“Well, no one has encountered a demon for over a thousand years, if records are to be believed,” said Carmenna. “If demons have returned to the realm of folk, well, we have much bigger problems than the wither-rot.”

“Nevertheless, that is the cause,” said Yenni with utter finality.

“Yenni, my heart, perhaps it’s best we keep this to ourselves for now, at least until your people have had more time to investigate and gather more information—”

“There’s no time for that!” said Yenni, throwing up her hands. She pointed accusingly at Weysh. “Your own stepfather is ill! In fact, I think I will go to see Professor Mainard right now.”

“No!” yelled Carmenna and Weysh together.

“Yenni Ajani, you and I both know what Mainard is like,” said Carmenna. “He’ll want hard proof before . . .”

She trailed off at Yenni’s dismissive hand waving. “He can gather all the proof he needs. I’m simply letting him know what our healers have discovered. It’s the right thing to do—many lives could be saved. We haven’t yet discovered how to kill the parasitic spirit; we merely lure it from one body to the next, but perhaps with Cresh working toward the same goal, a solution will be found faster. Come, Weh-sheh, it shouldn’t take long. Good-bye, Carmenna, thank you again for everything.” Yenni put her fingertips under her chin and bowed to Carmenna before taking off for the administrative tower, consumed with her new mission.

“Be well, Carmenna!” she heard Weysh call behind her.

“Good luck?” Carmenna called back uncertainly.

30

Yenni asked Weysh to wait at the bottom of the administrative tower. It would be hard enough dealing with Mainard without an audience. Still, she held out hope from her last encounter with the taciturn professor. He’d given her more information about the wither-rot, after all, and perhaps he still held some goodwill toward her after she had, well, saved his life.

Despite her nerves, she was able to work the lift up to Mainard’s office, and was soon standing in his open doorway, once more confronted with all of his glorious clutter. She spotted him pondering a shelf crammed with books, his back turned to her.

Yenni knocked on the open door. “Professor Mainard, I would like to speak with you.”

He jumped and spun from the shelf. “Mam’selle Kayerba?” He frowned. “Oh, you would, would you? Hmph, have a seat, I suppose.”

Yenni settled on the sofa across from his desk, perched between a pile of books and the armrest. One would think a man so obsessed with rules and order would be more organized, but apparently not. Mainard took up his seat behind his desk, watching her impatiently over his tented fingers. The less time Yenni spent in close quarters with Mainard the better, so she got right to the point.

“Professor Mainard, I know what is causing the wither-rot.”