Janet steps forward "Richter was taken by the tattoo man. He was in pretty bad shape, and we suspect they took him to one of their Active schools. Richter left Sky in charge, but he don't like it much, so the fake Richter moved it to me. So we don't really have anyone "in charge" at the moment."
Van Cortlandt smooths one side of his moustache with a finger.
"No one in charge, eh?" he says. "Well, that's Atlanta's worry. Although you certainly have been recruiting ... that fellow over there has Shadow Guard tattoos, you know. But the Imperials have one of our Knights, and they're taking him to a school, you say? Fuji, what do you think of that?"
A sumo in layers of creaking armor has floated down beside Van Cortlandt as softly as a feather.
Fuji says, "Bad practice, Boss. If they get away with it, they will think they can do what they like in our territory. And some of them, maybe most of them, will do just that, at least once, to see how it feels."
Van Cortlandt nods.
"I assume the Southern Knights want to get him back. The Gee-Bee can get us to this school in a day or so; plenty of time to consult with San Francisco, and for all we know, maybe Europe."
He steps close to Sky and studies him intently, one finger crooked on his, Van Cortlandt's, chin.
"Oh, that's what it is. You've got a bad case of dehydration, pal, right down to your bones."
He puts two fingers on Sky's face. Sky feels a rush of heat, then the total absence of his second-degree burns, which is as much of a lift as champagne from a magnum while cutting the rug with a dame who's lucky to be around.
Van Cortlandt nods in satisfaction.
"That will hold you," he pronounces. "Let me see that leg, Mister," he says to Voinovich. "And that leg, too, Sonny-Boy. Janet, you've got some serious burns on your back; I'll attend to those first. As for the rest of you, any pain you're carrying you'd rather be rid of?"
Fuji smiles.
To Kaze, he says,
"Van Cortlandt never mentions he's a Healer. He enjoys the reaction when people find out."
Kaze speaks quckly.
ReplyDelete"Saburo is injured. And Mr. Voinovich's lungs were damaged in the Great War."
She slides off an exquisite gold and jade bracelet and hands it to Van Cortlandt. Bows.
Van Cortlandt is taken aback.
ReplyDelete"Now, hold on," he says, spreading his hands so as not to touch the bracelet. "I'm out of the fee for service business. For Grimnoir, especially. I can repair gas and blast damage for Mr. Voinovich -- are you going to introduce me? -- and Saburo's got nothing that I can't ..."
He takes another look, then whistles.
"Whew ... that burn on the side is a strange one. Did he -- was there a tattoo there, with mystic significance? Because there are blood vessels leading to it that nobody should have."
Kaze takes a calming breath. And then another.
ReplyDelete"Mr. van Cortland, I should like to introduce Saburo, late of the Shadow Guard and a former classmate.He considers himself masterless now, but we share a common enemy."
"Miss Tane and Mr. Voinovich were, indeed, recruited as Grimnoir by Mr. Richter very recently. They do wish to fight the Imperials who are responsible for the deaths of several friends. They have taken the oath."
Nodding to Saburo.
ReplyDelete"Yes, there was a tattoo there. It drew great power from the source of magic--but it also allowed the power-stealer, his former master, to locate him . so he burned it off, rather than endanger us."
"Van Cortlandt never mentions he's a Healer. He enjoys the reaction when people find out."
ReplyDeleteSky smiles, not because he is no longer in pain, but because he realizes that any chump not knowing Van Cortlandt is a Healer can be conned into a sucker bet at twelve to one!