[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
are well informed. I just learned of this myself."
Procopio reasoned that the best way to cover one misdeed was to focus
upon another. "It is difficult to hide such matters from a diviner, although the
church of Azuth has certainly tried."
"Apparently we have not done well enough, if you learned of it." A sour
expression crossed his face. "Don't bother telling me what a powerful diviner you
are, how nothing is hidden from you. The truth, now! How did you come by this
knowledge?"
"I had a visit from a jordain who was once in my service, a youth known as
Matteo."
Ymani's eyes took on a malicious gleam. "I have heard that name. His
masters call him a shining example of everything his breed purports to be. They
claimed that since he was instructed to keep his counsel on this matter, he would
never speak of it. It is gratifying to know that such a paragon is capable of
indiscretion and that the so-called jordaini masters are as fallible as other men."
"The jordaini masters were more right about this than they know," the wizard
grumbled. "Matteo is persistent, dedicated, and honorable."
The priest narrowed his eyes. "Am I to conclude that you have some power
over this jordain that enabled you to divine this news from him?"
Procopio saw where this was going. "An unsound conclusion."
Undaunted, the priest continued. "Only the inquisitors of Azuth have the
ability to enter a jordaini mind. You may have promise. If you'd like to apply as a
temple acolyte, I would sponsor your petition."
The diviner let Ymani have his fun but noted the price of it for later reckoning.
"The question remains: What's to be done about Kiva?"
The priest's smirk faded. He helped himself to another fig. "This is a grave
matter but not the usual province of Halarahh's lord mayor."
"I have a personal stake in this," the wizard said bluntly. "An elf jordain in my
employ was in league with the traitor. I do not appreciate any stain upon my
name, however small. I intend to see that the elf woman does nothing that might
cause this stain to spread."
"Most understandable. What would you have me do?"
"I want the magehound who examined Kiva before her escape. Bring him to
Halarahh on some pretext, and I will take from his mind the details of his findings.
Perhaps some small bit of information might be a trail marker."
"If such existed, surely my fellow Azuthans would have found and followed
it," Ymani protested. "Partisanship aside, such spells are hideously illegal. I
cannot be part of this!"
The wizard sniffed. "The Azuthans let a traitor to king and country slip
between their fingers. Worse, you kept silent, valuing your reputation over the
security of the land. You and I stand aboard the same skyship, my friend. We fly
or fall together. Find a way to bring this man to me, and soon."
"You are most persuasive. Of course, I will do what I can." Ymani lifted one
hand and formed the Azuthan blessing.
Usually Procopio would be insulted by so blatant a dismissal, but he had
already spent too much time on the fat priest. He eased himself away from his
projected image, pulling back along the threads of magic to his tower.
Procopio returned to his spell chamber to a body grown painfully stiff and
chilled. Cursing himself for tarrying too long, he struggled from his chair and
shuffled over to the hearth like a toothless old peasant. A quick spell conjured a
blaze, and he chafed his icy hands as he considered the problem before him.
Kiva's disappearance cast a grim light upon other, recent events. Just this
morning he'd received word of the raid on the Lady's Mirror. There were no
survivors, but magical inquiry revealed that the attackers were wild elves. The
Mhair savages had kept to their forests for over five human generations.
Penalties for breaking the treaty would be harsh. Something unusual-or someone
powerful and persuasive-must have urged the elves into this suicidal course.
Elves scorned other races, so most likely their leader was one of their own kind.
Yet who but a Halruaan-trained wizard knew the value of the stolen books and
scrolls? The best use the elves could make of them would be to rip them up for
privy conveniences, and Mystra knew they had leaves aplenty for that purpose!
By Procopio's reckoning, the person behind the raid was a wild elf and a wizard, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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are well informed. I just learned of this myself."
Procopio reasoned that the best way to cover one misdeed was to focus
upon another. "It is difficult to hide such matters from a diviner, although the
church of Azuth has certainly tried."
"Apparently we have not done well enough, if you learned of it." A sour
expression crossed his face. "Don't bother telling me what a powerful diviner you
are, how nothing is hidden from you. The truth, now! How did you come by this
knowledge?"
"I had a visit from a jordain who was once in my service, a youth known as
Matteo."
Ymani's eyes took on a malicious gleam. "I have heard that name. His
masters call him a shining example of everything his breed purports to be. They
claimed that since he was instructed to keep his counsel on this matter, he would
never speak of it. It is gratifying to know that such a paragon is capable of
indiscretion and that the so-called jordaini masters are as fallible as other men."
"The jordaini masters were more right about this than they know," the wizard
grumbled. "Matteo is persistent, dedicated, and honorable."
The priest narrowed his eyes. "Am I to conclude that you have some power
over this jordain that enabled you to divine this news from him?"
Procopio saw where this was going. "An unsound conclusion."
Undaunted, the priest continued. "Only the inquisitors of Azuth have the
ability to enter a jordaini mind. You may have promise. If you'd like to apply as a
temple acolyte, I would sponsor your petition."
The diviner let Ymani have his fun but noted the price of it for later reckoning.
"The question remains: What's to be done about Kiva?"
The priest's smirk faded. He helped himself to another fig. "This is a grave
matter but not the usual province of Halarahh's lord mayor."
"I have a personal stake in this," the wizard said bluntly. "An elf jordain in my
employ was in league with the traitor. I do not appreciate any stain upon my
name, however small. I intend to see that the elf woman does nothing that might
cause this stain to spread."
"Most understandable. What would you have me do?"
"I want the magehound who examined Kiva before her escape. Bring him to
Halarahh on some pretext, and I will take from his mind the details of his findings.
Perhaps some small bit of information might be a trail marker."
"If such existed, surely my fellow Azuthans would have found and followed
it," Ymani protested. "Partisanship aside, such spells are hideously illegal. I
cannot be part of this!"
The wizard sniffed. "The Azuthans let a traitor to king and country slip
between their fingers. Worse, you kept silent, valuing your reputation over the
security of the land. You and I stand aboard the same skyship, my friend. We fly
or fall together. Find a way to bring this man to me, and soon."
"You are most persuasive. Of course, I will do what I can." Ymani lifted one
hand and formed the Azuthan blessing.
Usually Procopio would be insulted by so blatant a dismissal, but he had
already spent too much time on the fat priest. He eased himself away from his
projected image, pulling back along the threads of magic to his tower.
Procopio returned to his spell chamber to a body grown painfully stiff and
chilled. Cursing himself for tarrying too long, he struggled from his chair and
shuffled over to the hearth like a toothless old peasant. A quick spell conjured a
blaze, and he chafed his icy hands as he considered the problem before him.
Kiva's disappearance cast a grim light upon other, recent events. Just this
morning he'd received word of the raid on the Lady's Mirror. There were no
survivors, but magical inquiry revealed that the attackers were wild elves. The
Mhair savages had kept to their forests for over five human generations.
Penalties for breaking the treaty would be harsh. Something unusual-or someone
powerful and persuasive-must have urged the elves into this suicidal course.
Elves scorned other races, so most likely their leader was one of their own kind.
Yet who but a Halruaan-trained wizard knew the value of the stolen books and
scrolls? The best use the elves could make of them would be to rip them up for
privy conveniences, and Mystra knew they had leaves aplenty for that purpose!
By Procopio's reckoning, the person behind the raid was a wild elf and a wizard, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]