Imager's challenge ip-2

by L. E. Modesitt

  “Very much, Rhennthyl. Very much. But if one goes to war, one does it right, so that future adversaries understand the dangers. It’s been almost a century since the Reduction of Stakanar, and that’s about as long as people choose to remember. Now . . . there are likely to be agents of various sorts appearing in L’Excelsis, and the Tiemprans may want to cause trouble, if they see an opportunity. If you see someone who might be such, unless he attacks or threatens you, do nothing except observe and report to me. If you cannot find me, tell Master Schorzat.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Now . . . what do you have to report about your Patrol activities?” Master Dichartyn’s voice dropped into a tone somewhere between tired and bored, as if nothing I said would matter all that much.

  “Five taudis-toughs attacked me and Alsoran on Lundi. They weren’t from within that round and didn’t belong to the local taudischef. We injured two, killed two, and the one uninjured and two injured ones escaped. They were most likely Youdh’s men, acting on behalf of Captain Harraf.”

  “That’s a serious charge. Do you have any proof?” His tone was skeptical.

  “Not much. The local taudischef came out and told us that the men weren’t his. They weren’t Horazt’s, either. Beyond that, it’s unlikely that I’ll ever have any proof. That doesn’t make it any less true.”

  “As far as the Collegium goes, Rhennthyl, only that which can be proved is true.”

  “Would you rather I not report what I can’t prove?”

  “No. If you feel you have to tell me, just say that it’s a possibility without proof. Never put anything in writing without proof behind it.”

  “Yes, sir. I’d like to report, verbally, that five taudis-toughs fired pistol shots at us, then assaulted us with pointed iron bars and that it is a possibility that they acted under orders from taudischef Youdh. The word among the other taudischefs, which is only rumor, is that Youdh and Captain Harraf have an arrangement of some sort, and that Captain Harraf and Youdh also have a similar arrangement with the Equalifier priests of Puryon.”

  “You know, Rhennthyl, it might be better if you were somewhat more circumspect in your speech.”

  “That might be, sir, but it’s rather difficult to be circumspect when so many people are trying to kill one, and when one has been informed that such problems are strictly one’s own.”

  “The Collegium, as you well know, cannot take a position that will endanger all imagers, now and in the future, for the sake of one.”

  “I understand that. Perfectly. I would ask, sir, that you not expect me to show great pleasure about that policy. While I understand its need, it does present certain rather significant difficulties for me.” Not to mention for my family, but there wasn’t any point in declaring that.

  “All imagers face difficulties. That is the nature of the world in which we find ourselves. You might remember that you are far from the first to be placed in such a situation.”

  I barely managed to refrain from asking that if there had been so many in that position, why the Collegium had not done something about it.

  “Rhennthyl . . . although you should have asked, it is proper to take a duty coach in the morning. You are undertaking duty.”

  “Thank you for the clarification, sir.”

  “Do you have anything else to report?”

  “Elveweed use is continuing to rise, but mainly in the taudis area controlled by Youdh.”

  “That’s not surprising. He has connections to more smugglers. Anything else?”

  “No, sir.”

  “I may not be around for a time. If I’m gone for more than a week, get in touch with Master Schorzat.” With that, he nodded a dismissal at me.

  I left, and I didn’t close the door behind me.

  Then I made my way back to my quarters, where I tried on the formal wear that I’d have to wear to the Council’s Autumn Ball. It fit. I hung the coat and trousers up in the wardrobe in my sleeping chamber, which held little enough, and settled into the chair behind my writing desk. While I had some ideas for dealing with Ryel, I knew I could not implement them until something else happened that could be linked to Ryel, and I had no ideas-except the most unpalatable-for handling Harraf and Mardoyt.

  I frowned. I couldn’t be certain just how guilty Harraf was, not for sure. I paused, knowing that there was something . . . something I wasn’t quite seeing.

  Finally, I shook my head. I knew Mardoyt was definitely fixing charges and pocketing golds. I could start there . . . and Horazt might be able to help.

