Page 139 of A Drop of Corruption

A stupefied pause. Sabudara sat forward, peering at Malo for confirmation, mouthingDine?

Malo ignored her, crying, “Youwhat?”

“Ahh—beg pardon, ma’am?” I said. “Dine again?”

Ana waved a hand like our bewilderment was beneath acknowledgment. “Yes, I shall need todine! But it will be very different from every meal you’ve seen me consume before.”

Everyone looked to me, as if to confirm that her words were true. I shrugged, feeling quite as confused as they.

“Dolabra…” said Thelenai. “So grateful I am for the works you have done for us that I am nearly moved to grant you anything you wish without thought. But—this is an emergency, surely. Is it wisdom to stop now to sate your hungers?”

“It is!” said Ana. “As I said, this meal will be different. For I mustthinkdifferently to evaluate this problem. Tell me, Commander-Prificto—do the Apoths here possess any stock of kizkil mushrooms?”

Thelenai blinked, startled. “We do. That is a highly regulated substance, as it is very psychoactive and dangerous.”

I covered my face as I realized what she was asking. “Ma’am,” I said. “You can’t seriously be asking us to acquire you psychedelicsnow?”

Yet Ana’s bearing was utterly grim. “Oh, I amdeadlyserious, Din,” she said. “As you should be if you wish me to divine where this weapon now lies! Can you get me this, Thelenai?”

“I…Yes. But why would you need them?”

“I have been quite clear,” said Ana. “Just as the augurs need their augury, I have my own hungers I must sate to prod my thinking. I shall only need three smallstone worth or so.”

Thelenai stared. “That is enough to sicken or even kill a person, Dolabra.”

“Not all people. Can you fetch them before dark falls?”

“Well…yes, I can do so.”

“Good.” Ana’s head turned to me. “And you, Din—you will need to hurry to the Yarrowdale butchery. I will need two calf livers for my meal, as rare as possible.”

“Livers,” I echoed faintly.

“Yes—calflivers, specifically. Bring them to me wrapped in paper, please. Then I shall sup, and reflect on the situation, and decide how we shall proceed. Go now, and hurry! For while we have some time to prepare, we do not have days’ worth!”

—

I completed mystrange errand and returned to the testing chamber just as evening came on, feeling like an occultist practicing some rite of witchcraft with this dark, bloodied parchment package under my arm. Thelenai had already provided the kizkil mushrooms, and the small, shrunken lumps sat in a bowl atop a table the Apoths had provided. Next to the bowl sat a fork and a knife and a napkin. Besides this and two chairs positioned on either side, the table was clear.

“Your two calf livers,” I said, laying the parchment next to the bowl. “Fresh enough to soak through the paper and stain my coat. How would you like me to cook this for you, ma’am?”

“Oh, not at all, Din,” Ana said. “For this meal, I need only what has been provided. However…I would like you all to leave, if you could.”

“You desire privacy?” said Thelenai.

“This seems hardly a fine place for a private meal,” muttered Malo, “given the corpse in the box just over there, and the stink of that altered soil.”

“And yet privacy is what I ask!” said Ana. “Save for Din, of course. He is my engraver, and I shall need someone to witness my revelations, should I be blessed with any. Now, I can eat here, or I may remove to my chambers, where I can then eat in peace. Which do we all prefer?”

“Say no more,” said Thelenai, sighing. “We shall leave you to this rite, Dolabra. I hope it yields heady dividends!” She gestured, and they all began to troop out.

As she followed at the end of the line, Malo stepped close and whispered, “You remember how I said your immunis sometimes has a strange smell to her? Well, she smells very queer to me now! So much so that I am glad to leave this room.”

She walked out, and the door swung shut, and I was alone in the room save for the corpse of Pyktis, and Ana, still sitting sprawled on the floor.

Chapter 50

Ana gestured to me, calling,“Come! Come now,Din. Help me to my meal.”