Imager’s Intrigue
Tor Books by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
The Imager Portfolio
Imager
Imager’s Challenge
Imager’s Intrigue
The Corean Chronicles
Legacies
Darknesses
Scepters
Alector’s Choice
Cadmian’s Choice
Soarer’s Choice
The Lord-Protector’s Daughter
Lady-Protector (forthcoming)
The Saga of Recluce
The Magic of Recluce
The Towers of the Sunset
The Magic Engineer
The Order War
The Death of Chaos
Fall of Angels
The Chaos Balance
The White Order
Colors of Chaos
Magi’i of Cyador
Scion of Cyador
Wellspring of Chaos
Ordermaster
Natural Ordermage
Mage-Guard of Hamor
Arms-Commander
The Spellsong Cycle
The Soprano Sorceress
The Spellsong War
Darksong Rising
The Shadow Sorceress
Shadowsinger
The Ecolitan Matter
Empire & Ecolitan
(comprising The Ecolitan Operation and The Ecologic Secession)
Ecolitan Prime
(comprising The Ecologic Envoy and The Ecolitan Enigma)
The Forever Hero
(comprising Dawn for a Distant Earth, The Silent Warrior, and In Endless Twilight)
Timegod’s World
(comprising Timediver’s Dawn and The Timegod)
The Ghost Books
Of Tangible Ghosts
The Ghost of the Revelator
Ghost of the White Nights
Ghost of Columbia
(comprising Of Tangible Ghosts and The Ghost of the Revelator)
The Hammer of Darkness
The Green Progression
The Parafaith War
Adiamante
Gravity Dreams
Octagonal Raven
Archform: Beauty
The Ethos Effect
Flash
The Eternity Artifact
The Elysium Commission
Viewpoints Critical
Haze
Empress of Eternity (forthcoming)
Imager’s Intrigue
The Third Book of the Imager Portfolio
L. E. MODESITT, JR.
A TOM DOHERTY ASSOCIATES BOOK
NEW YORK
IN MEMORIAM
yet who never lived to see my work published
or to understand my gratitude and appreciation
CHARACTERS
CIVIC PATROL
Artois
Commander of Patrollers
Cydarth
Subcommander of Patrollers
Sarthyn
Lieutenant, Patrol Judicial Administration
Subunet
Captain, First District
Jacquet
Captain, Second District
Kethbryd, Lieutenant
Rhennthyl
Captain, Third District
Alsoran, Lieutenant
Hostyn
Captain, Fourth District
Barcuyt, Lieutenant
Bolyet
Captain, Fifth District
Yerkes, Lieutenant
Kharles
Captain, Sixth District
Walthyr, Lieutenant
HIGH HOLDERS
Almeida D’Alte
Ruisa D’Almeida [wife]
Apolyan D’Alte [Councilor from Kherseilles]
Ealthyn D’Alte
Fhernon D’Alte
Gheranya D’Fhernon [wife]
Guerdyn D’Alte
Cyana D’Guerdyn [daughter]
Haebyn D’Alte
Haestyr D’Alte [Councilor from Asseroiles]
Alhyral D’Haestyr [son and heir, fiancee is Dhelora D’Zaerlyn-Alte]
Lhoryn D’Alte
Petryn D’Lhoryn [son and heir]
Nacryon D’Alte
Ramsael D’Alte [Councilor from Kephria]
Alynkya D’Ramsael [daughter, also fiancee of Frydryk D’Suyrien]
Regial D’Alte [Councilor from Montagne]
Ryel D’Alte [formerly Kandryl D’Suyrien, younger son of Suyrien D’Alte]
Iryela D’Ryel [wife]
Ruelyr D’Alte
Shaercyt D’Alte
Shendael D’Alte
Juniae D’Shendael [wife, political activist, and author]
Suyrien D’Alte [Chief Councilor]
Frydryk D’Suyrien [son and heir]
Taelmyn D’Alte [deceased]
Zaerlyn D’Alte
Dhelora D’Zaerlyn-Alte [daughter]
IMAGERS
Poincaryt
Maitre D’Espirt [Head of Collegium]
Dichartyn
Maitre D’Esprit [Head of Collegium Security]
Dyana
Maitre D’Esprit
Dhelyn
Maitre D’Structure [Head of Westisle Collegium]
Jhulian
Maitre D’Structure [Justice]
Rholyn
Maitre D’Structure[Advocate/Councilor from the Collegium]
Schorzat
Maitre D’Structure [Director of Field Operations]
Draffyd
Maitre D’Structure [Medical Imager]