  26

  On Vendrei, Alsoran and I finished the last round at half a quint before fourth glass, and I was on my way out of the station even before the glass struck, heading up toward South Middle to see if I could find Horazt or one of his toughs who could locate him. Of course, because I was finally working out something, where time might be a factor, I didn’t see anyone except elvers on stoops and bent women with baskets and laundry, and a handful of boys who scurried away when they caught sight of the blue patroller’s cloak.

  So I opted for the fallback plan, and that was to go to Chelya’s place. After two wrong turns, I came to what I thought was her door. I rapped several times. Finally, it eased open, just a crack.

  I opened my cloak to let the imager’s gray show. “Shault’s doing well. That’s not why I came.”

  Someone widened the crack, if just slightly, and enough light fell on her face for me to confirm that Chelya stood there.

  “I need to talk to Horazt, but I don’t know how to reach him. If you see him, I’d like to meet him on South Middle on Solayi at the first glass of the afternoon.”

  She just looked at me.

  “I’m asking a favor, one I’ll pay for. I need some information from Horazt, and nothing that would hurt him or you. Would a silver help?”

  I thought she nodded, and I extended a silver. She took it, almost reluctantly, as if she disliked being beholden to me, even for a service.

  “I will see what I can do, Master Rhennthyl.”

  “You will come to see Shault a week from Solayi, won’t you?”

  “If it does not rain or snow I will come.”

  “He may not say so, but he would be glad to see you.”

  There might have been a hint of a smile behind the sadness in her face, but then, I might have imagined it.

  “Thank you.” I inclined my head to her.

  She inclined her head in return and slowly closed the door.

  As I headed back toward South Middle, I hoped that Horazt would be there on Solayi. One way or another, I’d find him, but Solayi would be better, far better, than later.

  On the way out of the taudis, I still saw no one who looked like one of Horazt’s men. Once I was back on South Middle, headed west, as I passed Dugalle, I could see a pair of patrollers ahead. As they neared, I recognized Huerl and Koshal, heading eastward.

  “Good evening,” I offered.

  The two stopped, although Koshal glanced past me, as if to indicate that they had rounds to make. I ignored the glance and smiled politely.

  “Evening, Master Rhennthyl,” offered Huerl.

  “I was wondering if anything ever came of those two who killed themselves that night I patrolled with you.”

  “No, sir. Never heard anything.” Koshal looked past me again.

  “Have you noticed any spread of elvers into your patrol round? Or any more break-ins?”

  “No, sir.”

  “Thank you. I wondered because some of the taudis-toughs have been attacking folks outside their usual territories.”

  “Alsoran said something about that,” replied Huerl.

  “He thought that Youdh might be trying to expand his territory, and the word seems to be that he’s not happy about something.”

  The two exchanged glances.

  “Hadn’t heard that, sir,” said Koshal. “Wouldn’t be good, that wouldn’t.”

  “I won’t keep you. I’d just wondered if you’d seen anythin
g like that.”

  “No, sir.”

  I kept a pleasant smile on my face and nodded, then continued back up South Middle.

  It took longer than usual to hail a hack, possibly because the wind had picked up, and a light rain had begun to fall. That meant that I was more than a little late for dinner, close to half a glass, but when I entered the dining hall, Maitre Dyana beckoned for me to join her.

  “Thank you,” I said as I took the seat to her left.

  “I’m glad to see that you’re actually working late. You were working, I trust?”

  “Searching out information, at least.” I decided on hot tea because the wind and rain had picked up and I had gotten chilled on the walk across the Bridge of Hopes and the quadrangle.

  “That’s always a start, but only a start.” She smiled, passing the platter of curried ribs. “Most people don’t respond to information by itself. They tend to dismiss it if it doesn’t fit their opinions, or ignore it in favor of those facts presented by someone who is more powerful.”

  “You’re suggesting information is useful only in determining what action to take, then?”

  “I don’t recall saying exactly that.”

  More word games from Dyana? “Or are you saying that one can only use information after conveying a sense of power?”

