Evidently, for whatever reason there were still many who fail to comprehend who Mikhail Bulatov really is. These are the ones who see him as just a Healer. Their attempts to kill him in a duel, or to simply poison him only amuse him. But his first government contract to treat an aristocrat is encouraging. Mikhail enjoys working as a Healer—it is, after all, his calling. And how refreshing to use his Gift not to kill, but to heal, as well.

Of course, he still has to do plenty of killing, especially because more and more hostile offworlders were showing up and their aim was nothing short of subjugating this world But . . . that's no easy matter when an Archmagister Healer has made this world his home.