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The Magehound :: Каннингем Элейн
Страница: 85 из 216The other sails depicted a starsnake's wings, and elaborate curved runes painted onto the hull confirmed that Starsnake was indeed the ship's name.
Lord Procopio led the way to the forecastle and twisted the gold and silver rod mounted there. The skyship rose gracefully into the sky, more rapidly than Matteo would have thought possible.
The wizard looked at him sharply. "You look surprised. Have you not learned the properties of such ships?"
"I have, my lord. Knowing is one thing, experiencing is quite another."
"True enough. How fast are we going?"
Matteo considered what he knew of the ships and calculated the effects of the winds off Lake Halruaa. "Seventeen knots," he said firmly, glancing toward the helmsman for confirmation.
The helmsman nodded. Procopio shrugged, unimpressed, and pointed out toward the center of the lake. "Take her out. Let's give our new counselor a bit of a challenge."
The man at the wheel looked none too happy, but he did as he was bade, leaning his weight into turning the heavy wheel.
This put Matteo in the uncomfortable position of needing to give advice before any was requested. He wondered that he would have to do so, for the dangerous winds of Lake Halruaa were proverbial. No ship sailed the interior of the lake, not on the surface and not in the air.
"Lord Procopio, if I am to fulfill my duty, I must advise you against going out over the lake," Matteo said respectfully.
Procopio's only response was to point toward another ship, skirting the shore and rapidly approaching them.
"That is the Avariel, owned by the conjurer Basel Indoulur. He is a reckless man, proud enough to consider himself my rival. If we engage him in challenge, he will not turn away."
Procopio turned to a blue scrying globe mounted on a pedestal and gestured over it. Clouds swam in the circular sky, then parted to reveal the face of his apparent rival. The man was portly, with pillowy cheeks and small, shrewd eyes. His black hair had been oiled and worked into many small braids that hung nearly to his shoulders. The wizards exchanged the expected pleasantries, then Procopio got down to business.
"Fine winds today, Lord Basel."
The image of the wizard nodded happily. "Aye. The Avariel is giving near to five and twenty knots. I wouldn't have thought the old girl could dance to so merry a tune."
"Small wonder. You sail deep into the lake winds."
"No deeper than you," Basel retorted. "If you've something on your mind, man, have out with it."
"A challenge. A contest of will and nerve."
Basel's eyes bulged, then he laughed.
Lord Procopio led the way to the forecastle and twisted the gold and silver rod mounted there. The skyship rose gracefully into the sky, more rapidly than Matteo would have thought possible.
The wizard looked at him sharply. "You look surprised. Have you not learned the properties of such ships?"
"I have, my lord. Knowing is one thing, experiencing is quite another."
"True enough. How fast are we going?"
Matteo considered what he knew of the ships and calculated the effects of the winds off Lake Halruaa. "Seventeen knots," he said firmly, glancing toward the helmsman for confirmation.
The helmsman nodded. Procopio shrugged, unimpressed, and pointed out toward the center of the lake. "Take her out. Let's give our new counselor a bit of a challenge."
The man at the wheel looked none too happy, but he did as he was bade, leaning his weight into turning the heavy wheel.
This put Matteo in the uncomfortable position of needing to give advice before any was requested. He wondered that he would have to do so, for the dangerous winds of Lake Halruaa were proverbial. No ship sailed the interior of the lake, not on the surface and not in the air.
"Lord Procopio, if I am to fulfill my duty, I must advise you against going out over the lake," Matteo said respectfully.
Procopio's only response was to point toward another ship, skirting the shore and rapidly approaching them.
"That is the Avariel, owned by the conjurer Basel Indoulur. He is a reckless man, proud enough to consider himself my rival. If we engage him in challenge, he will not turn away."
Procopio turned to a blue scrying globe mounted on a pedestal and gestured over it. Clouds swam in the circular sky, then parted to reveal the face of his apparent rival. The man was portly, with pillowy cheeks and small, shrewd eyes. His black hair had been oiled and worked into many small braids that hung nearly to his shoulders. The wizards exchanged the expected pleasantries, then Procopio got down to business.
"Fine winds today, Lord Basel."
The image of the wizard nodded happily. "Aye. The Avariel is giving near to five and twenty knots. I wouldn't have thought the old girl could dance to so merry a tune."
"Small wonder. You sail deep into the lake winds."
"No deeper than you," Basel retorted. "If you've something on your mind, man, have out with it."
"A challenge. A contest of will and nerve."
Basel's eyes bulged, then he laughed.