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The Floodgate :: Каннингем Элейн
Страница: 211 из 212Mystra's blessing upon you, myson."
This address was often used between a man of Basel's years and one of Matteo's. Perhaps it meant nothing. Perhaps everything. It was one more thing that a jordain could not know.
"Mystra's blessing," he echoed softly.
After the festivities were over, Matteo went to his new chambers in the king's quarter. To his surprise, Zalathorm awaited him, sprawled wearily in one of the chairs that Cassia, Matteo's predecessor, had scattered cozily about the room.
"I have need of your counsel, jordain," the king said, his voice faint and scratchy from overuse.
Matteo nodded, waiting for him to continue.
"Before we discuss this matter, a question. Near battle's end, before the skeletons arose, you were about to give me advice that you thought I would not like to hear."
"There is no need for it now," Matteo said, frowning. "For that matter, there was no need for it then! You saw what was needed and took action without waiting for my counsel. It is grim work to raise skeleton warriors, and all Halruaa is grateful that you took this task upon yourself."
"Did you observe me cast that spell?"
The jordain hesitated. "No, but none of your necromancers have come forth to take credit for it, so I assume it was a prepared spell, unleashed from some magical device."
Zalathorm did not offer comment on this observation. "This celebration will last a tenday. After that, the queen will come to trial. If she is condemned, she will be executed under the light of a gibbous moon. You have twenty days to prove her innocence."
With great difficulty, Matteo kept his face impassive. "Forgive me my presumption, sire, but I know what it is to lose a loved one. The two best friends I ever knew are lost to me, and I cannot yet accept the reality of it."
"What would you do to save those friends?"
Matteo envisioned the veil between the worlds, and the glowing eyes of the dark fairies beyond. "If I could, I would follow them through hell."
"I thought as much. That is why I give you a seemingly impossible task."
He blew out a long breath. "We heard Kiva commend the queen for creating a clockwork army. What could negate this?"
"There are other circumstances, surely, that will sway the council's decision."
"I will not color the facts to save the queen," Matteo said quietly.
The king nodded as if he had expected this. "You hold the good of Halruaa foremost in your heart. That is why I require your services.
This address was often used between a man of Basel's years and one of Matteo's. Perhaps it meant nothing. Perhaps everything. It was one more thing that a jordain could not know.
"Mystra's blessing," he echoed softly.
After the festivities were over, Matteo went to his new chambers in the king's quarter. To his surprise, Zalathorm awaited him, sprawled wearily in one of the chairs that Cassia, Matteo's predecessor, had scattered cozily about the room.
"I have need of your counsel, jordain," the king said, his voice faint and scratchy from overuse.
Matteo nodded, waiting for him to continue.
"Before we discuss this matter, a question. Near battle's end, before the skeletons arose, you were about to give me advice that you thought I would not like to hear."
"There is no need for it now," Matteo said, frowning. "For that matter, there was no need for it then! You saw what was needed and took action without waiting for my counsel. It is grim work to raise skeleton warriors, and all Halruaa is grateful that you took this task upon yourself."
"Did you observe me cast that spell?"
The jordain hesitated. "No, but none of your necromancers have come forth to take credit for it, so I assume it was a prepared spell, unleashed from some magical device."
Zalathorm did not offer comment on this observation. "This celebration will last a tenday. After that, the queen will come to trial. If she is condemned, she will be executed under the light of a gibbous moon. You have twenty days to prove her innocence."
With great difficulty, Matteo kept his face impassive. "Forgive me my presumption, sire, but I know what it is to lose a loved one. The two best friends I ever knew are lost to me, and I cannot yet accept the reality of it."
"What would you do to save those friends?"
Matteo envisioned the veil between the worlds, and the glowing eyes of the dark fairies beyond. "If I could, I would follow them through hell."
"I thought as much. That is why I give you a seemingly impossible task."
He blew out a long breath. "We heard Kiva commend the queen for creating a clockwork army. What could negate this?"
"There are other circumstances, surely, that will sway the council's decision."
"I will not color the facts to save the queen," Matteo said quietly.
The king nodded as if he had expected this. "You hold the good of Halruaa foremost in your heart. That is why I require your services.