Imager's Challenge

by Jr. L. E. Modesitt

  “See what I mean.”

  I laughed. “I can’t tell you what didn’t happen.”

  Ferlyn snorted, but poured red wine for himself and white for Chassendri. “We will have an early snow, but not this weekend.”

  “I’m so glad to hear that,” replied Maitre Dyana sweetly.

  At that point, the cutlets arrived, with a light brown sauce, followed by roasted potatoes and a steamed cabbage. The cabbage was sweet, as it only was in autumn, and the dessert wasn’t bad, a rather plain cake drizzled with congealed heavy blueberry syrup.

  For the rest of lunch, conversation centered on the latest events from Cloisera. In one way or another, they all expressed the idea that the Ferran attack on Jariola so late in the year had been unwise. There was such unanimity that I wondered if I might have been mistaken, because unanimous opinions, I’d begun to believe, were usually in error.

  After lunch I made my way to the Bridge of Hopes. This Samedi, Shomyr did escort Seliora, but he stayed only long enough to see that I met her before he departed.

  I found myself embracing Seliora tightly in the middle of the bridge, my arms almost pinning her inside the heavy black wool cloak.

  “Are you all right, Rhenn?”

  “I’m glad to see you.” I slowly released her, then kissed her gently on the cheek.

  “What’s happened?”

  “I’ll tell you, but not in the middle of the bridge.”

  We walked off the bridge and to one of the stone benches where I’d waited so often the previous spring. I stopped by the bench, gesturing, then stopping. “It’s wet.”

  “I can stand. Tell me what happened.” She took my hands in hers, and it was as though warmth flowed from her and released a chill I had not even known had encased me.

  I turned to face her. “The patrol rounds on Lundi were all right, but that night I went to deal with Mardoyt—”

  “The Patrol lieutenant Grandmama warned you about?”

  “The same one . . .” I explained all that had happened before and what I had done. “Then, on Mardi night, Master Dichartyn called me in. He told me that he’d been asked to talk to the Patrol subcommander. He wanted to know why I’d tried to kill Mardoyt. I denied trying to kill him, because that wasn’t what I’d had in mind. . . .”

  Seliora’s mouth opened. “How did any of them know unless . . .”

  “Exactly. The subcommander, Mardoyt, and Harraf—and Youdh—all had to know—”

  “Youdh? The taudischef?”

  “He’s an imager. Or he was.” I had to explain how that had developed. I ended with what kept coming up. “Except for Youdh being an imager, there’s no real proof of anything.”

  “That’s why Grandmama has held on to her contacts. By the time there’s proof, too often it’s too late. The innocent are destroyed, and the lower-level evil ones are caught, but the people who are responsible walk away untouched.”

  “Speaking of those who are responsible . . . that was just the beginning. That same night, I walked over to the dining hall after dealing with Master Dichartyn. There was an urgent message from Khethila in my letter box. Rousel was badly injured in a wagon accident in Kherseilles. My parents had already left with Culthyn by the time I got the note. I went to see Khethila immediately, but she hadn’t heard more.”

  “That’s not a coincidence.”

  “No. I’ll explain that in a moment. On Meredi . . . I’ve told you about Youdh’s attack and the hearing. Vendrei was the Autumn Ball . . .” I didn’t go into full details about what Iryela had said—or what she had implied—but I did mention Ryel’s words about Rousel’s accident.

  “He wants you to know that he’ll destroy your entire family.” Her eyes did not so much flash as smolder with solidified rage. “He wants to grind it into you.”

  That was all too possible.

  “Do you think she’s suggesting that marrying her would end this feud by her father?”

  “That doesn’t feel quite right,” I admitted. “There’s something else there. She has her own schemes.”

  “She could be throwing you up at them so that she can have a say in choosing a husband.”

  “That could be. Or it could be something else.”

  “I wouldn’t trust a word she says. These High Holders play with people like they were dealing plaques.” Seliora looked at me. “What do you need from me? From us?”