  “That can be effective, but as you’ve already discovered, being perceived as powerful can also make one a target.”

  I managed a smile, then took several bites of the ribs, slightly overcooked, followed by seasoned yellow rice that was moist and savory. I took another sip of hot tea before I spoke. “You have great experience, Maitre Dyana, and I’m afraid that you have the better of me, because, upon considering your words, I seem to be able to come to no other conclusion than the fact that information is effectively useless without power, and yet having power makes one a target, and being a target will eventually destroy one’s power, because targets usually do get destroyed in time.”

  “Your logic is good, Rhennthyl, but you are missing one point. I’m not going to tell you what that is, not tonight anyway, because you need to think it through.” She smiled again. “How are you finding the Civic Patrol?”

  “As it is, I trust. So far, from what I have seen, some patrollers are dedicated. Others do their job, and a handful shouldn’t be patrollers at all.”

  “That is true in all fields.”

  “That is my impression, maitre, and I suppose that it applies to High Holders as well.”

  “Very much so, although High Holders tend to be less tolerant of those who squander their heritage or whose actions threaten other High Holders for no worthwhile reason.”

  “That makes sense.” For all that it did, I didn’t think that she had said it as a pleasant observation.

  “It does indeed. Oh . . . I must congratulate you on the portrait that you did of Maitre Poincaryt. I saw it in the receiving hall earlier this week. It’s not only an excellent likeness and lifelike, but it also conveys a sense of power.”

  “Thank you.”

  After that, the most interesting topics were the weather and the decline of portraiture in Solidar. When I left the dining hall, I picked up a copy of Tableta and read the lead stories, but in the first paragraphs there was little real news about the war, except that the last elements of the “northern fleet” had steamed out of Westisle on Jeudi. Not until I reached the end of the story did I come across an interesting section.

  . . . to increase the Army and to assure greater safety in the cities of Solidar, the Council approved a measure, effective immediately, to allow increased conscription levels of young men without permanent trades, positions, or advanced education.

  I didn’t like that implication at all, especially since it appeared I’d be working out of Third District station for a time yet.

  In fact, I didn’t like the implications of most matters affecting me. High Holder Ryel was clearly trying to squeeze my family, and while I had my own qualms about Rousel’s overall competence, his shortcomings and Ryel’s machinations, unless stopped, would ruin my father and my family. And, like it or not, either Mardoyt or Harraf, if not both, seemed to want to have most unfortunate difficulties befall me.

  My efforts to date, based on my observing during the official “working day” of the Patrol, weren’t resolving that problem, and I had yet to put anything in action to deal effectively with High Holder Ryel.

  I was going to have to spend a lot more time on the problems facing me . . . before they overwhelmed me and everyone for whom I cared.

  27

  Samedi morning was foggy, and it had rained during the night, leaving the grass and the walkways damp when I headed out for the obligatory exercise and sparring session. None of the older masters was there except for Schorzat. That left less than half of the normal complement-Baratyn, Dartazn, Martyl, and me. I ended up sparring with Baratyn and getting bruises that would turn sore indeed by the end of the day.

  “Not bad, Rhenn,” he told me.

  If I hadn’t done badly, I certainly didn’t want to do worse. But then, Baratyn had a good ten years’ experience on me.

  With so few older imagers undergoing Clovyl’s exercise session, I wasn’t exactly surprised to find myself alone at breakfast with Heisbyl, a Maitre D’Aspect far older and grayer than I, who almost never ate in the dining hall unless he was the duty imager, but I had to wonder because Samedi wasn’t usually a duty day.

  “Good morning,” I offered politely as I poured my tea.

  “Good morning, Rhennthyl. A mite cool outside, wouldn’t you say?”

  “It’s not too bad, not if you keep moving.”

  “That’s fine for you young fellows.” He frowned. “You were a portraitist for a time, weren’t you? For Caliostrus?”

  “I was, and that was when he did the portrait of your daughter.”

