Rook

suspiciously and was blinded by a flash of light.
    “That didn’t come out of
me,
did it?” she asked.
    “Oh, no, we’re taking some digital photos.”
    “What?”
    “Don’t worry, Rook Thomas,” said Dr. Burke. “It’s not like we’re going to post these on the Internet. They’re for the outside doctor.” There was another jab of exceptional discomfort.
    “That
really
is not pleasant,” said Myfanwy tightly.
    “I’m sorry,” said Dr. Wills, “it’s not normally so crowded in here.”
    “What?”
    “I mean crowded in the examination room,” said Dr. Wills.
    “Gentlemen,” snapped Myfanwy. “Please try not to jostle my interrogational gynecologist!”
    “We’ll be careful,” said Dr. Leichhardt soothingly. “Now, this may be uncomfortable in an unorthodox way, but whatever you do, don’t clench.” Myfanwy closed her eyes in horror and thought of England. She was just coming to the conclusion that England was totally not worth it when Dr. Wills snapped her gloves off. “Rook Thomas, we’re just about done here. Now, I know you haven’t been interested before, but perhaps we should take this opportunity to talk about whether you’d like to start on birth control?” Ingrid looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
    Maybe I should lie and say that I’m a Grafter,
she thought desperately.
Or Satan. They’d probably stop this if I were Satan.
    A aaand with that taken care of, we’ll be handing you off to the dentists,” said Dr. Leichhardt. “These are Doctors Weiss, Engel, and Olivier.”
    “It’s nice to meet you,” said Myfanwy. “Can I put my pajamas back on?”
    “I’m afraid not,” said Dr. Olivier apologetically, “but we do have a new paper gown for you.”
    “Oh, rapture.” Myfanwy sighed.
    “And if you’d please get into this chair,” said Dr. Engel. “We have this thing we’d like to slide into your mouth. It will prevent you from closing your jaws.”
    “Isss theya an eshti-ate on how lung this iss gowingh tuh take?”
    “I’m sorry, no. Of course, Rook Thomas, we want to be as thorough as possible. Now, we’re just going to close these vises around your head, shoulders, and upper torso. Would you like a comfort bear?” asked Dr. Weiss. He held up a small tartan teddy bear.
    “Yesh, leesh.”
    “Rook Thomas?” came a new voice.
    “Yesh?”
    “It’s Ingrid.”
    “Sh’up?”
    “I checked through your appointment book for the past year, and there’s no record of that name.”
    “Shit. Ut alowt ennee un elsh?” Myfanwy asked.
    “I beg your pardon?” Ingrid’s brows knit. Myfanwy looked to Dr. Olivier imploringly. Apparently, he spoke fluent “can’t shut your jaws.”
    “She said, ‘What about anyone else?’ ” Myfanwy tried to nod her head in agreement but was limited to blinking emphatically.
    “I’m sorry, do you want me to check your schedule for anyone else’s name?” asked Ingrid, confused.
    “Oh!” said Myfanwy, shaking her comfort bear in impotent frustration. “Hngh!”
    “Rook Thomas,” said Dr. Engel reproachfully. “We have placed sharp blades inside your mouth. It might be best if you didn’t shake.” Myfanwy rolled her eyes.
    “You want me to check other people’s schedules?”
    “Esh.”
    “Very well, Rook Thomas.”
    “Rook Thomas,” said Dr. Weiss. “Do you know how you got these scars on your throat?”
    “Oshils?”
    “No, you still have your tonsils,” said Dr. Olivier. “Oh, and a cavity!”
    “Well,” said Dr. Engel. “As long as we’re in here, we might as well take care of that.”
    D id you get any sleep in the MRI?” asked Ingrid as they walked slowly down the hallways of the Rookery. The two large bodyguards marched behind them, filling the corridor and bumping the pictures on the walls. Midway through the examinations, Myfanwy had realized that they weren’t just there to protect her. They were also there to kill her, or at least secure her, if she turned out to be a Grafter plant.
    “For some of the time,” said Myfanwy testily. “So, the name never appeared anywhere?”
    “No. And it wasn’t easy, but I arranged to have all the non-personal diaries of the Court members analyzed as well.”
    “And nothing?”
    “No Belgians,” said Ingrid apologetically.
    “Figures.” Myfanwy sighed. “Now, how many more of these tests do I have to undergo?”
    “Blood tests, urine tests, sputum tests, stool tests, hair tests, fingerprinting, eye exams, ear exams, DNA scrape, and a few