Really? Every dragon here is male? Even the dragon riders’ beasts?
Every dragon I’ve met since coming back to Aravisia has been male.
That’s weird, isn’t it? They would need at least a few females to keep the species going.
It is, something I think is tied to the current aberration of the dragon and rider bond. I’ve done some initial snooping, talking to the others. All I got is there’s some kind of queen. Whether this monarch is human or dragon, I don’t know.
Something else to keep an eye out for. Let the others know about the poison investigation.
Of course, he said and took off into the air.
The rest of the day went by in a blur. Some classes I was escorted by one of the riders, the rest I managed to find myself with my new knowledge of the teaching building. I didn’t see Scalla in any of them though, which worried me.
“Was Scalla one of the people affected by the poisoning?” I asked the riders when we were having lunch.
There was a bit of side-eye going on before Alden smiled pleasantly, ever the politician. “I have no idea. I can make enquiries if you like?”
I shook my head, “I’ll go past the infirmary on the way home today. Whereabouts is it?”
18
The infirmary turned out to be a building separate to the teaching and dining halls. I opened the door, smelling the familiar harsh stench of disinfectant. There was an unmanned admissions desk and rows of beds, many occupied. A harried looking woman, her brown hair pulling free from her bun and wearing a stained white pinafore over her dress bustled up.
“Please, for the love of the gods, tell me you haven’t contracted kelethian poisoning.”
“Ah, no.”
“Nausea, loose stools, abdominal pain?”
“No, no, and no. I came by to—.”
“Dizziness? Loss of vision?”
“No, but—.”
“Then what are you doing here then? I’m completely depleted of magic and have a third of the student population down, some of my staff among them, all due to Bhechro’s ham-fisted handling of this new student. Dr Kerrin has sent down some of his students to take over as healers, but it’s just not enough. At this rate we’ll be looking at a death in the school and I’ll be very interested to see how the VC handles that. All so he can sunder a dragon bond and ingratiate himself with the middle classes. What rubbish. Is that what you are?”
“I’m sorry? I wanted—.”
“You must be.” She looked me over more closely now, taking a few steps forward and peering at me. “You’re positively teeming with magic. Never seen the like. Come, come! Why did you let me go on like that! There're students who need you!” I tried to explain that she had the wrong person as the doctor hauled me along the ward, but she wasn’t listening, pointing out the various patients and describing their degree of illness as we quick marched to one of the beds. She finally let me go when we arrived next to someone buried under a pile of blankets. She picked up the person’s wrist, obviously taking their pulse. She placed it gently back on their chest. “His pulse is thready and his electrolyte balance is completely out of whack due to not being able to keep down fluids. What should be done?”
“Are you serious?” I said, meeting her expectant gaze head on. “Look lady—.”
“Dr Acorn.”
“Fine, Dr Acorn, there’s been a mistake. I have no idea how to do this because I’m no healer. I’ll have my first ever magic class tomorrow.”
“First ever? But how can that be? It’s just an on-the-fly diagnosis, but you seem to be tied to a massive reservoir of magic.” The doc came in closer, her head bobbing as she looked me over. “Well, nevertheless, this boy needs help and I’m almost tapped. Do you object to being a conduit?”
“I’m happy to help, but I have no idea what that means.” She seemed to only hear the first bit, grabbing my hand and yanking me forward. She muttered something over the sleeping guy. It looked completely ridiculous like a little kid pretending to be a wizard, but a strange feeling crept over me as she ‘worked’. It was a bit like when you drink really cold water and you can feel the spread of the cold inside you. It didn’t mean much to me, but sure enough, colour returned to the guy’s face and his eyes opened. He blinking blearily. “Jelecho, bring the boy some fluids,” she said, gesturing to a nurse who walked by. “Go slowly. We need to reintroduce a small amount, then see if he can keep it down. If he can, he’s moved out of critical, but someone needs to keep supplying those fluids.”
“You’ve never tried intravenous fluids?” I said, looking down the hall for IV stands.
“What? Intravenous? How do you induce fluid directly into the vein?” the doctor said with a frown.
“It’s quite easy, I think. They put these needles into your hand—.”
“You pierce the vein? How on earth do you stop the patient from bleeding out?”