  “A good work, if dear. I saw your portrait of Maitre Poincaryt for the first time this morning. Rather fine, I fancy, and I daresay it cost the Collegium far less than what I paid Caliostrus for Verinya’s portrait.” He laughed.

  “Far less, at least in coin,” I replied lightly.

  “Oh, all of you young masters think you’ve cost the Collegium dearly, and so you have, but so has anyone who’s made master. One cannot make master without self-confidence, and self-confidence combines with youth and ability to make mistakes, and those are costly both in coin and blood.”

  I couldn’t argue that . . . and didn’t. I just offered an exaggerated shrug and set to eating the fried cakes dowsed in syrup along with the slab of bacon.

  After I excused myself and rose to leave, Heisbyl smiled faintly and said, “It remains to be seen whether you’ll be a greater master imager than you could have been as a master portraiturist. Ability, self-confidence, and dedication suffice for a master portraiturist. They aren’t enough for an imager.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” I replied politely.

  “I hope you do.” The smile faded. “I did not.”

  “Thank you,” I added.

  As I walked northward along the west side of the quadrangle in the cool and still air, Heisbyl’s last words still echoed in my thoughts, as did the sadness behind them. Especially after those words, I didn’t mind getting to the studio early. I’d already wanted to look over what I’d done on both Master Rholyn’s portrait and the one of Seliora that I’d barely begun.

  When I walked into the studio, I saw a small iron coal stove that sat almost against the outside wall. An iron chimney had also been installed, with new brickwork around where it went through the wall. A full coal scuttle stood on the stone floor. After opening the stove door to load it, I realized that the ashes were warm and that the studio, while not warm, was certainly not as cold as it had been. That meant Grandisyn, or someone, had been fueling and watching the stove while I was working with the Patrol. After loading the stove, I did manage to image some of the coal into flame.

  After that, not only did I get everything
set up, but I worked for more than a glass on the background of Master Rholyn’s portrait before he arrived in the studio. By then, the air was far warmer than when I’d first entered the studio, so much so that Master Rholyn had his heavy winter cloak off even before he closed the door behind him.

  “Rhennthyl . . . this morning I can only sit for half a glass. I’ve a meeting with Master Poincaryt.”

  “If that would press you, sir . . .” I offered.

  “No . . . a half glass will allow me more than enough time.”

  “I imagine that the events between Ferrum and Jariola-and the Council-have created more than a few problems,” I offered, gesturing toward the crate. “If you don’t mind taking the standing position . . .”

  “That’s fine. I’ll be sitting for a good long time after I leave you, I expect.”

  I touched the oils on the tray with the brush tip and began to work on an unfinished section where his neck met the collar of his gray shirt. “What will happen now that the Council has declared war on Ferrum, sir? Besides the northern fleet attacking Ferran warships and merchanters, I mean.”

  “No one on the Council wishes to land troops anywhere in Cloisera, either in Jariola or in Ferrum itself. High Councilor Suyrien is deeply concerned that Solidar not be perceived as showing favoritism to the Jariolans. He and Caartyl have already drafted a communique insisting that the Oligarch and his council immediately begin reimbursing Solidar for its efforts in assisting Jariola.” Rholyn raised his eyebrows. “What does that indicate to you, Rhenn?”

  “The Council wants to make clear that the war is about the actions taken by Ferrum, and not about a preference for the Jariolan system of government.”

  “That is certainly one purpose.”

  I decided against asking what the real purpose was, not directly. “Will the Jariolans actually reimburse us, or is that just a posture?”

  “I doubt that they can.”

  “But if I might ask why, sir . . .”

  “When they demur, we will most likely request a ninety-nine-year lease on Harvik-that’s a small isle off the port of Jaaslk-along with a guarantee of coal sales and shipment, at the prevailing price. The isle does have a harbor, but virtually no inhabitants, and a single pier. But it will make a good sheltered anchorage for the new northern fleet, and we could build our own port there and garrison it. It’s less than a day’s steaming to Ferrial from there.”