Tormina: The Book of Maladies

by D. K. Holmberg

  Something cracked against him, and Ralun went staggering forward.

  Sam looked up and saw Elaine facing off against Ralun. Before she could process what she was seeing, another Kaver came in—Raylene. Together, they attacked with their canal staffs, driving Ralun back.

  “You came yourself. Interesting. I would’ve expected you to send someone else.”

  “Why would I send someone else? Why would I have needed to?”

  “You regard me so highly?”

  “Don’t try to play this game with me, Ralun. I know exactly what you are, and who you are.”

  “Do you? Let me tell you what I know. I know that this one means something to you, or else you wouldn’t have come yourself. I will find out what that is. And when I do…”

  Elaine swung forward, catching him with her staff, driving him back a step.

  Ralun grinned.

  “You’re done.” Elaine said.

  “Am I? I’m not nearly as done as you would like to believe,” Ralun said.

  He turned and sprinted toward the far wall, crashing through it.

  Raylene went after him, and Elaine rushed over and crouched down next to Sam.

  “What were you thinking coming here yourself?”

  “You knew where he was?”

  “We’ve been monitoring this area. Do you think that so much happens in the city that we are not aware of?”

  “Where’s Bastan?”

  “Bastan is unharmed,” Elaine said. “And you were foolish to have involved him in this.”

  “He involved me.”

  “Only because you went to him. You know how much he cares about you.”

  Sam laughed bitterly. “Bastan? He doesn’t care about me. He cares about profit and information and—”

  Elaine leaned close, close enough that Sam could smell her breath. “Bastan cares about you. Don’t mistake his business interests for anything else. Why did you involve Bastan?”

  Sam tried to move, but her body didn’t respond. Pain enveloped her, and she bit back a scream. She needed to get to Alec, anything so that she could recover, but she wasn’t sure she would be able to move on her own.

  Elaine seemed to notice Sam’s pain and shifted her cloak so that she could examine Sam’s injuries. She did a cursory evaluation, nothing like what Alec would do, and nodded to herself, seemingly satisfied that Sam was mostly unharmed.

  “He’s after Tray,” Sam said, biting back a painful moan.

  “I know.”

  “You know? I thought you said he was after me.”

  “I said that for the others’ benefit.”

  “It’s because he’s half Kaver and half Theln, isn’t it?”

  Elaine licked her lips. “It’s a dangerous combination. I don’t know what Marin was thinking when she allowed herself to be used in such a way, but…”

  Elaine shook her head and spun.

  Sam glanced over. The two djohn were getting up off the floor, and though they looked beaten and injured, they still managed to stand. How that was possible after the way Ralun had pummeled them both, she didn’t know.

  “Why are you in the city?” Elaine asked them.

  The nearest man looked at her with a blank expression. “We were hired.”

  “Bastan?” Elaine asked.

  The man nodded.

  “You know the terms of the agreement,” Elaine said.

  “And you know the terms of our contract. We are not excluded from the city if hired for a task like this.”

  Elaine breathed out heavily. “It’s good that you are here. Now go grab your employer and leave.”

  The djohn looked around and grabbed the fallen Theln, carrying him with them.

  That surprised Sam. Why would they want to take the fallen Theln? Was it for Bastan? More questions for later.

  When they were gone, Elaine shook her head. “It was a mistake hiring them,” she muttered.

  “Why?” Sam asked.

  Elaine sighed and turned her attention back to Sam. “The djohn have an agreement with us. It’s one that’s built on mutual interest, but there has never been anything but animosity between our people.”

  “Our people?”

  “The Kavers and the djohn. They would like to control the city, but they have been disallowed. There is an agreement in place that prevents it.”

  There was so much that Sam didn’t know. How was it possible that she knew so little?

  “He can’t get Tray,” Sam said.

  “No, I don’t believe he can.”

  “Why haven’t you shared what you know about Tray with the princess?”

  Sam couldn’t imagine keeping anything from Alec, at least not anything so important. For Elaine to keep something like that from her Scribe, it was surprising.

  “If they knew what your… Tray… is, they would want to destroy him.”

  “But they already know that he’s at least part Theln.”

  “But they don’t know that he is Kaver, do they? And that he has found his Scribe?”

  Sam’s breath caught. “You know?”

  “It is my job to know. How else can I protect the city if I don’t know everything that might put them in danger?”

  “What now?”

  “Now? You return to the palace and your training. You continue doing what you’ve done. And you will stop attempting to meddle in things that you’re not prepared for. In time, you may gain enough information to be valuable, but right now? Now you’re a danger. You come in unprepared, you put others in danger, and you draw Bastan into events that he should not be a part of.”

  Sam sighed. As much as she wanted to be a part of things, she was sure Elaine would do everything she could to prevent it. And she couldn’t even argue against it. She hadn’t proven that she was capable. She’d proven that she was incapable. That any attempt she might make to participate would only lead to her making mistakes, and even putting others in harm’s way. And now Ralun had escaped again.

