book in the right hand and a lamp in the other. Water sprayed upward from the lamp into the fall air. On the far side of the fountain was a building with four square columns.
I walked between them and through the doors. The round-faced woman seated behind a tall desk in the middle of the entry hall revealed a look of horror and disgust-if only for the barest moment-when she caught sight of me.
“This is a private school, Patroller,” she said with a cheerful and patently false smile.
“It’s Patrol Captain and Maitre Rhennthyl, Madame,” I replied with an equally false and cheerful smile. “I’d like a moment with the most senior person here.”
Her eyes took in the imager’s insignia on my visor cap and the four-pointed star on my grays. “If you would wait a moment, Master Rhennthyl, I’ll see if Madame Lagryce is free.”
In moments, she returned. “Madame Lagryce will see you, sir.”
I followed her down the hall to the left to the first door and stepped into a study about twice the size of mine at the station, and a chamber far more elaborately furnished, with a large desk of ebon, its legs carved into scrollwork, and four wooden armchairs arrayed in a semi-circle before the desk. Each chair had a padded seat upholstered in green velvet, the fabric matching the wall hangings. The single bookcase was also ebon.
Madame Lagryce, even plumper than her guardian goose, sat behind the desk. She did not rise. Her black eyes were as cold as those of a water serpent above a warm smile. “I must admit that I’m at a loss as to why a girls’ school with such an impeccable reputation as Jainsyn’s would require a visit from such a noted Civic Patrol personage.”
“It’s really quite simple. You have a student by the name of Jessya D’Roulet, I believe?”
“Why yes, we do. She’s very talented, especially musically, and she has a fine hand in drawing. Might I ask why you are bringing up her name?” Her dark and artificially accented eyebrows rose quizzically.
“I thought you might like to know that she died this morning from smoking too much elveweed.” I smiled politely. “As we both know, the Patrol can require nothing of a private institution unless we have evidence of a crime being committed on the premises. We do not have such evidence, but, given the very sheltered life of Jessya, it is likely that she got the elveweed from a classmate here, and I thought you’d like to know.”
“That is preposterous, absolutely preposterous. Our girls would
“One of them already did, Madame.” I smiled again. “I also thought you’d like to know that the drug runners are bringing in a more potent variety of elveweed. Deaths are rising throughout L’Excelsis. I won’t take any more of your time, but I do believe that you should be aware of the possibilities.” I inclined my head. “Thank you, and good day.”
If that didn’t get her looking, there wasn’t much else I could do at the moment.
Once I was outside, I walked back to the Plaza D’Este and caught a hack to the station.
The rest of the day was routine, and I actually managed to accompany Ultrych and Caaryh on their rounds. Even so, by the time the duty coach arrived at the station, I was feeling tired-and I knew I had to meet with Shault before dinner.
Seliora had just landed a solid commission for a High Holder whose name I didn’t recognize-Fhernon-and Diestrya had behaved well. So the ride from NordEste Design to Imagisle was cheerful.
Once I helped Seliora and Diestrya from the coach, I hurried south to the quadrangle and to the dining hall, where Shault was waiting. As I walked into the building my eyes strayed upwards to the section of stone that held the name of imagers who had died in service to the Collegium. I always looked for Claustyn’s name, perhaps because he was the first that I’d known to die that way.
Then I saw Shault and ushered him into the conference room.
Within moments of trying to discuss his essay, I got the feeling that the most trying aspect of the day might well be trying to emphasize to Shault the need for clarity in explaining matters. After what had happened already during the day, it shouldn’t have been. It was.
“Sir, it’s right, or it’s wrong. Why do I need to be able to explain it?”
For a moment, I wondered if he were being deliberately obtuse, but then realized he was serious. So I asked, “Is it right for a taudischef to kill a taudis-tough if the tough is a member of his gang, but goes off and steals something while wearing the colors of another gang?”
“He has to do that, or beat him up badly, or the whole gang would be in trouble.”
“Who else would know that?”
“Anyone in a taudis-gang knows that.”
“So you’re saying that it’s right for a taudischef to break the laws of Solidar and that everyone else should agree with what you think is right, because you think it’s right?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t?”
“You’re twisting my words, sir.”
“Am I?”
“It’s different in the taudis, sir.” He paused. “Well…you’ve made it different in Third District, but the others are the old way.”
“What did you just say?”
He looked at me blankly, again.
“A moment ago,” I forced myself to speak quietly, “you said something was either right or it was wrong. Now you just said that it was different in the taudis. Aren’t you saying that what’s right in one place isn’t right in another? And if it’s different…”
I could tell it was going to be a long session.
It was indeed, and I barely got home in time to eat a little dinner before I had to go back down to the infirmary to meet with Master Draffyd.
He was waiting outside one of the surgery chambers.
“Here you go.” He handed me a gown to put over my grays. “I have a cadaver on the surgery table there. I’m going to dissect it, and you’re going to learn more about the major organs. You’re also going to practice some delicate imagery. If you’re going to attempt imagining medicine, you need to know this.”
I just nodded, then slipped into the gown, and followed him into the surgery.
“We’ll start with the esophagus.” Draffyd pointed to the throat of the male body on the table. “One of the most common problems is simple choking, and there are two physical methods that should be tried before you image anything. The first one you know-several sharp blows between the shoulders. If between five to ten don’t work, then you can try the other method-an abdominal thrust. Even if it doesn’t work-and it usually does-the method provides a good cover for imaging. That is useful. Now…I’m going to stand behind you and demonstrate on you…”
He clasped his arms around me, and then wrenched them upward in a way that forced me to exhale- whether I wanted to or not.
“Oooofff.”
“Exactly. Now…I didn’t apply full force. That can crack ribs, but you should get a sense of it. Try it on me… but gently and slowly. I’d prefer not to have bruised muscles or ribs if you don’t have your arms and hands in the right places.”
He made me do the procedure slowly three times before I used more force.
“If that doesn’t work…you can try imaging. Most objects are caught anywhere from the pharynx at the lower part of the back of the mouth.” He took a probe and opened the cadaver’s mouth, pointing with the probe. “They may be farther down and block the epiglottis…I’m going to place a hard roll there…”
After three glasses, Draffyd finally let me go, not that he was really through with what he wanted me to know about the more common human organs, but because my guts were having a hard time staying composed. The cool air blowing off the river from the north helped settle my system as I walked across the quadrangle and north to our house.
Seliora was waiting for me, propped up in her bed, reading.
“Diestrya asked for you…but she didn’t cry.” She looked at me. “Do you need something to settle your stomach?”
“I don’t think I could eat anything right now.”
