JК
The Floodgate :: Каннингем Элейн
Страница: 41 из 212Matteo hastenedto the gate to meet his friends.
Themo was a mountain of a man with the bluff, cheery face of a mischievous boy, and a temperament to match. Although he was Matteo's age, repeated infractions of jordaini rules forced Themo to repeat the fifth form before he could become a full-fledged counselor. Matteo suspected that Themo would not be heartbroken if this honor was never his to claim, for he was more suited to the battlefield than the council chamber. Iago was a slight, dark man with a sage's introspective eyes. He was also among the best battlemasters the Jordaini College had produced, as well as a master of horse.
Iago had also been one of Kiva's captives and had nearly as much reason for vengeance as did Andris. He listened to Matteo's story and readily agreed that Andris had gone in pursuit of Kiva. Themo, on the other hand, was eager to pursue this quest, or any other.
The high priest himself accompanied them to the side gate, wishing them success and admonishing them to secrecy.
"Success," muttered Themo later that day, climbing back onto his lizard mount for at least the fifth time. "If I fall off this slimy excuse for a horse only twice more before sunset, I'll call it a good day's work."
"Wishing you were back at the college?" Iago asked.
Themo looked genuinely surprised. "Nine Hells! A man can't complain for love of hearing his own voice?"
"A man can. A jordain shouldn't. The measure of a man's spirit is the distance between ordeal and adventure," Iago pointed out, quoting a familiar proverb.
"The college is an ordeal," Themo grumbled. "As for adventure, I wish I'd been with you two in Akhlaur's Swamp."
"No, you don't," Iago said with quiet certainty. "Consider what happened to Andris."
The big man conceded this with a shrug. "Poor bastard, Going through life looking like a glass sculpture isn't my idea of fun. Makes people hesitate before taking a swing at you."
"Hold your sympathy until we find Andris and Kiva," Matteo advised, giving voice for the first time to his reluctant suspicions.
Iago sent him a considering stare, but Themo responded with an out-thrust tongue and a rude, moistly vibrating buzz.
"You sound like the logic and rhetoric master, Matteo. Before that, therefore because of this," Themo quoted in a derisive singsong. "One thing doesn't always follow another, lined up like swimming ducklings. The elf is gone, and so is Andris, and what of it? Doesn't mean Andris has thrown in with Kiva. Maybe he just didn't want the Azuthans poking at him. Can't say I blame him.
Themo was a mountain of a man with the bluff, cheery face of a mischievous boy, and a temperament to match. Although he was Matteo's age, repeated infractions of jordaini rules forced Themo to repeat the fifth form before he could become a full-fledged counselor. Matteo suspected that Themo would not be heartbroken if this honor was never his to claim, for he was more suited to the battlefield than the council chamber. Iago was a slight, dark man with a sage's introspective eyes. He was also among the best battlemasters the Jordaini College had produced, as well as a master of horse.
Iago had also been one of Kiva's captives and had nearly as much reason for vengeance as did Andris. He listened to Matteo's story and readily agreed that Andris had gone in pursuit of Kiva. Themo, on the other hand, was eager to pursue this quest, or any other.
The high priest himself accompanied them to the side gate, wishing them success and admonishing them to secrecy.
"Success," muttered Themo later that day, climbing back onto his lizard mount for at least the fifth time. "If I fall off this slimy excuse for a horse only twice more before sunset, I'll call it a good day's work."
"Wishing you were back at the college?" Iago asked.
Themo looked genuinely surprised. "Nine Hells! A man can't complain for love of hearing his own voice?"
"A man can. A jordain shouldn't. The measure of a man's spirit is the distance between ordeal and adventure," Iago pointed out, quoting a familiar proverb.
"The college is an ordeal," Themo grumbled. "As for adventure, I wish I'd been with you two in Akhlaur's Swamp."
"No, you don't," Iago said with quiet certainty. "Consider what happened to Andris."
The big man conceded this with a shrug. "Poor bastard, Going through life looking like a glass sculpture isn't my idea of fun. Makes people hesitate before taking a swing at you."
"Hold your sympathy until we find Andris and Kiva," Matteo advised, giving voice for the first time to his reluctant suspicions.
Iago sent him a considering stare, but Themo responded with an out-thrust tongue and a rude, moistly vibrating buzz.
"You sound like the logic and rhetoric master, Matteo. Before that, therefore because of this," Themo quoted in a derisive singsong. "One thing doesn't always follow another, lined up like swimming ducklings. The elf is gone, and so is Andris, and what of it? Doesn't mean Andris has thrown in with Kiva. Maybe he just didn't want the Azuthans poking at him. Can't say I blame him.