Henri smiled faintly and squeezed Sybil's knee, only wishing that he could live up to her high praise and contribute something. He knew better than anyone that medical solutions did not come easily, but this plague had baffled Darrow’s most brilliant doctors. How did one combat a malady that showed no pattern, no cause, and displayed only a single, horrifying symptom?

“For my medical training, you mean?” he asked, picking food for himself. “I plan to speak to some of the medical professors at the university, in fact. From what I gather, accommodations are sometimes made for those of us in unusual circumstances. With any luck, I can piece together a regimen to suit my needs.” He sighed a little. “But we shall see."