to be careful Brandon."

Feeling that Mistress hadn't resumed her work, Billy looked back and addressed her.

"Mistress, I promise I won't use this information against you, don't worry. As far as I'm concerned, you don' know anythin'." He punctuated the sentence with a warm smile. So warm, I was surprised it had come from him.

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"Thank you," she responded somewhat hesitantly, wrapping a bandage around Billy's torso.

"Brandon, you're young, but you need to quickly learn how to keep your secrets better. Especially because of how dangerous yours is."

Mistress pursed her lips and vigorously nodded in agreement.

"There are people out there that will do 'orrible things to you if they find out. Do you 'ear? You might think what you've been through so far is bad but let me tell you now, it is nothin' compared to what they'll do to you if they ever find out you have an ability."

His lecturing tone was serious and left no room for dissent. It was clear I was being admonished and the worst thing was that he was right to do so.

"You're right," I said, looking sullenly down at my feet.

"Brandon, we know it's hard. You're still a child," Mistress tells me as she comes over and takes my hands."You're a child who has been through a lot but you are still a child. I know you are probably excited about having magic, and in another life you might have been able to enjoy that feeling."

She gave my hands a gentle squeeze. It was probably the most sensitive she'd ever been with me.

"I'm so sorry that you don't get that chance Brandon, I really am. But you need to understand that. You don't get that chance.," her eyes pierce mine as she talks. "You have to hide what you can do. You have to keep it a secret from as many people as you can because you cannot begin to imagine the horrors you will face if they catch you. You, more than most, will be put through unending torture."

She paused for a moment to let the weight of her words sink in.

"You might not believe me when I tell you but a lot of the people underground are there because they trusted loved ones. Loved ones who then turned them in. People they thought they could trust, Brandon. For some it was their cousins, siblings… for others it was their family friends. They had put their trust in someone, and that someone would tell someone else they thought was trustworthy and eventually a weak link would break."

"So, what? I should trust no one?" I asked petulantly.

"Yes. When it comes to a secret this big. You shouldn't tell anyone. Okay? It's the only way you can guarantee your safety"

I kicked a foot against the floor and nodded my assent. She gave my hands another squeeze and moved onto treating my back.

"What a mess. At least you haven't healed this," she murmured and she began cleaning me up.

We sat in silence as she went about her work. I was subdued from the dressing down and they were content to let me digest their words. After Mistress Maggie was done, she took all the waste and left the room, leaving me and Billy alone.

"'Ow you doin' lad?"

"I'm alright. I think it's just been a lot."

"That it 'as," he cast a glance towards the door. "Listen, it's about what Mistress Maggie was sayin' before. She's right, you shouldn' just go 'round tellin' everyone but there are others… in your situation if you get my meanin'."

"The rebels?" I ask, and he confirmed with a nod.

"I'm not Gifted myself - that's 'ow they refer to themselves - but I've done a lot of work with them over the years. Including some things in 'ere."

"Like what?" I asked.

He gave me a wry grin. "This and that," he winked. "My point is, there's an organisation out there that might be able to 'elp you if you need it. All you need to do is say the word, and I'll get you in touch with them."

I figured he meant Erick and Marky but I didn't want to come out and ask that after the conversations we'd been having.

"I'm not sure I'm cut out to be a rebel. Besides, what would I do from in here?"

"Small things. Little bits to help the cause. Nothin' that you wouldn' be able to 'andle."

The train job sticks out in my mind. That was a job for the rebels. Yeah, they got me out but I still ended up in prison because of it. Billy had earned some trust from me but as far as I was concerned, the rebels weren't a group to put your faith in.

Billy read the apprehension on my face. "Don' worry too much about it now. You've been through a lot. I just want you to know that the option's there. It's not just about 'elpin' the cause, there'll be people who understand what you've been through. What you're goin' through."

He gave me a kind smile that I tried to return.

