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.Beatrix was seated on a tapestry-covered settee, studying a drawing of yet another clockwork creature and busily employing a stylus."The problem is here," she murmured, making several tiny marks on the drawing."The crystals inside distort the spell of activation.Magnetic stone would serve better, perhaps absorb the energy of the life-spell.Yes, we shall try that.Yes."Matteo spun on his heel and stalked out, his own task still untended.He could not stay in the queen's presence another moment without letting his anger flow in a treasonous torrent.His oath to the queen still stood, but his sympathy for the woman was sorely shaken.How could anyone, however troubled, treat the results of her deeds with such blithe disregard?He found the queen's steward standing at the doorway to the workroom, staring with bulging eyes at the mess."See to this," Matteo snapped."I am leaving the city with tomorrow's dawn.The queen did not withhold her permission.I take that as assent."The steward simply nodded, too overwhelmed by this disaster to pay much heed to the angry jordain.Matteo brushed past him and stormed into the king's council hall, shaking off the restraining hands of the heralds at the door.He strode directly to the throne and dropped to one knee before the king.He did not, however, lower his challenging and furious gaze.Zalathorm raised a hand to warn off the guards, then directed a silent command at his seneschal.The man promptly began to herd courtiers from the room.The king and the counselor locked stares until the doors firmly shut behind the last man."Well?" Zalathorm inquired.The single word echoed ominously through the empty hall.Matteo took a steadying breath."Not long ago, you asked me if my ultimate loyalty is to Halruaa or to my patron.I had hoped that this dilemma would never arise.I deeply regret to inform you that one of Queen Beatrix's clockwork creatures has killed a craftswoman.""That's impossible," the king said flatly."I was there.I saw it happen."Zalathorm's hands gripped the arms of his throne until the knuckles turned white."You would contradict your king?""My king was not there.I was."The diviner nodded somberly."Very well, jordain.Rise and tell me what you saw."Matteo described the spiked warrior, and the other dangerous beasts that Beatrix had constructed.Zalathorm listened without comment until the jordain was finished.Abruptly he rose from his throne and strode toward the queen's palace.They walked in silence down the long corridor that led to the queen's workshop.Matteo entered, and then stopped short.The room was almost empty.A few metal constructs remained, but only the more whimsical and least frightening creations.There was no sign of the spiked warrior or the enormous winged beast whose fall had crushed it.The dead woman and the wounded halfling were gone.A few artisans looked up from their tasks and dipped into surprised bows when they noted the king was among them, but Matteo did not recognize any of them."They were here," Matteo whispered."I swear it, on my life and honor."Zalathorm took his arm and led him from the room."I do not doubt you," he said quietly, "but I wanted you to see with your own eyes that your most dire fears were ungrounded.What I am about to tell you must remain in strictest confidence."Matteo nodded his assent."There is a protective shield around the heart of Halruaa.A very old, very powerful ward."The jordain's brow furrowed."A spell?""Not precisely," the king said carefully."It is a powerful and mysterious force.I cannot explain it any better than that.When there is a threat against the heart of Halruaa, this power ensures that either the threat or those threatened are removed to a place of safety."Matteo recalled the men in the icehouse melting away into magical haze."What is the heart of Halruaa?"Zalathorm was silent for a moment."Removing a malfunctioning machine from the palace is the sort of manifestation I have come to expect.You need have no fear for your patron's safety.""What about the safety of those around her?"The king sighed."Very well, I will admit that the queen's clockwork toys have grown too numerous and dangerous.I will see that this building frenzy is curtailed and have priests heal the wounded and restore the slain woman to her life and her loved ones.Will that content you?"Matteo considered pressing for an answer to the "heart of Halruaa" question and decided to leave this for another time."Almost, Your Majesty," he said."Now that I have your assurances that the queen is safe, I request permission to leave Halarahh for an indeterminate period of time.I will need horses and supplies for my journey.I have tried for some time to bring this request to the queen and ask that she retain the jordain Iago, currently serving Procopio Septus.He will accompany me on my journey.""Is that all?" the king inquired in a dry tone."Not quite.There is a jordain yet at the college-Themo, a fifth-form student.The queen has need of his service, as well.We will ride north and meet him at the travelers' rest on the road out of Orphamphal, but he must leave today, though he has not yet completed his training."Zalathorm studied Matteo's face, then nodded slowly."I cannot read your mind, jordain, but there is much urgency in your eyes and voice.Coming to me was not an easy thing, but you held service to Halruaa above all else.For this, all will be done as you have asked."Matteo bowed."Thank you, Your Majesty.""Don't thank me," the king said with a grim smile."Don't the jordaini have a proverb claiming that virtue never goes unpunished?""I have never heard that proverb, but most seem to be of jordaini origin.""Blame it on the jordaini, in other words?""Perhaps, sire," said Matteo dryly, "that is our true function."To his surprise, the king chuckled and clapped him on the back."Mystra speed you, lad.I look forward to speaking with you again, when your business in the north is completed."Matteo bowed again, and watched as Zalathorm strode down the hall that separated the king's palace from the queen's [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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