Rhennthyl
Maitre D’Structure [Collegium Imago of Solidar]
Ferlyn
Maitre D’Aspect
Chassendri
Maitre D’Aspect
Ghaend
Maitre D’Aspect
Heisbyl
Maitre D’Aspect
Quaelyn
Maitre D’Aspect [Master of Patterns]
Kahlasa
Maitre D’Aspect [Assistant Director, Field Operations]
Baratyn
Maitre D’Aspect [Council Security]
Dartazn
Maitre D’Aspect
Isola
Chorister of the Nameless
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF SOLIDAR
Suyrien D’Alte [Chief Councilor, from L’Excelsis]
Caartyl D’Artisan [Councilor from Masonry Guild, from Eshtora]
Glendyl D’Factorius [Councilor and Steam/Engines Factor, from L’Excelsis]
NAVAL COMMAND
Valeun
Sea-Marshal, Chief, Naval Command
Caellynd
Deputy Sea-Marshal, Naval Command
Geuffryt
Assistant Sea-Marshal, Naval Bureau, Chief of Intelligence
FACTORS
Broussard D’Factorius [Agricultural/Produce Factor]
Chenkyr D’Factorius [Rhennthyl’s father, Wool Factor]
Maelyna D’Chenkyr [Rhennthyl’s mother]
Rousel D’Factorius [Rhennthyl’s brother] [deceased]
Remaya D’Rousel [Rousel’s wife]
Reityr [Rousel and Remaya’s son]
Khethila D’Chenkyr [Rhennthyl’s sister]
Culthyn D’Chenkyr [Rhennthyl’s youngest brother]
Diogayn D’Factorius [Councilor and Ironworks Factor, from Extela]
Etyenn D’Factorius [Councilor and Cloth Factor, from Westisle]
Ferdinand D’Factorius [Stone/Brick Factor, from L’Excelsis]
Glendyl D’Factorius [Councilor and Steam/Engines Factor, from L’Excelsis]
Reyner D’Factorius [Councilor and Spice/Essences Factor, from Estisle]
Sebatyon D’Factorius [Councilor and Timber/Lumber Factor,
from Mantes]
Veblynt D’Factorius [Paper Factor, from L’Excelsis]
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
1
Unlike most people, I hated actually going to sleep and looked forward to waking up…in a way. When I’d been a struggling apprentice portraiturist years before, I never would have believed I could have felt that way, but life has a way of changing preconceptions. In my case, it had to do with the sleeping arrangements required of imagers. Although we’d been married for nearly five years—it would be five years on the twenty-first of the coming Fevier—Seliora and I had never slept the entire night together; not that we both wouldn’t have wanted to, but the dangers of that were far too high. Even before I’d known I was an imager, I’d lit lamps and imaged things in my sleep, and once I’d even set a chest on fire. Imaging in a nightmare could easily have hurt Seliora…if not worse.
So I was pleased to wake, dress in exercise clothes and boots, and leave my discreetly lead-lined bedchamber with its lead glass windows and pad barefoot into the main bedchamber and look at her sleeping there. Then I slipped from the house and ran down the walkways to the exercise area where Clovyl put all those of us assigned to various security-related duties through exercises that ended in a four mille run. After that, I trotted back to the house and showered and shaved, in always cool if not cold water, so that I was clean enough to slip into Seliora’s large bed before she actually rose and we got ready for the day.
On this Lundi morning, she was awake, waiting for me, and her arms felt wonderful around me. We didn’t get to enjoy that moment for long because a small figure ran in from the adjoining room—meant to be a half-study, but serving as a nursery—and climbed up under the covers to join us.
