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The Floodgate :: Каннингем Элейн
Страница: 80 из 212Andris heard nothing, but the elves cringed.
"They're calling the dogs," Kiva explained through gritted teeth. "Much good may it do them!"
The guard quickly came to the same conclusion. She tossed away the pipe and pulled her sword. Her partner began the gestures of a spell. The crimson flames around the spell caster’s holy symbol climbed higher with gathering power. Holy fire leaped out and licked down the length of the warrior's sword.
Andris sucked air in a sharp hiss. At his side, Nadage shot a concerned glance in the jordain's direction. "Not good?"
"A glowing sword seldom is, unless you happen to be the one wielding it."
A sharp twang resounded, and suddenly an arrow sprouted from the warrior woman's throat. Her blood flowed, first mingling with and then quenching the crimson flames of Azuth. She dropped her sword and fell to her knees, both hands clenched around the killing shaft.
"No!" shouted Andris as he whirled on Kiva, who stood calmly, bow in her hands.
The word burst from him before he could consider the consequences. Nadage looked as deeply shocked as Andris felt.
"This was not what we agreed!" Nadage hissed. "We were to subdue the humans, not kill them." He met Andris's eyes for the first time. "We must withdraw at once."
Kiva shook her head and pointed to the Magistrati. "Too late! Drop and hide!"
The new priest had turned toward Andris's shout. He lifted one hand high, like a child about to throw a ball. A glowing sphere appeared in his hand.
Before the wizard could hurl the magic missile, the elves disappeared into the trees like shadows, and Andris shrank behind a thick cypress. He held very still, hardly daring to breathe.
From the corner of his eye he watched the light speed past him into the trees. It separated as it flew, reforming into five seeking balls of flame. The lights darted here and there among the trees. They faltered, faded, and then flickered out like fireflies at dawn.
Andris let out his breath on a sigh of relief. The ability to hurl this particular spell was granted to all Magistrati, but this man had not wielded the power long enough to remember its limitations: He could not hit a target he could neither see nor name.
He peeked around the tree as an old woman struggled from her chair, her sparse white hair glowing like the moon in the reflected light of her holy symbol. She lifted both hands, beginning the gestures of a spell.
"They're calling the dogs," Kiva explained through gritted teeth. "Much good may it do them!"
The guard quickly came to the same conclusion. She tossed away the pipe and pulled her sword. Her partner began the gestures of a spell. The crimson flames around the spell caster’s holy symbol climbed higher with gathering power. Holy fire leaped out and licked down the length of the warrior's sword.
Andris sucked air in a sharp hiss. At his side, Nadage shot a concerned glance in the jordain's direction. "Not good?"
"A glowing sword seldom is, unless you happen to be the one wielding it."
A sharp twang resounded, and suddenly an arrow sprouted from the warrior woman's throat. Her blood flowed, first mingling with and then quenching the crimson flames of Azuth. She dropped her sword and fell to her knees, both hands clenched around the killing shaft.
"No!" shouted Andris as he whirled on Kiva, who stood calmly, bow in her hands.
The word burst from him before he could consider the consequences. Nadage looked as deeply shocked as Andris felt.
"This was not what we agreed!" Nadage hissed. "We were to subdue the humans, not kill them." He met Andris's eyes for the first time. "We must withdraw at once."
Kiva shook her head and pointed to the Magistrati. "Too late! Drop and hide!"
The new priest had turned toward Andris's shout. He lifted one hand high, like a child about to throw a ball. A glowing sphere appeared in his hand.
Before the wizard could hurl the magic missile, the elves disappeared into the trees like shadows, and Andris shrank behind a thick cypress. He held very still, hardly daring to breathe.
From the corner of his eye he watched the light speed past him into the trees. It separated as it flew, reforming into five seeking balls of flame. The lights darted here and there among the trees. They faltered, faded, and then flickered out like fireflies at dawn.
Andris let out his breath on a sigh of relief. The ability to hurl this particular spell was granted to all Magistrati, but this man had not wielded the power long enough to remember its limitations: He could not hit a target he could neither see nor name.
He peeked around the tree as an old woman struggled from her chair, her sparse white hair glowing like the moon in the reflected light of her holy symbol. She lifted both hands, beginning the gestures of a spell.