Calder followed the tall man down the long hall. Wall sconces were by each exam room door, each with warm yellow witchfire. The sling-girl’s boy sat in a chair outside an exam room.
“Come inside, Calder. Dougal, I’ll handle this by myself. Thank you.” The brown-haired man inside the exam room shrugged and left. “Tell me what’s wrong with Junian.”
“He used to be Swimmer, a frog. I met him at a shrine near home, back in Ashford—a town on the Calan, where Ashford Shipping, the ferry service is? About three hours downriver?”
“I’ve heard of Ashford. What happened tonight, Calder? Why are you two here?” the healer asked gently.
Calder felt like an i***t for blathering and he hoped the sconce lights hid his red face. He apologized two or three times and started again, this time in the flat, w