“Mama, Dada…”
Before all that long, the three of us rose, and I washed and changed Diestrya while Seliora showered and dressed. Then Seliora and Diestrya headed downstairs while I dressed in my imager grays. As soon as I sat down in the breakfast room off the adequate but not excessively large kitchen, Klysia filled my large crockery mug with tea, strong tea that I’d likely need for the day ahead.
“More tea, too…please?” begged Diestrya from her highchair beside Seliora and across the table, offering me a winning smile, not that all her smiles weren’t dazzling when she wanted something.
Klysia looked to me, then to Seliora. After catching the barest hint of a nod from my black-haired, black-eyed beautiful wife, I nodded. “Just a little, with cream.”
Because I was the most junior Maitre D’Structure, a step above the lowest imager master level, Maitre D’Aspect, but below the two senior masters at the Collegium, both of whom were Maitres D’Esprit, our house was a modestly spacious dwelling with an upper level holding three bedrooms, two bathing rooms, the master sleeping chambers, which included my stark sleeping cell and the half-study serving as a nursery, and a main level containing the family and formal parlors, the dining room, the kitchen, the pantry, and a larger study and library, plus, of course, the front entry foyer and Klysia’s quarters at the back. I had converted the northern upstairs bedroom into a studio, where I’d done portraits of Maitre Dyana and Master Dichartyn, and where I’d begun the preliminary work on one of Diestrya. That way I didn’t have to use the drafty space I’d once been assigned in the Collegium workroom. Fortunately, because my days were rather occupied, no one had changed positions in the Collegium recently, so I wasn’t required to paint another Collegium portrait any time soon.
Like all dwellings provided to married imagers by the Collegium, the outside of ours was of gray stone, with a gray slate roof. Inside, the walls were of off-white plaster, except for the main library, which was paneled with cherry and had built-in bookshelves that we had not come close to filling.
With the exception of the formal parlor and the dining room, the furniture in the house was a motley collection of leftovers from the previous maitre and pieces gleaned from sample works from NordEste Design, the business of Seliora’s family. “Eclectic” was what Seliora called it, but it was still motley. The formal parlor furnishings, Seliora’s bed and dressing table, and the dining room set, with its twin buffets and china cabinets, had all been gifts from her family, as all the linens and woolens had come from mine.
Breakfast was egg toast with berry syrup, sausages, and an oat porridge that Seliora had decided we all needed, particularly Diestrya. I had trouble not making faces in eating the porridge without a surreptitious dollop of the syrup.
“You don’t look all that happy, dearest,” offered Seliora.
“I’m not.” And I wasn’t, not when I’d have to spend the morning in one of Commander Artois’s monthly meetings of all the District Captains of the Civic Patrol of L’Excelsis. “It’s time for Artois’s monthly lecture.”
“It is the first Lundi in Feuillyt,” Seliora said with a smile.
I still found it hard to believe that I’d been married to her nearly five years. At times that seemed more improbable than the fact that I was a master imager—Maitre D’Structure of the Collegium Imago of Solidar—as well as the only imager ever serving as an actual officer in the Civic Patrol, but how all that happened was another story for another time.
We were out of the house two quints before seventh glass. The morning was cool, even cooler than usual for the first Lundi of fall, and Seliora shivered in her cloak.
“Cold?” I asked.
“I should have worn a winter cloak.” She smiled at me. “You were out earlier. You could have warned me, except you don’t even notice the cold.”
“I’ll try to be better now that the weather’s colder.” I grinned at her.
She shook her head, knowing that I’d probably forget.
I carried Diestrya, as we walked southward toward the duty coach area closest to the Bridge of Desires, the stone span that crossed the River Aluse. After Maitre Poincaryt—the head of the Collegium—had worked out the arrangement between the Civic Patrol, the Council of Solidar, and the Collegium that had resulted in my being assigned as Third District Captain, I’d managed to get him
to agree to have the duty carriage that took me to the Third District Station every working day make a stop at NordEste Design to drop Seliora off there. After all, it was her family’s home and business, and, without her and her family, I’d have died years earlier.