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The Wizardwar :: Каннингем Элейн
Страница: 174 из 208Indeed, I envy him and wishI were free to do likewise."
Tzigone blew out a long breath. She stared at the king for a long moment, then absolved him with a wink. "Don't mention it. I mean that quite literally. Basel is my dear friend. He stood up before all the gods and half of Halruaa and implied that he was my father. You sort of glossed over it, and that was fine, but if anyone comes right out and publicly calls him a liar, I would be completely dragondung."
Zalathorm's brows shot up, and he sent an inquiring look at Matteo. The young jordain turned a deep shade of red.
"I believe that is a colloquial expression for extreme anger, my lord, one that holds connotations of something hot, steaming, unpleasant, and rather too large to deal with."
The king turned a wistful smile upon the girl. "Then I will leave matters as they stand. A dragondung sorceress is not something I care to contemplate."
"A sorceress," Matteo mused, staring thoughtfully at the girl. This explained a great many things.
Tzigone grinned and hurled a small honeycake at him. "Things change. Try to keep up."
He deftly caught the small sticky missile. A wicked impulse stirred, and he yielded at once. "While we're contemplating change, perhaps we should also consider a long-running debate in the Council of Elders concerning the nature of the crown."
She rolled her eyes and then glanced at Zalathorm, evaluating the silver circlet resting on his brow with a practiced eye. "Electrum and sapphires would be my guess."
"There's a faction in Halruaa," he continued, "that wishes to establish a hereditary monarchy."
Matteo let that shaft sink home. When Tzigone's eyes flew wide, and her face slackened with horror, he tossed back the honeycake. It struck the bemused girl on the forehead and stuck there.
The king passed a hand over his face as if to erase a smile, then sent a stern glare at Matteo. "Is that any way to treat the crown princess?" he said with mock wrath.
He rose, plucked the cake off Tzigone's forehead, and left the room. His footsteps quickly faded, along with a feint chuckle.
Tzigone licked her sticky fingers and looked thoughtfully at Matteo. "You know, I think I could get to like him."
"As you say, Your Highness."
Her eyes narrowed. Matteo responded with a bland smile. "Things change," he reminded her. "Do try to keep up."
Basel Indoulur strolled through the public gardens that lay between the city palace and his Halarahh tower.
Tzigone blew out a long breath. She stared at the king for a long moment, then absolved him with a wink. "Don't mention it. I mean that quite literally. Basel is my dear friend. He stood up before all the gods and half of Halruaa and implied that he was my father. You sort of glossed over it, and that was fine, but if anyone comes right out and publicly calls him a liar, I would be completely dragondung."
Zalathorm's brows shot up, and he sent an inquiring look at Matteo. The young jordain turned a deep shade of red.
"I believe that is a colloquial expression for extreme anger, my lord, one that holds connotations of something hot, steaming, unpleasant, and rather too large to deal with."
The king turned a wistful smile upon the girl. "Then I will leave matters as they stand. A dragondung sorceress is not something I care to contemplate."
"A sorceress," Matteo mused, staring thoughtfully at the girl. This explained a great many things.
Tzigone grinned and hurled a small honeycake at him. "Things change. Try to keep up."
He deftly caught the small sticky missile. A wicked impulse stirred, and he yielded at once. "While we're contemplating change, perhaps we should also consider a long-running debate in the Council of Elders concerning the nature of the crown."
She rolled her eyes and then glanced at Zalathorm, evaluating the silver circlet resting on his brow with a practiced eye. "Electrum and sapphires would be my guess."
"There's a faction in Halruaa," he continued, "that wishes to establish a hereditary monarchy."
Matteo let that shaft sink home. When Tzigone's eyes flew wide, and her face slackened with horror, he tossed back the honeycake. It struck the bemused girl on the forehead and stuck there.
The king passed a hand over his face as if to erase a smile, then sent a stern glare at Matteo. "Is that any way to treat the crown princess?" he said with mock wrath.
He rose, plucked the cake off Tzigone's forehead, and left the room. His footsteps quickly faded, along with a feint chuckle.
Tzigone licked her sticky fingers and looked thoughtfully at Matteo. "You know, I think I could get to like him."
"As you say, Your Highness."
Her eyes narrowed. Matteo responded with a bland smile. "Things change," he reminded her. "Do try to keep up."
Basel Indoulur strolled through the public gardens that lay between the city palace and his Halarahh tower.