Lucas sat quietly as Alice recounted her story about having healed a wounded bird. Healing was such a useful power to have, and Lucas knew that, if she trained her healing abilities, they could become an indispensable asset. Well, for others, that is. He could picture her working in a hospital working with small cuts at first, then moving on to larger gashes, broken limbs, stab and gun wounds, ruptured organs, and hell, maybe she could even regenerate an amputated limb? He wondered how much of a strain that would put on her, especially the latter injuries. He also speculated something a little darker, but both very fascinating and possible—with Alice’s powers, that is. He was curious if she could bring back someone from the dead in exchange for her own life. In a way, that was healing and Alice’s own death would be from the extreme exertion of her powers. Although he supposed death wasn’t exactly something that was “curable,” and he didn’t dare have Alice test that hypothesis.

Alice then had asked about his opinion, pulling him out of his thoughts.

“Well then…” Lucas said as he suddenly got an idea. “Why don’t we practice right now?”

He stood up and went over to his nightstand. He opened the drawer, rummaged around inside, and pulled out the Swiss Army knife his father had bought him on a business trip. Without saying another word to Alice, he pulled out one of the knife edges and made a small slit at the tip of his thumb. Bright red blood immediately began to accumulate around the cut.

“Don’t worry,” he said as he placed the open knife atop his nightstand, making a mental note to wash the blade later. “I’ve got a high pain threshold…—Here.” He walked up to her and held out his hand for her to touch.