Free Stealing Phoenix by Joss Stirling

got teased for having a girl’s name—you know, Eve— by morons in my first grade. My mom and dad plucked names from their ancestors all over the world for their sons—most Savant families are really international—and I had to suffer for it. Phoenix must have been a burden at school until, I suppose, it became cool to be different.’
    I shrugged. ‘I wouldn’t know. Never went to school that I can remember.’
    The doors ‘ting’-ed open, a bright sound like the bell at the end of a round in a boxing match.
    ‘How … but surely you have to go to school in England? Everyone does.’ He led the way into the carpeted corridor.
    ‘Hmm.’ That’s how much he knew about those of us off the map.
    ‘But you know things—you’ve read Peter Pan .’
    ‘ And Wendy . I didn’t say I didn’t have lessons. You can learn a lot if you want to.’ If you were starved of knowledge, desperate to join the normal world. Mum had taught me all the basics before she died. After she’d gone, if I finished my job for the day, I would sneak into the children’s section of the city library, using my gift to freeze my way past the women on the desk, and read my way through from beginning to the end of the shelves. These days I could go into the adult section without anyone questioning my right to be there. I got a fair bit of random stuff into my skull that way.
    ‘I suppose you can.’ He put the key in the lock of the last door in the corridor and entered. The flat was one of those all-white places that look good in magazines but must be horrible for real people to live in: white carpet, white furniture, black highlights of African carvings and an expensive sound system. ‘Hey, Xav, we’re back!’
    The fact that he knew his brother was already there suggested he had been talking telepathically to him since we came in range. Xav came out of the room on our right, drying his hands on a black towel. His resemblance to his brother was immediately apparent, though his hair was longer, more surfer-casual as it hung past his collar, than Yves’s neater crop. He was also thinner, rangy, a long-legged thoroughbred to the leopard. Nothing of the geek about him, but I didn’t make the mistake of underestimating his intelligence. I sensed I was sandwiched between two very bright and formidable Savants. ‘Hi, Phee. I’ve set up in here. Bring the patient in, Nurse.’
    ‘You told him about me?’ I hissed, refusing to enter the bathroom until I knew exactly what I was walking into.
    ‘Only your name and that you got burned by one of my fires.’ Yves gently prodded me between my shoulder blades. ‘Didn’t want to distract him with the rest until he’s seen to your hand. Let’s not keep the doctor waiting.’
    Xav had put a stool in front of the sink for me to sit on. Yves hovered at my shoulder as his brother carefully pushed up my sleeve and unwrapped my bandage. Xav didn’t say anything for a few moments as he turned my arm over to inspect the ugly yellow-white blister on my palm.
    ‘Sheesh, Yves, I thought you grew out of playing with fire.’
    ‘Don’t rub it in. You know I try.’ Yves’s temper was simmering again.
    ‘This needs a hospital.’ Xav glared at his brother.
    ‘She won’t go.’
    The glare now turned on me. ‘You’re an idiot, do you know that? I can help but I can’t see how deep this has gone. Does it hurt?’ His touch was soothing.
    I bit my lip and nodded.
    ‘Don’t take this the wrong way, but that’s good.’ Xav winked at me, softening the ‘idiot’ remark. ‘If it was really deep then no pain is a danger signal.’ He covered my hand with his. Not trusting what he was doing, I searched his mind patterns; I watched them shift to a soothing blue. I could see my arm in his thoughts, layer by layer, bone, nerves, muscle and skin, like an illustration in Gray’s Anatomy . He really was trying to heal me. I wondered what it was going to cost.
    Yves moved around behind us quietly,