Imager

40

Master Dichartyn did not appear until Lundi morning, since he’d been away. He showed up in my infirmary room after Master Draffyd’s ministrations and my breakfast.

“Good morning, Rhennthyl.” He settled onto the chair.

“Good morning, sir.”

“I have a letter for you.” He set the envelope on the bed, as his eyes took in the Jurisprudence book I’d laid aside when he had come in, although I’d only reread a few pages after eating. “Hard at work, I see.”

I hoped the letter was from Seliora, but I couldn’t tell from the writing. I’d never seen her hand, but the script looked feminine, and it wasn’t Khethila’s, or Mother’s. I wanted to pick it up, but I didn’t. “Master Jhulian reminded me that I still have an essay due to him. I’m not supposed to do anything like writing for another day or so, but I can read and think.”

“Thinking is always useful, especially if you do it before you get into difficulties.” He fingered his chin. “I’ve talked to both Master Jhulian and Master Draffyd.”

I winced slightly, even if his words had been delivered gently.

“Rhenn, because imagers work alone, of necessity, great necessity, we need to pay attention to what others say, what they see, and what they hear. Even someone who is trying to deceive you will reveal much that he does not intend. Those who favor us will do far more.”

“I should have listened to Seliora more closely.”

“You should have, and that is a lesson you will not forget.”

I knew. The lessons I remembered best were the ones that hurt, in one way or another.

“I have some other questions for you.”

After nodding to him, I waited.

“You were wounded, and in a great deal of pain, weren’t you? Yet you stood against two bullets and then imaged caustic into the attacker’s eyes and heart. Might I ask how?”

“I didn’t want him to hurt Seliora, and I wasn’t by the Nameless going to let the bastard escape, and I couldn’t have restrained him in the condition I was in.”

“Quite a lot to think about in a few moments, I’d say. Did you, really?”

“Not that logically, sir,” I admitted, “but I knew all that even as I was imaging at him.”

Master Dichartyn nodded. “Admirable . . . and effective. How did you know that caustic would cause his heart to swell and stop?”

“I didn’t know. I just thought it would, or that if it didn’t, he’d be blind and in so much pain he wouldn’t be going anywhere.” Besides, I hadn’t known any other quick way to react, because I hadn’t practiced any kinds of imager attacks-just defenses. “Will this keep me from being a field imager?”

“If you’d been trained for that, no . . . but that’s not what your position is likely to be. This incident will help you understand just how important what you’ll be doing is, and it will also give you a feel for the dangers and consequences that no amount of training will. For you, since you’ve survived it, that’s probably for the best, but we certainly didn’t intend for anything like this to happen.” He frowned. “There’s been a bit too much of this sort of thing recently, but as Master Jhulian and I discussed, this assassin was after you and no one else.”

As sore as my shoulder was, I was still irritated that Master Dichartyn hadn’t said what I was being trained for. “So what will I be? An imager who tracks down those in L’Excelsis who might harm the Council and the Collegium? One who kills as necessary?”

“Only if ordered to-or in self-defense,” he agreed. “We work as what you might call counterspies, although our group has no name and does not officially exist in the records of the Collegium. We’re all technically assigned as part of Council security. There are only around ten of us who work as counterspies. There’s no limit on the number, but imagers who meet the requirements are extremely hard to find. They show up only every few years, and we lose close to a third of them before they become masters.”

“What made you decide on me?”

“A number of things.” He smiled. “I will tell you. That I promise you, but not now. Since it’s your left shoulder, and you’re right-handed, you can write while you’re recovering. Write me an essay explaining what qualities you think an imager counterspy should have.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Take your time. Not forever, but say, a week.” He paused. “Oh . . . by the way . . . all the paints and oils and canvases arrived this morning . . . as well as all the other things you’ll need. Once we have a studio set up in the workshop area and you’re up to it, I’ll have Master Poincaryt sit for you. If anyone deserves a portrait, he does.”

“Is it also that it’s safer to have an imager do it?”

“That certainly is something that makes it easier, but there’s never been an imager trained as a portraiturist, and we’re vain enough that we’d like an accurate resemblance.”

That was a compliment of sorts. “I can see that.”

“Keep following Master Draffyd’s instructions. He says that if all goes well, by Jeudi or Vendrei, you can return to your own quarters. You’ll still have to see him every morning, but I trust you’d rather not be here.”

“That’s true, sir.”

He smiled, then turned to go. After he left, I realized that he hadn’t even asked me if being a counterspy was what I wanted to do. I also realized that he hadn’t needed to.

Only then did I pick up the cream-colored envelope and look at it closely. On the front was my name-Rhennthyl D’Imager-and below it, simply Imagisle. I turned it over. Even though I knew from whom it had come, I couldn’t help but smile as I saw the name-M. Seliora D’Shelim, NordEste Design, Nordroad.

I opened it carefully, but the wax seal still broke and sprayed wax across the blanket. I read slowly, taking in each word.

My dear Rhenn,

I trust that you are recovering. I hope that you will be well before long. Can you have visitors? If you can, and if you can let me know, I would like to see you.

Until the last moments, I enjoyed dinner so much. I have never had a dinner so exciting. You will understand if I say that I hope never to have another. The next time, you must come to our house and have one of Mother’s special dinners.

I look forward to hearing from you.

The signature was a simple “Seliora.”

I couldn’t help but smile. The letter was so like Seliora-direct and warm. I certainly could have visitors, if only after I could leave the infirmary. As soon as I could, I would write her to suggest Solayi afternoon.

My eyes dropped to the Jurisprudence book. I would have more than a little other writing as well, and that would not be nearly so enjoyable.