  “I’ll need to borrow the mare, possibly several times over the next two weeks. Also, I’d like for both of us to stop by the factorage after I spend a glass or so painting you. . . .”

  “You can still paint with all this . . . ?”

  “I need to do that.” And I did. I wanted to finish her portrait. If things didn’t go right, and well they might not, she deserved that, cold comfort as it might be.

  She tightened her fingers around mine, and we just stood in the chill, silently, for a time.

  Finally, I took her arm, and we began to walk. “I do want to finish your portrait, and it’s not getting done out here.”

  “I don’t want just a portrait.”

  I knew what she meant. “I want more than that, too, but I’m not going to let things slide because of corrupt Patrol officers and vengeful High Holders. Besides, I do have plans.”

  “I never doubted that. Will you tell me?”

  I shook my head. “I can’t. I haven’t worked out everything yet.” I still had trouble with the full implications of Ryel’s feud, and the fact that I might well have to deal with not just Ryel, but Dulyk and Alynat as well. Just because I’d partly blinded Johanyr, I was facing either losing my family or ruining another?

  “You will tell me?”

  “Yes.” And I would.

  We walked more quickly toward the studio. North of the center of the quadrangle, we passed two seconds headed toward their quarters. One was Vanjhant, the blond and chubby imager who’d been a witness at the ill-fated Floryn’s hearing the previous spring.

  “Good afternoon, Vanjhant.”

  “Good afternoon, sir, mistress.”

  After they passed, I caught a few words, carried on the wind.

  “. . . does something with the Civic Patrol . . .”

  “. . . looks like he’d be the type . . .”

  Did I really look that way?

  “Yes,” replied Seliora, although I’d not said a word. “Even your father said something about it, Khethila told me. You never looked like a portraiturist, and now you look much more like a very fit and physical naval officer.”

  “Not an Army type?”

  She shook her head.

  Once we got to the studio, I helped Seliora out of her cloak, then held her tightly. The kisses that followed were not short, but not overly long, and she eased away from me.

  “There was something about a portrait . . .”

  The smile in her eyes warmed me, and I posed her, then went to the easel.

  I only worked on Seliora’s portrait for a little more than a glass, but by then I had her face completed, except for a few touches, and some of her jacket. It still took close to a quint before I’d cleaned up everything and closed up the studio.

  “I’ll be glad not to have to wear this every Samedi afternoon,” she said as we walked toward the Bridge of Desires—the closest bridge for hailing a hack to go to the factorage.

  “You can wear a different blouse next week. That part’s done.” I grinned at her, except it was close to a leer.

  She blushed. “You can be impossible.”

  “Not impossible. Merely difficult.”

  We were both chilled by the time we crossed the bridge and managed to hail a coach. The ride south to Alusine Wool was not much warmer, because the wind was strong enough to whistle around and through the rattling windows. There was a single coach outside Alusine Wool when we emerged from the hack, but when I’d paid the driver and turned, the coach had pulled away. I hoped whoever was inside had expended more than a few golds purchasing wool.

  Seliora
stood and studied the front of the building for a moment, and at the letters of the sign. I let her. She’d never been to the family factorage before. Then we walked up the low stairs and in through the doors.

  Khethila immediately stood as she saw us enter. She didn’t run down from the desk on the rear dais, but she didn’t dawdle, either.

  “Rhenn! Seliora.” She gave me a quick hug and Seliora a slightly longer one. “You’re so kind to come.”

  “Have you heard anything else?” I doubted that, because it was more than two days to Kherseilles by ironway, even by urgent express.

  She shook her head. “I won’t hear anything until Lundi at the earliest, I expect.”

  “Do you know how badly Rousel was hurt?” asked Seliora.

  “The message from Remaya said that he had broken ribs and crushed legs.”

  “Was there anything about how it happened?”

  “No. Just that it was an accident.”

  “Can I do anything to help?” Seliora’s words were both warm and supportive.