  “If I train, and if I’m willing to do everything that you say, can I be a part of his capture?”

  “Ralun or Tray?”

  Sam stared at her for a moment, as what Elaine said sank in. Could Elaine really intend to capture Tray? She wanted to find Marin, but Tray had done nothing that warranted capture.

  “Both.”

  Elaine sighed. “I will consider it.”

  That seemed all Sam could hope for.

  26

  A Request to the Masters

  I don’t think you should do this,” Beckah said, grabbing onto his sleeve as they made their way through a hall in the university.

  Alec glanced over at her. She had a look of worry on her face, a pained expression that told him that she feared what he intended. “This is the only way that we have. If I intend to get the master physickers together, this is the only way that I can do it. There aren’t any promotions coming up, so there’s no other way that we can gather them all together. And if what Sam said is true, and if a master physicker is Marin’s Scribe, I need to do this.”

  “I’m not saying that you can’t do it, I’m saying that you shouldn’t. Do you know what happens to people who fail the requested testing?”

  Alec shook his head. “I don’t know.” They paused in the hallway near a lantern. On the wall near it was a painting done by one of the ancient physickers. It depicted the canals, and there was splashes of color within the water, and he wondered if they were supposed to represent the eels. Maybe whoever had painted it was a Scribe as well as a master physicker.

  “You will be seen as arrogant.”

  “The master physickers already see me as arrogant.”

  “That’s not what I’m trying to say. What I’m trying to say is that you would be seen as someone thinking to move too quickly. As someone who doesn’t understand his limitations.”

  “I understand my limitations.”

  “I know you do, but if you demand testing like this, it puts you in a different place. If you don’t ge
t a unanimous vote—and you fail—you will be expelled.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Ever since you told me your foolish idea, I’ve been researching it. What other choice did I have? If you’re going to do this—and I’ve seen that look on your face before, so I know you are committed to seeing this through—I wanted to know everything I could about what you were planning and what implication it might have.”

  “And what did you find?”

  “In the record of promotions,” she said, “there is documentation of others who have tried to gain promotion this way before. There haven’t been many. It was difficult to find any reference, and the most recent I could find happened some thirty-five years ago, and though the person succeeded and was promoted, those I found listed prior to that one were not successful and were expelled.”

  “Who was it? The one who gained promotion?”

  “I couldn’t tell. The writing is old and faded, and…” She shrugged. “But don’t you see? If you fail at this, you will be expelled from the university.”

  Alec swallowed. “If I don’t do this, then Marin’s Scribe will continue to wander free. The attack they intend on the city will go unopposed. We need to know who it is so we can prevent him from harming the university.”

  “Then take it to one of the master physickers.”

  “I would take it to Master Eckerd, but I haven’t seen him.” Alec was hopeful that in placing this request, Master Eckerd would appear, and he would be able to discuss with him his reason for requesting the testing. He wasn’t sure there would be time for quiet conversation. But he was hopeful that doing this would at least give him that audience. “And Master Helen wasn’t interested in helping.” He had wished she would have been more willing to listen. He knew she was a Scribe, but didn’t know much more than that about her.

  “Alec, I don’t want you to risk this and be expelled.”

  “What if I’m not expelled?” He didn’t know what the testing would entail, but he thought he had enough knowledge to at least reach the level of junior physicker—especially having seen what they know. But depending on what testing they demanded of him, it was possible that he didn’t.

  And then there was the one person that Alec wasn’t sure he would be able to convince. Master Carl would be the most difficult, if only because he didn’t want Alec to move on.

  “How do you intend to get your friend in here if you do this?”

  “You don’t think they will allow her to observe?”

  “I don’t know what they’ll allow, all I know is that you doing this is putting you in danger.”

  Alec started off down the hall again. “Sam has been in danger for this, without any help from me. It’s time that I risk myself.”

  Beckah looked over at him, but she didn’t say anything as they hurried along the hallway. They reached the stairs to the masters’ quarters, and headed up. Now that his decision was made, Alec wanted to act quickly before he lost the nerve. He feared that happening. It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch for him to decide not to do this, and to look for another way, but how?

  When they reached the top of the stairs, Alec paused. He didn’t know if there was a procedure of some sort to make this request. All he knew was that he needed to tell someone his intention, but how?

  There were no master physickers here.

  This wasn’t the place to do it, Alec suddenly realized.

  He turned, heading toward the back stairs.

  “Where are you going?” Beckah asked.

  “I’m going to the wards.”

  “Why to the wards?”

  “Because that’s where I need to go to make this request.” It was early enough that there were bound to be master physickers making the rounds with students at this time of day.

  Beckah sighed and said nothing as she kept pace with him. He had worried that she would resist him, and though she had tried to argue against him doing it, she at least hadn’t resisted him any more than that.

  He paused briefly at the student section, glancing down the hall. A part of him wanted nothing more than to return to his room, to sit down at his desk, to his journals, to study what he had observed here, but he needed to take action. He needed to risk himself the same way that Sam had risked herself.

