The Book of Maladies Boxset

by D. K. Holmberg

  Her breath caught. She would have thought he was joking, but she understood now why he said she wouldn’t need her staff anymore. She understood the compassion she heard in his voice. He had been so calm—almost kind—because of her injury. An injury bad enough that she might not be able to walk again.

  “You need to find Alec,” she said to Tray.

  “What can an apothecary do? Sam, we need to get you to the university. If there’s anything that can be done—”

  “There is nothing that can be done. Even the university physickers wouldn’t be able to help,” Bastan said.

  “You’re right,” Sam said. “The university wouldn’t be able to help me. But Alec can.” She turned her head toward Tray. Marin had warned her against going to the center of the city, and had warned that Tray needed to be careful, but what choice was there? If they did nothing—if Alec didn’t come—it was possible she wouldn’t recover. But with Alec… an augmentation could save her. “Please. Marin will understand. Go to the university and find him. I know that puts you at risk, but you need to do this. I can’t… I can’t…”

  She couldn’t finish.

  Tray took her hand and squeezed. “I’ll go. Marin won’t be thrilled, but you are my sister. I’ll do this for you.”

  Sam closed her eyes and sighed.

  30

  A Summons

  Alec crept through the halls of the university. It was late, late enough that he should be in his room rather than wandering about, but after having seen what he was sure was easar paper, he had to know. Before going to Sam, he needed to know whether he had seen what he believed he had. If there was another possible supply…

  He paused at the library door, his hand on the knob.

  If he was caught, it was possible he would be expelled from the university.

  Given the knowledge he now knew awaited him here, he didn’t want to be expelled. He wanted to continue his studies learn what he could, but he worried that the commitment to that learning meant years of study. Years until he could return to practicing with Sam.

  There was no choice but to enter and see. Maybe he’d been wrong.

  He entered the library, preparing an excuse. He wasn’t sure whether there would be a problem with him coming library at this time of night, but if there was, he wanted to be ready. The library was empty. There was a single lantern, glowing with a soft light, giving barely enough illumination to push back the shadows. Alec hurried across the library and reached the door on the far side.

  He tested the handle and was surprised to find that it opened.

  On the other side, he froze.

  Five men stood inside the room, dressed in all-black clothing.

  They turned to him. Alec had seen one of them before. He recognized the deep-set eyes and the dark hollows below them, and he remembered the way he’d felt when they looked at him.

  But why would one of the princess’s soldiers be here?

  Alec stepped back, wanting to be anywhere but here, and tried closing the door.

  The man lunged forward.

  Alec darted back and staggered toward one of the study tables, tripping, before stumbling.

  The man nearly reached him. Alec kicked, not wanting to be captured by these guards, but knowing that he shouldn’t resist. If they were palace guards, then what reason did he have to resist?

  What reason did they have to be in the masters’ study?

  He rolled to the side, trying to get away from the soldier. The man lunged for him again, and Alec pushed him away, scrambling back.

  “What are you doing here?” the soldier asked, lunging again for Alec.

  Alec kicked out and managed to put one of the tables between him and the soldier, but he couldn’t get back to his feet. The soldier started to circle around, and Alec pushed on the table.

  The soldier caught it, but Alec spun, racing toward the door, reaching it just before the soldier.

  Alec squeezed through and raced down the hall, hearing the sound of his feet thudding along the polished marble with the soldier chasing after him. Where should he go? How could he get away without drawing even more attention to himself?

  Not to the dorms. Doing that would only risk them knowing that he was a student. He wasn’t ready to abandon his place here, not yet. Instead, he decided to head to the courtyard outside the university.

  He pressed himself up against the wall, wanting to fade into the shadows. Staying here was a risk, but at least here, he had an option.

  Alec slid to the floor and pulled out the remaining sheet of easar paper and the vial of blood ink. He quickly dipped his pen into it and wrote three quick words along the bottom of the page, overlapping other writing. It might not work, but it was all he had.

  Alec is slow.

  Then he added a speed enhancement by listing a combination of treatments. Augmentations didn’t work nearly as well on him as they did on Sam.

  He waited until the sound of movement went past him and then he stood.

  When he felt his pursuers were well beyond him, he raced forward. His steps were too fast, a flurry of movement that he couldn’t control, and he went skittering across the lawn.

  Alec lay there, trying to control his breathing while he considered what to do. He couldn’t remain lying where he was, not with soldiers now after him. He needed to get moving.

  When he felt certain no one was near, he got up and hurried forward once again.

  This time, he was more cautious. Sam had told him that he needed to be careful with how he moved. It was important to remain silent and avoid drawing attention.

  He crept forward slowly, trying to think of how Sam would move were she with him. He knew she would manage to move quietly and more efficiently than he could. He was too noisy. There had to be another way.

  Was there another augmentation he could give himself?

  Alec found a section of the courtyard with shrubbery and huddled within it. Once there, he pulled out the easar paper and searched for a part of the page where he could write another augmentation.

