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The Floodgate :: Каннингем Элейн
Страница: 124 из 212"Because you show such remarkable intelligence, I will save you the necessity of further flattery and simply tell you whatever you wish to know. Not that I'm not enjoying this, mind you."
The jordain grinned, noting that Shiphor's cynical tone was offset by the twinkle in his eyes. "May I see your summary notes for the past several days? As well as today's missives?"
Shiphor promptly drew several sheaves of papers from various stacks, as unerringly as a mother hen might pick her own chick from a barnyard crowded with yellow peepers. Matteo glanced at the summaries and started in on the new messages. He leafed through until he caught a glimpse of Kiva's name. As he read, his already dark mood turned a deeper shade of black.
Kiva had already been declared traitor, but apparently Procopio had not deemed that sufficient. She had been excommunicated by the church of Azuth. Matteo repeated one of the oaths he'd recently heard Tzigone employ.
The scribe looked up sharply. "Problems?"
"Halruaa is full of them, it would seem," Matteo said grimly. "With your permission, I would like to bring a particularly troublesome one directly to Lord Procopio's attention."
Shiphor took the page Matteo handed him and scanned it. His grasp of politics was far better than his employer credited, and he caught the implication at once. "The lord mayor is going to be highly displeased with this news and, no doubt, with the person who brings it." He handed it back with a wry smile. "I won't fight you for the privilege, but perhaps it would be best if Lord Procopio learned this news along with the rest. There is no shortage of ill tidings with which to pad it."
"Why pad it?" Matteo demanded. "Procopio has earned a hit or two."
The scribe sat back and regarded the angry jordain. "You'll get no argument from this quarter. Go with my blessing-though you'd be better off with Mystra's."
Matteo was already gone, too furious to consider either the warning or the possible consequences.
This writ of excommunication meant that contact with Kiva was proscribed. Any questions asked about her would be viewed with an extremely jaundiced eye. Matteo could think of no more effective way to squelch inquiries into the magehound's whereabouts.
He brushed past the guard at Procopio's door and burst into the room. The wizard waved away the guard.
"Your troubles must be great, jordain, to urge you into such imprudent behavior," he observed with measured calm.
"What have you done about Kiva?" demanded Matteo.
"Kiva?" Procopio echoed blandly.
The jordain grinned, noting that Shiphor's cynical tone was offset by the twinkle in his eyes. "May I see your summary notes for the past several days? As well as today's missives?"
Shiphor promptly drew several sheaves of papers from various stacks, as unerringly as a mother hen might pick her own chick from a barnyard crowded with yellow peepers. Matteo glanced at the summaries and started in on the new messages. He leafed through until he caught a glimpse of Kiva's name. As he read, his already dark mood turned a deeper shade of black.
Kiva had already been declared traitor, but apparently Procopio had not deemed that sufficient. She had been excommunicated by the church of Azuth. Matteo repeated one of the oaths he'd recently heard Tzigone employ.
The scribe looked up sharply. "Problems?"
"Halruaa is full of them, it would seem," Matteo said grimly. "With your permission, I would like to bring a particularly troublesome one directly to Lord Procopio's attention."
Shiphor took the page Matteo handed him and scanned it. His grasp of politics was far better than his employer credited, and he caught the implication at once. "The lord mayor is going to be highly displeased with this news and, no doubt, with the person who brings it." He handed it back with a wry smile. "I won't fight you for the privilege, but perhaps it would be best if Lord Procopio learned this news along with the rest. There is no shortage of ill tidings with which to pad it."
"Why pad it?" Matteo demanded. "Procopio has earned a hit or two."
The scribe sat back and regarded the angry jordain. "You'll get no argument from this quarter. Go with my blessing-though you'd be better off with Mystra's."
Matteo was already gone, too furious to consider either the warning or the possible consequences.
This writ of excommunication meant that contact with Kiva was proscribed. Any questions asked about her would be viewed with an extremely jaundiced eye. Matteo could think of no more effective way to squelch inquiries into the magehound's whereabouts.
He brushed past the guard at Procopio's door and burst into the room. The wizard waved away the guard.
"Your troubles must be great, jordain, to urge you into such imprudent behavior," he observed with measured calm.
"What have you done about Kiva?" demanded Matteo.
"Kiva?" Procopio echoed blandly.