I'm pretty happy with this story's general feel (and I'm into the second of two, so this is unexpected charitable feelings, though I was happy with it before November, too) and sorry for the length but this is my favorite bit so far:
***
Master Mandrake had been causing the quill pens to be structurally correct for writing, separating blockages or melding fractures. The dishes he had reinforced as well, restoring any flaws to strength.
“This is mundane work. Manipulating completely 'quiet' objects is dull, uphill work—they've been cut off from the original life engendering them. It's what housewives will pay for, though. Less tricky and prone to failure, as well. A very few magicians make livings as bone-setters or pet-healers, but more than that is so risky unless you have a physician's knowledge of the body, its inward structure and the symptoms of disease. If a magician does go into medicine, usually they prefer to use regular methods unless forced to do otherwise. People blame you less.”
“But you could heal someone?”
“In theory, yes. Do you know what 'in theory' means?”
“Not really very likely?” Sheridan guessed.
***
And then there is a plot-line sucker punch which just makes it all that much more beautiful. ^_^
Keep it up, chums!
(Being crazy enough to do this does make us chums, doesn't it? I mean, chums is the exact best insane word, too...)