  He added one additional word next to what he’d already documented: strength.

  He didn’t know whether this would make a difference. They had never tested such a simple augmentation and trialing it on himself rather than on Sam made it even less likely to be effective.

  He tucked the pages and ink back into his satchel and stood. Creeping out of the shrubbery, he started off, picking up speed as he went. When he reached the canal, he considered going toward the bridge and using that to cross, but when he glanced up, he saw a trio of soldiers standing along the bridge.

  The only other option was doing what Sam typically did.

  He turned toward the canal and stood at the edge, debating his approach. He could attempt to jump, but that thought made him nervous, especially since he had not tested that before.

  He glanced back over to the bridge. The soldiers were heading in his direction. Had they already seen him? If they had, anything he might try wouldn’t matter anyway.

  With his attention focused on the canal again, he took a deep breath. It wasn’t as wide here as it was in other sections of the city, but it was still far too wide for him to swim. The enhancement for speed seem to work, but he didn’t have the same control over them as Sam did. All of their time testing had been on her gaining control over augmentations. Never really spending time working with him to do the same. Maybe that had been a mistake.

  The soldiers were getting closer.

  He took another deep breath and took a few steps back before racing forward and jumping, clearing the canal. Once on the other side, Alec hurried along, clutching his satchel close to him. His mind raced. Why had soldiers been in the library? Had they been after the easar paper? Didn’t the university and the guards within the palace work together?

  Unless there was some other reason for it.

  Could the university have acquired the Book of Maladies?

  If that were the case, it would explain why Ma
ster Eckerd had been so secretive with him. The masters wouldn’t have wanted him to know what was within it. If they had acquired it, the only other question he had was how?

  First, he needed to find Sam.

  The augmentation was wearing off. He still had a hint of speed and strength, but they were both fading quickly. He made it through a half-dozen sections of the city before they faded completely. That bought him some time, but now what? He didn’t know where to start looking for Sam, but at least he’d gotten farther away from the university.

  But he couldn’t be away for too long. If his absence was discovered, he risked being expelled. He risked losing something that he had always wanted. Now that he had access to the university—and a possible promotion—his desire to stay and learn was even greater than before. The soldiers didn’t know who he was, so they couldn’t report him to the university. But if the university discovered he was missing, and knew of the encounter in the library, they would put it together.

  A shape moved toward him.

  The streets were empty, silent at this time of night. Seeing someone suddenly sent his heart thudding, reminding him of the attack he’d experienced in Caster.

  He ducked off to the side, trying to avoid detection, but the pounding of feet came straight toward him.

  Had the soldiers discovered him?

  How was it even possible? He had been through an entire section without anyone seeing him. How was it possible that they could do it now?

  He hurried down the street and hazarded a glance over his shoulder. The figure was making its way along the street.

  Which way should he run? He could head back to the university, but if he encountered the soldiers, he would have to explain what he’d been doing. That left heading in the direction he initially planned. That left him going to Caster.

  He reached a nearby bridge heading across the canal and flashed his university credentials to the guard so that he could pass between sections. He made an attempt at appearing nonchalant, but given the time of day, he suspected that he failed miserably.

  He was only a few sections from Caster.

  Footsteps continue to follow him. They were coming on quickly—more quickly than he could outrun, at least without enhancements.

  The next bridge brought him into Arrend. This was his section, and if nothing else, he could find safety here. He could hide in this section more easily than others. Either his father could hide him, or he could go to someone like Mrs. Rubbles and stay hidden.

  He paused, and still heard the sound of footsteps after him.

  He didn’t have a choice. He wouldn’t have time to reach the Caster section.

  He turned the corner and headed toward his father’s shop. When he reached the door, it was locked. There is no light in the window, nothing that told him his father might be there. Out on the street, the only light came from a hint of starlight overhead.

  He scanned the buildings and found only one with any light inside. Mrs. Rubbles’. He considered ducking in there, but if he did, he would have to explain himself—and possibly put her in danger.

  The footsteps fell silent.

  Maybe he had time.

  He raced forward. Caster wasn’t that far away. If he could get there before his pursuer, he could at least get word out for Bastan, and then could get word to Sam. He didn’t know how he would find Bastan—he wasn’t nearly as plugged in with him as Sam was—but that was the most logical way for him to get to a sort of safety.

  Another canal crossing, and another section. He hurried through, still waiting for the sounds of pursuit to return, but they didn’t.

  Only a few more sections.

  He reached the canal and looked back again. There was no movement behind him.

  As he crossed the bridge this time, there were no guards. This far out from the center of the city, there rarely were. Most protection was provided by men like Bastan. He hurried on, and the street was surprisingly empty.

  He tried not to let that thought trouble him. He stayed near the canal and listened to the soft murmuring of the water, thankful that there didn’t seem to be someone following him still.

  When he reached the bridge crossing over to Caster, he crossed quickly. On the other side, two men stepped out from a nearby building and grabbed him. Alec tried to fight, but they held his arms to his sides, pinning him. The dark figure that had pursued him appeared from over the bridge.