  Alec took a deep breath, steeling himself, and headed down toward the wards.

  Three master physickers were present, and nearly a dozen students with them altogether. He saw Master Jessup with his group of students, and there was master Harold, an older master physicker who leaned on a cane as he hobbled around the wards, and there was Master Carl.

  It was almost enough to make him turn back.

  “You don’t have to do this,” Beckah said.

  “I do have to do this.”

  Alec stepped forward. He started toward Master Jessup. He knew him the best and thought that he might be the most accepting of him, and that he might be willing to work with him and perhaps guide him on the steps necessary to making the request. Instead, Master Carl looked over and saw him. He stepped away from his students and headed straight toward Alec.

  “Mr. Stross. I don’t see Master Eckerd here, so there is no reason for you to be on the wards.” He looked over to Beckah. “And you, Ms. Reynolds—”

  Alec closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, and opened them, fixing Master Carl with the hardest expression that he could. “I have come here to demand testing to physicker.”

  Master Carl blinked before clasping his hands behind his back, his belly thrusting forward in that way he had. “You have what?” he asked, a hint of a smile crossing his face.

  “I have come here to demand testing for promotion to physicker.”

  Master Carl leaned close. “Mr. Stross, you are making a grave mistake.”

  “According to the charter of the university, I have the right to request testing.”

  “What is this, Carl?”

  Alec looked over to see Master Jessup approaching. He frowned, his bushy eyebrows creating shadows over his eyes.

  “This is Mr. Stross coming to the wards to request testing for promotion to physicker.”

  There was always a playfulness about Master Jessup, but it faded immediately. “Request testing? Something like that has not happened in—”

  “Many years,” Master Carl said.

  “I request testing to promotion to physicker,” Alec said again. He tried to put more force into his voice, wanting to sound more confident than he felt, but he wasn’t sure he had succeeded.

  “Mr. Stross,” Master Jessup said, stepping close, putting himself between Alec and Master Carl, “it’s not too late for you to withdraw this request. I can smooth things over with Master Carl, but—”

  Alec looked over to Master Jessup. “No. I don’t want to withdraw the request.”

  “You understand the consequences of failure?” he asked, glancing over to Master Carl.

  “I understand,” Alec said.

  “You haven’t been here long,” Master Jessup said. “Certainly not long enough to understand exactly what you would be missing if you were expelled, but trust me when I tell you that you have potential. You will become a master physicker in time, but please, take that time.”

  Alec looked over to Master Jessup. He appreciated the man’s interest in him. “I need to do this. I need to be tested.”

  “It is decided,” Master Carl said. “Mr. Stross has demanded testing, and testing will be provided.”

  He turned away, heading toward his students, whistling as he went. There was an eagerness to his step, and Alec had a sinking feeling that he had just made a significant mistake. Even if he answered all of Master Carl’s questions correctly, could he still choose not to promote him?

  “Why did you do this?” Master Jessup asked.

  “I needed to,” Alec said.

  Master Jessup studied him for a moment, then clasped him on the shoulder before returning to his students.

  “Well,” Beckah said, “I gu
ess now it’s time for you to prepare.”

  “How long do you think I have?”

  “I don’t know. The records aren’t clear about the timing of the request and the testing. I imagine it will be a few days, but maybe it will be less.”

  Alec looked over to Master Carl. He suspected that if Master Carl had anything to do with it, it would be less, likely much less.

  And that would be okay with him. He wanted to get this over with.

  First, he had to talk to Sam and tell her what he had done, so that they could prepare. That meant returning to the palace, and if he did, would he be granted entrance? Would she be able to see him?

  Hopefully, he could send a note ahead of him so that she understood the significance of meeting with him. Now that he had committed to this, he was determined to see it through.

  27

  Last Visit

  Alec approached the palace with caution. He couldn’t stop thinking about the last time he’d come, and the admonition that Master Helen had given him, warning him away. A part of him feared that he might encounter her again, and if he did, what would he do? He would have to press on, especially considering his recent request. After all, she’d be at the testing, too. Didn’t he need to show his resolve? His commitment and confidence?

  The guards at the bridge allowed him to cross. Why hadn’t they let him cross before? The ring should have granted him access, and the fact that it hadn’t before meant someone wanted him to stay away. Had it been part of Sam’s training? Now that she could jump the canals without augmentations, they didn’t need to keep the two of them apart?

  Would he have any difficulty getting to Sam?

  Would she even be here? When he’d last seen her, she was returning to the palace for continued training, but that didn’t ensure she’d be here now. If she wasn’t here, Alec wasn’t sure how else to find her. He’d sent a note ahead, hoping to at least send word to her that he was looking for her, but hadn’t heard anything back.

  His testing was now only one day away.

  That hadn’t surprised him. Rather, he suspected it was all Master Carl’s doing, forcing the issue, and maybe even making certain that it happened during a time when Master Eckerd was still away from the university. Alec still hadn’t seen any sign of him, and hadn’t heard anything about him returning, so he didn’t know if Master Eckerd even knew about his request.