  “Not right now. I can’t think of anything.” Khethila glanced around the factorage. “We’re selling a bit more than we did last year at this time, and I’ve been writing up the bid for another Navy order. All I can do is make sure that Father doesn’t have to worry about the business here.”

  We talked for almost another glass before Seliora and I took our leave and let Khethila and Eilthyr begin to close up the factorage.

  As we stood outside at the edge of West River Road, waiting for a hack, I half turned to Seliora. “Do you have the evening planned, lady?”

  “We could join Father and Mother at home and then go with them to Chaelya’s. . . .”

  I couldn’t help smiling. “What did you tell them? That you’d ask me, and to expect us?”

  Seliora blushed.

  “I thought as much.” I leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

  We waited for less than a quint before a hack, even bound northward, stopped for us.

  Once we were inside, I asked, “Do you think we could take a ride tomorrow, early in the afternoon?”

  “How early?”

  “Right after brunch?”

  “Only if you come to brunch.”

  “I can manage that.” That would even let me sleep late and still have a good meal.

  “You’d like to head north?”

  “How did you guess?”

  She smiled knowingly.

  I sensed a sadness, and I said, “The more this goes on, the more it seems that I don’t have much choice.”

  “I know. Sometimes, we don’t.”

  That was always going to be the hard part, I was coming to understand. “How do you know which choice is right?”

  “When only one choice will save those you love,” replied Seliora.

  I didn’t know that I could have put it that succinctly.

  When we reached NordEste Design, Bhenyt was waiting outside. As we emerged from the coach, he ran over and called up to the driver. “Half silver if you wait a quint!”

  “Done, young fellow!” agreed the bearded coachman. “Done!”

  “Two coppers now,” added Bhenyt, “and the rest on the fare.”

  I couldn’t help grinning at Bhenyt. He grinned back.

  Seliora and I walked quickly up the outer steps, then through the doors and up the stairs. Betara and Shelim were sitting on one of the settees, but both rose as we entered the main second-level entry hall.

  “I thought we might be seeing you about now.” Betara’s eyes went to me. “How are you doing, Rhenn?”

  “I’m fine. My brother Rousel’s been seriously injured in an accident in Kherseilles. My parents are there.”

  “Do you know how accidental the accident was?” Betara asked.

  “No. Given the difficulties Rousel has faced recently, I have my doubts as to how accidental this was.”

  Seliora and Betara exchanged glances.

  Shelim nodded, then said, “Whatever we can do.”

  “We’re going riding tomorrow,” Seliora said. “Rhenn will need to borrow the mare from time to time.”

  “Is that all?” asked Betara.

  “I hope so. You have already done much more than I ever could have asked for, and I appreciate not having to worry about people shooting at me every time I come to see Seliora.” I offered what I hoped was both a thankful and a knowing smile.

  “There are those who should not be trusted with rifles,” Betara said lightly.

  “That is true, but I’m still grateful.” I paused. “By the way, you and Grandmama Diestra might like to know that Lieutenant Mardoyt suffered an accident earlier this week. On Lundi night an oak limb fell on him. He’s expected to live, but he’ll likely be stipended off because he won’t walk well and can’t use one arm.”

  “That will please Mama,” Betara said. “He is an evil man.” Her words were delivered evenly and factually. Then she smiled. “We should go. Staelia is expecting us.” She adjusted a red woolen cloak trimmed in black.

  Shelim escorted her down the steps and out to the waiting hack. Seliora and I followed.

  Once the hack was headed southeast on Nordroad, I addressed Betara. “The other thing I didn’t tell you was that one of the taudischefs was an imager. That was Youdh. He attacked me and another patroller on rounds on Meredi. We captured him. He was tried by the Collegium and executed on Vendrei.”

  Betara nodded. “We heard that he had been taken by the Patrol, but no one knew much more than that.” She paused, then added, “Except that the Temple priests are very displeased.”

  “Do you know what they’ll do?”

  She shook her head. “Whatever it is, they’ll get someone else to do it, and it will seem like the sansespoirs or the poor workers in the taudis are to blame.”

