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"The damage itself is old," I explained. "Your brain adapted around it. Repairing the tissue shouldn't change who you are or how you think, but I don't know whether it would affect the way your telepathy feels because I don't know exactly how your magic interacts with those pathways."

His eyes stayed on mine.

"So you won't promise it will help the headaches."

"No."

"Could it make them worse?"

"I don't think so, but I can't guarantee it."

Nykos considered that, then gave one small nod. "Do it."

I didn't move.

"Jade, will you heal it?"

"Yes."

I placed my fingers lightly against his temple.

Nykos stiffened at the contact, though he didn't move away. I let my ability sink deeper, following the old damaged pathways without touching anything else. His brain was complicated in a way muscle and bone weren't, not because I couldn't understand the structures but because tiny changes mattered. I worked slowly, restoring only what had been damaged and leaving every adaptation his body had built around it intact.

When I withdrew my hand, Nykos blinked several times.

"Well?"

He frowned. "Nothing."

Alex leaned around my shoulder. "Disappointing."

Nykos shoved him backwards.

I smiled despite myself. "That's probably good. If anything feels different later, tell me."

"I will."

I looked around at all four of them. "And from now on, if you want something healed, ask. I don't care if it's new, old, embarrassing or stupid. If you want it fixed, I'll fix it."

Alex rubbed his now-silent shoulder. "You could just check us occasionally."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because they're your bodies."

That shut him up.

I picked up my field pack from beside the sofa and settled it over my shoulders. "If it's an emergency and you're unconscious, bleeding to death or otherwise incapable of giving permission, I'm not waiting. Anything else, you ask."

Corian met my eyes from across the room.

Something in his expression told me he understood exactly why that mattered.

"Fair."

Alex sighed. "Fine. But I reserve the right to complain that I spent three years with a clicking shoulder while apparently living one conversation away from salvation."