“They’ll supply it all for you,” Flutek assured him, biting his lips in pain. “Whatever you want. Summon servants, issue orders. Whatever you need will be supplied. I’ve heard that for necromancy, human blood or organs are occasionally necessary… Brains, livers… Don’t hesitate to ask for them. If needs be… we can eviscerate somebody.”

“I’d like to believe,” Reynevan said as he opened a casket of amulets, a present from Telesma, “that you’ve gone insane, Neplach. That the pain has muddled your mind. Tell me that what you’re saying is insanity. Say it, please.”

“Reynevan?”

“What?”

“I really won’t forget this. I’ll be indebted to you. I promise, I’ll grant your every wish.”

“Every one? Splendid.”

Reynevan had every reason to be proud. First of all, he was proud of his foresight, for badgering Dr. Fraundinst so long that the latter had—despite his initial reluctance—revealed to him his professional secrets and taught him several medical spells. He was also proud of the fact that he had knuckled down over the translations of Geber’s Kitab Sirr al-Asrar and Rhazes’s Al-Hawi, that he’d studied Regimen sanitatis and De morborum cognitione et curatione thoroughly, and that he’d paid close attention to the illnesses of the kidneys and bladder, especially regarding the magical aspects of therapy. He was also proud of the fact that he had aroused sufficient affection in Telesma for him to give Reynevan over a dozen very practical amulets as a farewell gift. But Reynevan was naturally proudest of the result. And the result of the magical operation surpassed all expectations. The stone in Flutek’s kidney, treated with a spell and the action of an amulet, disintegrated. A simple relaxing spell usually applied during labour cleared the ureter, while powerful diuretic spells and herbs completed the job. Woken up from the deep anaesthesia brought on by the nepenthes, Neplach expelled the remains of the stones with bucketsful of urine. There was, admittedly, a brief crisis—at a certain moment, Flutek began to pee blood and before Reynevan could explain that it was a perfectly normal symptom after the operation, the spy roared, fulminated and hurled insults at the physician, which included expressions such as “verfluchter Hurensohn” and “fucking meshugenah wizard.” Neplach stared at his member squirting blood, called for soldiers and threatened the physician with being burned at the stake, impaled and flogged, in that order. He finally grew weary and fell asleep, exhausted. He slept for more than half a day.