  To me, that translated into a riot when the conscription teams arrived, if not worse. “I’ll watch for that, although I don’t know if I can do much.”

  When we reached Chaelya’s, I was the first out of the coach, and offered my hand and arm to Seliora, and then to Betara. I didn’t know what Shelim paid the hacker, except that his response was definitely grateful.

  “Thank you, sir!”

  No sooner had we stepped in through the brick-framed doorway than Staelia bustled up to us. “Shelim, Betara . . . and Seliora and Rhenn . . . I’m so glad all of you are here. It’s chill tonight, for this time of year, and we aren’t that crowded. This way. You have the corner table.”

  Several diners looked up as we passed, and one, a younger man attired in a royal green jacket, swallowed. I looked at him and smiled. He paled. I wondered exactly what he’d done.

  Staelia seated us at the rear table that was set off slightly from the others. Taelia immediately appeared with two carafes of wine—one a pale amber and the other a claret-red. “The white is Simota, the red Endaluz.”

  I hadn’t had either, but opted for the white, as did Betara. Seliora and her father chose the Endaluz.

  “Has the war had any effect on your business?” I asked Betara and Shelim once Taelia had half filled all four goblets.

  Betara sipped her wine, then said, “No. Unless things get worse, I don’t think it will. Most of our clients aren’t likely to be affected. The only factors who come to us, except for a special side chair or armchair, are those like Glendyl or Diogayn who are possibly as wealthy as some of the lesser High Holders.”

  “Have you done a commission for Glendyl?” I tried the Simota; it was somehow slightly buttery, without being cloying.

  “Not quite two years ago. He wanted a dining set for his estate here in L’Excelsis.”

  “How was he to work for?”

  “Very demanding until he was satisfied with the design, and very easy after that.”

  “He wanted things his way, but trusted your abilities,” I suggested.

  “That’s how it should be,” Betara replied. “We won’t do anything for Diogayn again.”

  Seliora winced.


  “Oh?” I looked to her.

  “He tried to insist that I should show great gratitude, if you know what I mean, for the commission, and became very upset when I declined. Then he insisted on changes after we’d already ordered fabric.”

  “Then he demanded that we change the back design of the chair frame,” added Shelim.

  “What happened?” I asked.

  “We delivered what he requested, at a price set according to the agreement. He wasn’t happy.”

  “Change escalation clause?” I asked.

  “He didn’t read it closely,” Betara said. “We brought our advocate with the delivery. His advocate called him an idiot. Not quite in those terms.”

  “He said that Diogayn should not have signed an agreement with unfamiliar phrasing,” added Shelim, “without consulting his advocate and that given the documentation we had produced he could pay us, or he could pay us and the advocate even more.”

  “He thought that his wealth and power would suffice,” I suggested.

  “Oh, he tried that, too. We had to deal with several incidents . . . until the body of one of his ‘agents’ was found inside his guarded compound inside his locked carriage house, garroted in the driver’s seat of his favorite coach.”

  “He hasn’t even said unkind things about us,” Betara added. “Not anywhere in public, and the dining set we delivered was exquisite and without any flaws. We even used a new fabric design with the chair frames he rejected for High Holder Asathyn, and made a higher profit.”

  I could see the incident as another example of what Seliora had said about NordEste Design’s ability to outcheat cheaters. I was also very glad that I did truly love Seliora.

  One of the dinner specials was game hen stuffed with plums and hazelnuts, with a plum sauce, and I had that. Seliora chose a mushroom, fowl, and rice casserole in a cream sauce. I had a taste of hers, and she of mine. We agreed, in a fashion. She thought hers was better for her, and mine for me. So did I.

  A hack was waiting outside Chaelia’s when we left, doubtless arranged by Staelia, which was very good because the wind had picked up even more, although the sky was cloudless. Both Artiema and Erion showed half discs distinctly in the clear night air, the larger moon golden white, and the hunter moon reddish beige.