Page 57 of Lake of Sorrow
“Sometimes, you seem closer to eighty than eighteen.”
“A need for organization has nothing to do with one’s age.”
“Oh, I’m not sure about that.” As Kaylina opened the door to join him inside, she added, “Did the doctor want you to help tidy his medicines?”
“Not at first, but he’s seen the benefits of having them grouped by treatment category and, within each grouping, alphabetized. Once we’ve cleared your name, I’m planning to make a ledger for him so he can keep a record of everything and know when to re-order. It’ll also help him track medicines that go missing a lot. He’s had a problem with that. Apparently, rangers slip in and help themselves to painkillers, mood enhancers, and a stimulant they take to keep them awake on long patrols.”
Kaylina yawned and wished she had some of that. On the way back, she’d dozed, but napping while riding a taybarri wasn’t the same as sleeping in a comfortable—and stationary—bed.
The doctor wasn’t inside, but Frayvar led her to a small office beyond the cots, as if he’d made the infirmary his second home. Since the cabinet doors were closed, Kaylina couldn’t see evidence of her brother’s organizing, but the whole place had been dusted and cleaned since she’d last visited. Frayvar might have been responsible for that.
“I was only gone a day,” she murmured.
“I like to earn my keep and pay people back for favors.” Frayvar touched his side, indicating the ribs that had been broken in the fire. They didn’t seem to be slowing him down—he could wheeze even without a chest injury. “But don’t worry. I’ve prioritized doing the research Targon requested as well as working on our problem.”
“My problem.”
“Considering the latest wanted poster also has my face on it and lists me as an accomplice, it’s our problem. Trust me.”
Kaylina winced. “That’s awful.”
“The drawing was, yes. It made me look like a frail, spindly hunchback.” Frayvar stopped in front of the office desk.
“You don’t hunch that much unless you’re organizing spices on the bottom shelves of the pantry.”
“I’ll refrain from observing that you didn’t object to the two adjectives preceding that noun.”
“Smart. Is that a map?” Kaylina pointed at a large parchment on the desk, the corners pinned down by books, an inkwell, and forceps—a natural paperweight found in a doctor’s office.
“Of the city, yes. Here’s Nakeron Inn, Jana Bloomlong’s establishment. I was tempted to visit today until a ranger showed me that wanted poster. What do you think about going by tonight to take a look?”
“We could.” If Kaylina was allowed to leave… “Vlerion already visited Jana’s inn and searched the drawers there though.”
“Oh? Well, I’ve also marked the various apothecaries in town.” Frayvar pointed to pebbles on the map—no, those were taybarri protein pellets. No wonder Levitke was lurking nearby. “And a ranger mentioned someone who makes and sells paint by day and is known to dabble in poisons by night. Apparently, the paint business isn’t very lucrative.”
“But making poisons is?”
“You can sell them by the ounce—or less—for a much higher amount than paint. It’s not illegal to make them, the ranger said, just to use them on people. He also said Lord Vlerion already visited the paint shop, but the owner wasn’t there.”
Kaylina touched the pocket holding the vials, including the one Vlerion had given her, touched by how much he’d poked around to try to help her. She withdrew them and set them on the map, pointing to the tiny maker’s marks on the bottoms.
“Vlerion thought the glassmaker who made these might know who bought his vials,” she said.
“Probably a lot of people.” Frayvar sounded dismissive, like he didn’t think that would turn into a lead, but he did look at the empty vial, then pointed at a market square on the map. “All the glassworkers have shops in this area. We can check during their open hours tomorrow.”
“All right. I need to visit Stillguard Castle too and look at the plant again.” Kaylina eyed the brand on her hand, wondering if she was crazy to go back, but its magic had helped her in the preserve. “I have a new type of honey that I want to fertilize it with.”
“Plant fertilization should be low on our priority list. Besides, the Kingdom Guard might be watching the castle in case we return there.”
“I know, but I want to solve the problem of the curse, both for our future and for… other reasons.”
“Let’s solve the problem of you being wanted dead as a criminal first. The curse doesn’t matter until we’re free to walk around town and open our business without being thrown in jail—or worse.”
Not wanting to argue with him—she never won arguments with her oh-so-logical brother, anyway—Kaylina nodded. “Okay.”
After visiting poison makers and glassworkers, she would sneak into the castle.
A roar that didn’t sound human or animal came from one of the buildings across the courtyard. Was that the Kar’ruk? The noise had come from the direction Jankarr and the other rangers had taken their prisoner.