[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
expedition." He wasn't taking any otherElvenlords with him, nor was he taking
a very large party. Infact, he wasn't taking any slaves other than those from
hisown household; either he was ridiculously sure of himself,or...
...or he thought there was something in that forest that he could use
for himself. What could it be?
Page 232
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
There had to be something. There was no reason to take that sort of
risk, unless there was a powerful reason for it. Some-thing to do with the
Wizards themselves? Aelmarkin hadn'theard anything that made them sound
different from the ones that had already been driven out into the wilderness.
Quite tothe contrary, in fact, it seemed very much as if they were fewer.
Except. . .
Except that they also had that curious ability to nullify magicthat
the Young Lords had somehow acquired!
Aelmarkin slapped the arm of his lounge with a feeling of angry
triumph. Of course that was it! So far, no one had man-aged to catchany of the
ringleaders, so no one knew just whatthe trick was but if Kyrtian could
capture a Wizard and get the answer that way, he'd be in a position to demand,
and get,anything he wanted from the Council, including a Council seat even if
there were no vacancies!
And if that happened Aelmarkin's chances of getting theestate
dropped to less than zero. For all their bickering, no Council member hadever
been known to back a move to oust another Council member from his lands,
position, or seat, and not just because it "wasn't done." They guarded their
primacyjealously, and when an outsider threatened one, he threatened all, and
they closed ranks against him.
For a moment, Aelmarkin despaired, and began pounding thearm of his
lounge with frustrated fury. He broke the underlying
wooden frame with acrack, but his anger didn't ease until the arm of
the lounge sagged, its structure reduced to fragments.
Finally his temper wore out, and he was able to think clearly.He left
his study and went out into his gardens to continuethinking. The sky was
overcast, but the pall over his spirit was darker than the grey sky.
He had to think...as he paced, his feet making no noise on the
velvety sod of the paths, he ignored the murmur of foun-tains and artificial
waterfalls he passed.
First, this all might come to nothing, but he didn't dare totake that
chance. Kyrtian was too good at finding what he wanted to find.
Persistent obstinately persistent.
Second, it was just barely possible that Kyrtian would fail; either
he wouldn't find a wizard or he wouldn't be able to takeone captive. Aelmarkin
thought sourly thatthis was not some-thing he should count on; Kyrtian's luck
had been disgustingly good. Persistenceand good luck. It was damnably unfair.
Third-Third ...
It hit him, blinding as a ray of sun lancing through the clouds. He
hadn't ever expected duplicity out of Kyrtian buthe hadn't expected
brilliance, either.What if all of this was adouble-game ?
What if Kyrtian planned, not to capture a Wizard, but to treat with
them? What if he intended toally with them?
Ridiculous thought, of course but it stopped him in his tracks. Both
because of the audacity of it, and the possibilities the mere idea opened up.
Page 233
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
If the Great Lordsthought that was what Kyrtian had inmind, their
support of him would not only collapse, they'd turnon him. Rightly so, of
course;treason didn't even begin tocover it.
Well, there was only one way to find out, and that was to fol-low
Kyrtian himself. Even if Kyrtian didn't mean treason, per- haps the appearance
of treason could be manufactured.
For the first time in many days, Aelmarkin's spirits rose.
He even laughed out loud at the thought, his mind workingbusily. The
first thing, of course, would be to follow Kyrtian
and see if, against all probability, Kyrtian reallywas a traitor.
Itwould be best not to have to manufacture anything out of wholecloth. If he
could find even theappearance of duplicity, he could build on that. This, of
course, meant that he could not trust this to anyone else.
Least of all Lady Triana. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl wyciskamy.pev.pl
expedition." He wasn't taking any otherElvenlords with him, nor was he taking
a very large party. Infact, he wasn't taking any slaves other than those from
hisown household; either he was ridiculously sure of himself,or...
...or he thought there was something in that forest that he could use
for himself. What could it be?
Page 232
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
There had to be something. There was no reason to take that sort of
risk, unless there was a powerful reason for it. Some-thing to do with the
Wizards themselves? Aelmarkin hadn'theard anything that made them sound
different from the ones that had already been driven out into the wilderness.
Quite tothe contrary, in fact, it seemed very much as if they were fewer.
Except. . .
Except that they also had that curious ability to nullify magicthat
the Young Lords had somehow acquired!
Aelmarkin slapped the arm of his lounge with a feeling of angry
triumph. Of course that was it! So far, no one had man-aged to catchany of the
ringleaders, so no one knew just whatthe trick was but if Kyrtian could
capture a Wizard and get the answer that way, he'd be in a position to demand,
and get,anything he wanted from the Council, including a Council seat even if
there were no vacancies!
And if that happened Aelmarkin's chances of getting theestate
dropped to less than zero. For all their bickering, no Council member hadever
been known to back a move to oust another Council member from his lands,
position, or seat, and not just because it "wasn't done." They guarded their
primacyjealously, and when an outsider threatened one, he threatened all, and
they closed ranks against him.
For a moment, Aelmarkin despaired, and began pounding thearm of his
lounge with frustrated fury. He broke the underlying
wooden frame with acrack, but his anger didn't ease until the arm of
the lounge sagged, its structure reduced to fragments.
Finally his temper wore out, and he was able to think clearly.He left
his study and went out into his gardens to continuethinking. The sky was
overcast, but the pall over his spirit was darker than the grey sky.
He had to think...as he paced, his feet making no noise on the
velvety sod of the paths, he ignored the murmur of foun-tains and artificial
waterfalls he passed.
First, this all might come to nothing, but he didn't dare totake that
chance. Kyrtian was too good at finding what he wanted to find.
Persistent obstinately persistent.
Second, it was just barely possible that Kyrtian would fail; either
he wouldn't find a wizard or he wouldn't be able to takeone captive. Aelmarkin
thought sourly thatthis was not some-thing he should count on; Kyrtian's luck
had been disgustingly good. Persistenceand good luck. It was damnably unfair.
Third-Third ...
It hit him, blinding as a ray of sun lancing through the clouds. He
hadn't ever expected duplicity out of Kyrtian buthe hadn't expected
brilliance, either.What if all of this was adouble-game ?
What if Kyrtian planned, not to capture a Wizard, but to treat with
them? What if he intended toally with them?
Ridiculous thought, of course but it stopped him in his tracks. Both
because of the audacity of it, and the possibilities the mere idea opened up.
Page 233
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
If the Great Lordsthought that was what Kyrtian had inmind, their
support of him would not only collapse, they'd turnon him. Rightly so, of
course;treason didn't even begin tocover it.
Well, there was only one way to find out, and that was to fol-low
Kyrtian himself. Even if Kyrtian didn't mean treason, per- haps the appearance
of treason could be manufactured.
For the first time in many days, Aelmarkin's spirits rose.
He even laughed out loud at the thought, his mind workingbusily. The
first thing, of course, would be to follow Kyrtian
and see if, against all probability, Kyrtian reallywas a traitor.
Itwould be best not to have to manufacture anything out of wholecloth. If he
could find even theappearance of duplicity, he could build on that. This, of
course, meant that he could not trust this to anyone else.
Least of all Lady Triana. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]