Imager's Challenge Read Online Free Page A

when we’re involved?” asked Veblynt.
    “We get a bit more in terms of yards of wool sold, but the higher quality wool doesn’t sell as well. . . .”
    Before long, Mother rose and ushered us all into the dining chamber, where Father stood at the head of the table, his hands on the back of the armed chair, and offered the blessing.
    “For the grace and warmth from above, for the bounty of the earth below, for all the grace of the world and beyond, for your justice, and for your manifold and great mercies, we offer our thanks and gratitude, both now and evermore, in the spirit of that which cannot be named or imaged.”
    “In peace and harmony,” everyone murmured.
    Ferdinand sat to Father’s left, and Madame Ferdinand to his right; the Veblynts in the middle of the table, with Eliesa to my right, Seliora across from me, and Mother at the foot of the table to my left.
    As soon as everyone had wine, Father offered a simple toast. “To friends and family.”
    Then he carved the marinated and crisped lamb, and various dishes appeared, beginning with individual salads of wild greens. Then came rice fries, sliced and boiled new potatoes in butter and mint, asparagus under lemon cream, and, of course, dark spicy gravy. Nellica carried them all in with her usual dispatch.
    I’d just finished handing the gravy boat to Mother when Eliesa turned to me. “Are there any High Holders at Imagisle?”
    “Even the children of High Holders must go to Imagisle, dear,” Veblynt said. “Is not that so, Rhenn?”
    “Very much so.”
    “Are they . . . treated the same as others?” Eliesa asked.
    “So far as I’ve seen, everyone is treated in the same fashion.” That was true in terms of the way the Collegium operated, but not necessarily in terms of the way people reacted, as I’d discovered with Johanyr, the eldest and most spoiled son of High Holder Ryel, who had tried to maim me for life and whom I’d partly blinded—enough to ruin his imaging and set his father after me.
    “Have you known any? Personally, that is?”
    “Imagers generally don’t talk about their backgrounds, but I’ve known two, and there certainly might be others.”
    “I would imagine that with their training they might do well.”
    “One is a Maitre D’Structure, and she is quite accomplished. The other had far too great an opinion of himself and did not like to work, and ended up partly blinded because of his arrogance.”
    “I had heard rumors about something like that,” mused Veblynt. “That might make matters rather difficult for the Collegium were his father a powerful High Holder.”
    I smiled. “One runs that risk in doing anything of value, as I imagine you have discovered in building such a profitable enterprise.”
    “Building something is often the easy part, young Rhenn,” replied Veblynt. “Holding it is what takes talent. That’s one reason why High Holders are called that.”
    “Some of them have reputations for, shall we say, ruthlessness,” I offered. “Do you think that such reputations are overstated or understated?”
    “Both. It depends on the High Holder.” Veblynt smiled. “What would you think about Councilor Suyrien?”
    “I’ve only seen him at official occasions,” I temporized, “but I’d be most hesitant to cross him without a very good reason.”
    “That is true . . . from what I know. Yet he is considered a man of honor and moderation compared to, say, those such as High Holder Lhoryn and High Holder Ryel . . . as you may know.”
    The last words suggested that Veblynt knew that I’d had some dealings with Ryel—and that bothered me, because I’d never told anyone in my family about my blinding his eldest son. Johanyr had been a total bastard, who’d used his position to abuse young women and torment younger imagers. He and his toady Diazt had tried to cripple me, and in self-defense, I’d partly blinded Johanyr so that he couldn’t image any longer. The only ones I’d ever told