There were a lot of reasons, primarily centering on his fears for Jilly and Archie and McCoy. If the need ever arose, he would have to do something to help. And fighting or talking his way out of it were becoming slimmer as options, if they existed at all. Healing magic, though, was a kind of defensive magic, and he'd always been better at defense than at offense.

"I'm not a spell-casting sort of thing at all, but it would come in handy now, wouldn't it?"

Jack tore his shirt open the rest of the way before taking another swig of the elixir.