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was watching, and that it would be enough that my past actions suggested extremely high costs for anyone attacking my family. Also, there were few times when I didn’t accompany them, which added an element of unpredictability.
    Once I saw them off, I headed to the armory building, where I eventually found Shannyr in a small room filled with kegs and small square boxes. He was sitting at a work table with circular thin bronze disks on one side. On the other side were thicker bronze disks, each looking like a slice from a bronze cylinder.
    “Master Rhennthyl.” The imager second stood quickly, a worried expression on his face.
    “Don’t look so concerned,” I said with a laugh. “I need your help.”
    “Mine?”
    I explained about the bomb and showed him the diagram.
    “Sir, I’m not an ordnance designer.”
    “I know that. I also know you’re very observant, and that you probably understand a lot more than many imagers would guess that you know.”
    “Menyard is really the one who’d know, sir. He’s the top ordnance designer.”
    “I’ll talk to him next…but what do you think?”
    “The pattern is V-shaped, and that means the blast was directed, but it really wasn’t a shaped charge. I’d guess it was an ordnance-type powder because no one mentions a lot of smoke, and you’d have that with black powder.”
    “Thank you. Where would I find Menyard?”
    “In the engineering studies on the second level on the south side. I think his is the one closest to the quadrangle.”
    “How is Ciermya? And the twins?”
    “They’re all fine, except both the twins are getting over the childpox, and she’s had to stay home from work.” He laughed. “She’s ready for them to get well.”
    “I can imagine. I hope Diestrya doesn’t get it…but with children, you can’t ever tell.”
    “No, sir.”
    With a smile, I left. Shannyr had been a friend to me when I’d first come to the Collegium, and I hadn’t forgotten that, although matters between our families were a bit awkward because Ciermya was scared to death of both Seliora and me.
    I made my way to the staircase on the end of the building and climbed up. Although Menyard’s door was ajar, I knocked.
    “Come on in.”
    I did, and he hurried to his feet.
    “Rhenn…or should I say Master Captain Rhennthyl? We don’t see you very often any more. Kahlasa and I were actually talking about you this morning. She just left.”
    “Oh…I’m sorry I missed her. And…Rhenn is fine. I need your help.” I handed him the diagram and the report. “Anything you can tell me will help.”
    As he took the papers, Menyard’s only comment was “Hmmmm. Interesting.” He sat back down at the broad table that served both as both desk and drafting board and began to study the report.
    I didn’t say a word, just seated myself in the straight-backed chair set at an angle to the broad desk set before a window looking toward the north end of the Collegium quadrangle.
    After a time, he looked up. “I’d say that someone took a four-digit brass shell casing, shortened it, perhaps by half, and then flared it, packed the explosives inside, covered the explosives with metal filings or thin strips, and capped it with a lead cover, probably designed to break into segments. Most likely, the strips came from the part of the casing they cut down…”
    “The explosive?”
    “Some form of guncotton, Poudre B, I’d guess. The device was attached to the rear axle at an angle. They crimped the bracket holding the device in place. They planned for it to detonate fairly soon after they placed it. If they primed it with totally dry guncotton and an inertial friction spring, any jolt or sudden movement of the axle would trigger the primer.”
    That meant that the device was fixed to the carriage axle while the coachman was waiting to pick up Factor Broussard and his family. Since the coachman had been one of those killed, it was unlikely that he’d been part of the plan. Likewise,