The Magic of Recluce - L. E. Modesitt [18]
“Thoughts?” I asked, without thinking.
She grinned and shook her head. Her expression was so knowing that I immediately wanted to bash her with my staff—except it was sitting in the corner. And besides, I had no reason. I just knew I would have.
“Careful, Lerris,” boomed a deep voice.
I jumped. So did everyone else in the room, even Tamra.
How he had entered unseen bothered me, but the man’s voice was bigger than he was. He had silver hair and broad shoulders, but he did not even reach to my shoulder. For Recluce, I was only a half-head above average, if a shade broader in the chest and shoulders.
He wore a tunic and trousers of some sort of silvery-gray. Even his boots were silver-gray.
“No black?”
Tamra shook her head at my comment. No one else did anything but stare.
“As you will learn, Lerris, one way or another, black is a state of mind.” He bowed to me, then to Tamra, and finally to the others in a sweeping gesture. “I am Talryn, and I will be your guide to Nylan and for the first few days of your stay here.” He gestured toward the doorway between the two benches, then stepped forward and touched the wood. The doorway swung open, and I could see the light flooding from the room. “If you will gather your possessions and follow me, we will begin with a meal.”
Talryn stepped through the doorway.
I picked up my staff and pack, then nodded to Tamra. She inclined her head to me. I inclined mine back, but she still waited.
Finally, I walked after Talryn, and Tamra’s light steps clicked after mine. The others shuffled along after us.
The doorway led not into another room, but into a long corridor lit solely from a clear glass skylight. I studied the skylight as well as I could without losing my balance while trying to keep up with Talryn.
A series of curved glass panels had been fitted into bent dark-oak framing for the entire length of the building. Through the glass, I could see that the skylight was nothing more than a continuous window into a small garden above us that filled the center of the building.
On each side of the corridor where we walked were massive stone supports, clearly bearing the weight of the garden.
Somehow, again, it was disappointing. The design and engineering had been well-thought-out and the effect was quite pleasing. But that was all it showed: good solid design and good engineering.
Talryn tapped another door, dark oak, at the far end of the garden corridor walk, and stepped inside. We all followed into a small room.
He waited until everyone had gathered.
“Through the door on my right, there are facilities suitable for you gentlemen. On the left are facilities for you gentle ladies. Please leave your packs and traveling gear in the open lockers. They will be quite safe there, and you can reclaim everything after we eat.”
“Why different facilities?” asked Tamra.
“Because, even in Recluce, there are some who hold to the Legend, who feel men and women are different, Tamra.”
“That’s just an excuse.”
“Perhaps. You may use the facilities or not.” Talryn’s deep voice was noticeably cooler. He turned from her. “Once you are washed and ready, step through the center doorway here and we will eat. During the meal, I will attempt to provide a general introduction to the dangergeld and what it may entail.”
The way he stood before that door, almost like a guard, made it clear that a certain amount of cleanliness was mandatory. I didn’t bother to wait, but headed toward the facilities. I was ready for both the relief and the cleanup, in that order.
Myrten dragged in after Sammel and me, as if he didn’t like soap and water. That confirmed my opinion of him.
The masters not only had good engineering and sanitary facilities, they had an ample supply of warm and cold running water, and heavy gray towels. It took a fair amount of soap and water to get the road dust off my face, hands and arms. I really could have taken a shower, except the building