Imager's Challenge by L. E. Modesitt Jr. Read Free Book Online Page A

wagon.There were at least three people killed, but I got knocked unconscious. So I don’t know if there were more.”
    “Let me put it another way. How many have you killed face-to-face at different times?”
    “Three.” That was counting Vhillar.
    “You realize that many patrollers have never killed anyone. That’s not our task.”
    “Many imagers have not, either, sir, but even more people would have died if I had not acted.”
    “How many did you attack first, before they did anything?”
    “None, sir. One of them tried to kill me three times before I killed him.”
    “Three times?”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “I doubt they were all reported.”
    “The first and last times were.” I paused. “I don’t know that. Patrollers were there the first and last times. I don’t know what they reported.”
    Artois smiled faintly. “Don’t you trust our finest?”
    “It’s not a question of trust, sir. I don’t know what they did. I reported to Master Dichartyn. He was my superior.”
    Those words actually got a nod, a grudging one, I thought.
    “Do you know why we agree to have imager liaisons, Rhennthyl?”
    “I’ve been told why the Collegium wants me here; I haven’t been told why you agree to it, and it would be only speculation on my part to say.”
    “Only speculation.” Artois repeated my words, sardonically. “Would you care to speculate?”
    “No, sir. I’d rather know than speculate.”
    “You are here because you are potentially a powerful imager. Powerful imagers can cause great problems if they do not understand how L’Excelsis works. The Civic Patrol is a key part of the city. We want you to understand how matters really work. Occasionally, you will be helpful. Until you have a better idea of how, just stand back, protect yourself, and watch.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “You will actually report to Subcommander Cydarth, and he will rotate you through observing various patroller operations. When and if you finish your initial rotations, you will use the empty desk in the outer study here. That won’t be for some time.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “You need to meet the subcommander.” Without another word, Commander Artois turned and walked past me, opening the door.
    I followed him out through the anteroom and to the right to the next door, where we entered a slightly smaller anteroom arranged in a similar fashion to that of the one outside the commander’s study, save that there was only one desk, and no one was seated there. Artois pushed open the study door, already ajar, and stepped inside.
    Subcommander Cydarth was standing beside his desk, looking out the window. He turned. He was taller than the commander and had black hair and a swarthy complexion. Part of his upper right ear was missing.
    “Cydarth, here’s your liaison, Maitre D’Aspect Rhennthyl.” Commander Artois nodded to me. “I’ll leave you in the most capable hands of the subcommander.” He left the study without a word.
    “The commander can often be abrupt, but he’s quite effective.” Cydarth’s voice was so low it actually rumbled. I’d read of voices that deep, but I’d never heard one before.
    “That is what Master Dichartyn said.”
    “I doubt he said it quite that way.” Cydarth’s smile belied the sardonic tone of his words.
    I waited.
    “There’s one thing I want to emphasize before we get you settled. Most patrollers will call you ‘sir’ or ‘Master Rhennthyl.’ That is a courtesy, in the sense that you are not their superior. You cannot order even the lowest patroller to do anything. Do you understand that?”
    “Yes, sir. Master Dichartyn made that clear.”
    “He would have. He understands a bit of what we do.”
    I managed to keep a pleasant smile on my face, but I had no doubts that Master Dichartyn understood far more than either the commander or the subcommander realized.
    “For the next few days, you’ll be assigned to observe the charging desk here in headquarters. I want you to study every