"We should also 'ave a proper talk about what 'appened earlier…"

Of course. I'd been eager to discuss it all when I first came into the room and saw that it was without prying eyes. Then I'd let my mouth run and got the wind knocked out my sails.

"Thank you," I told him, "for saving me. He would have killed me if you hadn't been there."

He nodded at my gratitude.

"And for… killing the others to protect me. That was good of you and I won't forget it."

He held my gaze as if he was searching my soul.

"And do you feel okay, after seein'... that… 'appen? It's been a long time since I first saw someone die but I know it can be 'ard."

"I've seen people die before," I said almost dismissively.

"It's different when it's related to you though, right?" He asked, seeing through to the issue in my mind.

"Yeah… That was– it was strange. I don't know. It shocked me that you'd that for me and honestly, I think that shook me more than actually seeing them die. Is that wrong of me?"

He blew out a breath. "I can't judge you on that lad. I'm the one that did the killin'. I think we all react differently to death but it's good that you can take it in stride. The story you told the warden? That was good thinkin'. A lot of people wouldn' 'ave been able to 'old their nerve in that situation but you did. You should be proud."

His praise made me feel better but I still felt conflicted about what had happened. In the stories people always felt bad when they were responsible for someone's death, and in some ways I was, it just felt to me like I wasn't upset enough. My thoughts kept circling back to the fact I thought they got what was coming to them.

They were killed just to protect my secret which I did feel was wrong but they were also bad people who probably deserved to die for other reasons. Amir definitely so because he was responsible for the death of No Shoes, Pete would have killed me and his death was more to stop me from dying, and then Roach was no doubt deeply involved in everything else

Maybe it was okay to not feel bad when it came to bad people. It wasn't like I was planning on killing people or anything. I didn't exactly want to make a habit of it. Besides, there are people out there that killed for good reasons. Protectors. Defenders. They killed the bad people and that was fine… wasn't it? Maybe they didn't feel upset either.

"You did well by the way," said Billy, interrupting my musing. "In the fight I mean. You can clearly 'andle yourself. I mean your power probably plays a big part but you're still provin' yourself to be a bit of a bruiser."

He was clearly trying to lift my mood so I gave him a small smile in response.

"Thanks. Training to fight was basically all I did when we weren't out earning."

Billy knew not to ask what I meant by earning. Not that it would be a problem between us but it was the polite thing to do when it came to people with less than stellar job prospects.

"Oh yeah? What sort of trainin' did you do?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "This and that. Mostly repeating stuff they taught us in the academy. But then I got hold of some enchanted training dummies," I told him, excitedly, remembering how fun it was fighting the things.

"Enchanted trainin' dummies?" He asked quizzically before his eyes widened. "Did they fight back? Both grappling, kicks, and punches?"

I nodded vigorously. "Yeah! They were so good. It was honestly better fighting them than the kids in the classes. At least the dummies really challenged me."

Billy let out a barking laugh. "I'm not surprised. It sounds like you got your 'ands on some Velmere Dummies. They're the finest set you can find. At least they were before I got locked up in 'ere," he said, scratching his chin.

"I only got to use 'em once. A mate of Marky's 'ad got 'old of some and 'e wanted to show them off. 'e reckoned that they were used by the nobles themselves to train. Apparently some wizard 'ad come up with the designs but the enchanting cost a fortune to commission. All I know for sure was that they took me to the brink in my little sparrin' session, and trust me, I ain't no slouch.

Ha! Maybe it's not just your power that's been keepin' you goin' if you've been training with bloody Velmere's," he let out another chuckle as Mistress Maggie came back into the room.

"Sorry boys, I tried to drag my feet as long as I could but you'll have to go back now,"

"No worries, Mistress. Sorry again for being such an idiot."

Her face softened. "Just think about what I said, Brandon. It's dangerous and you're only young."

I nodded my assent as the door was still open so I couldn't really respond with anything of substance.

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