The Truest Face

Wealthgiver 19

This is the nineteenth chapter of Wealthgiver, an alternate history serial romance about nationalism and cave-Thracians. For the back-of-the-book description and an index of chapters, click here. For the beginning, click here. For the previous chapter, click here.

MOOD MUSIC

Andrei got lost on the way back from the lavatory.

The cave-Thracians had a system of waste treatment that was, Nikolai had assured him, extremely sophisticated and modern. It involved charcoal in some way, and water valves, but the part of the process that concerned Andrei was the lidded chamber-pots that had to be carried to special rooms, dumped into larger vessels, and scrubbed out with lye.

Andrei only had one patient now, and some extra chamber pots, but he'd learned not to wait for supplies to be exhausted. Better to use the calm time to prepare for the next crisis.

Finding the lavatory room had been easy enough; no need for his lamp. He'd been proud of himself. Too proud to stop and call out for help when he re…