  Alec continued to fight against the hands that grabbed him. He wasn’t strong enough to fight them off. He looked over, noting the faces of the men, noting that they wore dark cloaks and were armed with swords. Fighting would only end up with them harming him.

  They dragged him deeper into Caster.

  That surprised him. “Where are you taking me?”

  “Quiet,” one of the men said.

  Alec fell quiet for a few moments, but as they continued to drag him deeper into Caster, the streets became familiar, places that he had been with Sam. “What are you doing?”

  “You’re the apothecary, aren’t you?”

  Alec frowned, trying to twist around and see who they were, but he couldn’t get a good look at them. “I am.”

  “We were to get you.”

  “Who said you were to get me?” Alec asked.

  “Don’t worry about it. You will be there soon enough.”

  They continued dragging him, and Alec didn’t fight. If someone had been sent for him, it meant that it was either Sam or Bastan. There was a troubling sensation within him that told him it wasn’t Sam. She wouldn’t have come at him this way. “I can walk.”

  The men glanced at each other. The one on his right leaned toward him. His breath was hot, and it smelled of ale. “You can walk, but if you attempt to run, we will make sure you never walk again.”

  They released him, and Alec didn’t attempt to go anywhere. He was disappointed in himself for that. Sam would have fought them. She would have made sure she was never treated like this. Alec wasn’t Sam. He didn’t have the nerve that she had and didn’t have the same fierce strength that she had.

  They marched him along a street and stopped in front of a nondescript building. Alec frowned at it until one of the men gave him a shove. “Go in.”

  Alec shook his head. “Tell me what this is.”

  “Go in,” the man said again.

  His tone suggested that Alec not argue with them, and he now felt certain they hadn’t been sent by Sam or Bastan.

  Who else would have come for him?

  Could it have been Marin? She had been at his father’s shop, though he still didn’t know why and what she had been after. So far, they didn’t seem to want to harm him, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t.

  He pushed the door open, and they guided him into a dimly lit room. The air smelled of grain and something else. He passed the sacks of grain and realized what else he smelled. Casks of ale. Was this a tavern?

  They reached stairs and the two men forced him down, then left at the bottom of the stairs. They entered a tunnel that twisted different directions, making it difficult for Alec to keep track of where they went. Finally, they stopped in front of a stout door.

  “Where are we?” he asked.

  One of the men, the shorter of the two, with dark black hair, shouldered past him and pulled open the door. Bright light spilled out, forcing Alec to blink a few times as his eyes slowly adjusted. Warmth radiated from the room, seeming to come from a massive hearth on the far wall. A pair of leather chairs were stationed near the hearth. Alec tried to see who might be sitting in them but couldn’t tell. The only other thing in the room was a cot, and he noted someone lying on it, covers all the way up to their chin.

  It was enough for him to know who it was.

  He gasped as he ran over to the cot and touched Sam’s shoulder. “Sam? What happened? What are you doing here?”

  Sam blinked open her eyes. There was pain behind them, and he worried about what she’d been through. “It took you long enough,�
� she said.

  Alec frowned. “What do you mean it took me long enough?”

  “Tray went to get you. It took you long enough to come.”

  Alec looked around the room, but the two men who had brought him here were gone. Whatever they had been asked to do, they appeared to have accomplished.

  “Tray didn’t bring me here,” he said.

  Sam rolled her head toward him. Why was she just lying there? Why wasn’t she getting up and harassing him or blaming him for disappearing? What had happened to her?

  “How did you end up here if Tray didn’t come get you?”

  “I… I was coming back to find you.”

  Sam rested her head back on the cot. “Well, it looks like you were successful.”

  Something was wrong. Either Sam was trying to keep it from him, or she was feigning strength when she shouldn’t. “What happened?”

  “Nothing happened. Just my stupidity.”

  “Sam?”

  The door opened behind him and Alec turned to see Bastan entering. He was a distinguished-looking man, with silvery hair and bright eyes. He managed to look both welcoming and dangerous at the same time, an interesting combination that impressed Alec.

  “Bastan? What happened to her?”

  “It appears Samara has suffered a significant injury.”

  “What kind of injury?” Alec asked.

  Bastan shook his head. “It’s the kind of injury where she won’t be able to walk again.” His gaze fell on Sam, and he looked almost angry about what had happened to her. “She fell from a rooftop, trailing someone she probably shouldn’t have, severely injuring her back.”

  “I asked him to get you, Alec. You can help me, can’t you?”

  Alec looked from Sam and to Bastan. He noted a question on the man’s face and could imagine the way he was thinking, wondering why Sam thought that Alec, nothing more than an apothecary, could help her with an injury like this. Truth be told, Alec wasn’t sure if he could.

  “Samara seems to think you will be able to assist her. To heal her. She requested that we find you.” Bastan looked Alec up and down. “She tells me that you now study at the university. I’m not sure what an apothecary or a student physicker will able to do anything.”