The Floodgate

She carefully opened the magical pathway. A face appeared in the globe-a misty face, gray as a Crinti's and without form or feature. The wizard could have been old or young, male or female, elf or orc. But Kiva had spent long years collecting scrying devices and researching their properties. She cast a counterspell and watched as the mist peeled back to discern the true form of her "visitor." Reflected in the glove was the face of a human male with sharp black eyes and a scimitar nose.

Her throat tightened with dread as she recognized Procopio Septus, the wizard who had employed Zephyr. If the man knew enough to bring him here, she had better take the full measure of his knowledge.

She greeted him by name.

The wizard blinked, momentarily nonplused. He promptly returned the courtesy, even giving Kiva her lost title of inquisatrix, and then started in with the usual string of meaningless formalities that Halruaans thought necessary to every occasion.

Kiva sharply cuffed the globe, startling the wizard into silence. "State your purpose."

"Perhaps I simply wish to gloat," Procopio's image suggested "You took Zephyr from me, but I managed to recover another misplaced jordain. You recall Iago, my master of horse? He is quite the hero after the battle of Akhlaur's Swamp. His fame adds luster to my household. So perhaps I also wish to thank you."

Perhaps, Kiva noted grimly, the wizard was a flatulent bag of wind. She responded with an i

"Very able," Procopio agreed. "He is an excellent tracker and possesses a fine memory. The maps he has made of his travels are quite remarkable. He was riding the Nath when the Crinti raiders took him. Terrible experience, I would imagine. I hear that few sounds can curdle the blood like a Crinti battle yell." He tipped his head to one side, as if he were listening to the shouts and curses coming from the nearby stream.

Not a bag of wind, Kiva realized, but a dangerous man. Nevertheless, she would not be toyed with in such fashion. "What do you want?" she demanded bluntly.

The wizard smiled. "Tell me, Inquisatrix, what news of the far northlands?"

"What makes you think I would know?"

Procopio's white brows rose. "I am willing to share information, even if you are not. I recently had a visit from Matteo. He is looking for you."

"How frightening," Kiva observed blandly. "Perhaps later today, I'll faint."

"He is a persistent young man," Procopio continued as if he hadn't heard her. "He is trying to persuade Queen Beatrix to request Iago's hire. Since Zalathorm's moon-mad queen has no more use for another jordain than a cat has for a second tail, we can assume that Matteo has a task in mind for my jordain-and for his maps and memories."

"You seem to have trouble keeping your counselors," Kiva observed coolly, giving away nothing of the unease building within.

"Indeed. You have been raiding my henhouse quite regularly, Kiva. I would like to know why."

"I am a wizard," she reminded him. "I would not be the first wizard to find a use for magic-resistant servants."

"If you're thinking to use Matteo, perhaps you should reconsider. I never found him a particularly docile tool."

"Neither is his father, but I find him useful all the same."

A silence fell as Procopio considered this truth disguised as falsehood. The jordaini were the offspring of wizards, and no Halruaan would believe that any of their wizards could be subject to an elf woman. "On whose behalf do you act?" asked Procopio, predictably enough.

Kiva laughed scornfully. "No wizard holds my leash. I command myself."

To her surprise, relief flickered in Procopio's eyes-not the patronizing incredulity that she anticipated.

"How much can you expect to gain from any wizard weak enough to yield to your control? A partnership between near equals, however, could be of great benefit to both."

"What could you possibly give me?" Her tone was scornful but not so scathing that it couldn't be interpreted as genuine inquiry.

Procopio caught the nuance. "A spell that would enable you to scry the lands beyond the eastern outposts."

"Such riches," she scoffed. "I have such spells. What wizard does not?"

"Use them, and tell me what you see."

After a moment's hesitation, she did as Procopio suggested. Instantly the scene in the globe changed, showing in detailed miniature the sweeping mountains to the east and the livid sunset colors gathering over the vast and empty plains of Dambrath.

Kiva dismissed the image with an impatient flick of her fingers and glared into Procopio's smug face. "I see nothing."

"Which is what every other wizard in Halruaa sees. Look deeper, and not with magic. We will speak again."

The wizard's visage disappeared from the globe. Puzzled, Kiva called over Shanair and asked what the Crinti knew about Halruaa's eastern frontier.

"Warriors come," she said with satisfaction. "Mulhorandi foot soldiers, cavalry, and wizards, marching toward Halruaa. A good army, even if they are males."

Kiva hissed with rage. This she had not expected! Not that she was averse to bringing another weapon against Halruaa, but only if it was part of a coordinated attack!

"These humans march over Dambrath lands. Why have your people not stopped them?"

Shanair looked astonished. "We believed it part of your invasion. If it were not, would we let their feet soil our land?" Suddenly she spat and then swore. "By the legs of Lolth! We kept our weapons dry for no reason?"

"They will soon be wet with Halruaan blood," Kiva assured her.

Too soon, the elf woman added grimly. The battle was approaching, spurred by events she did not control. She saw little choice but to work with Procopio Septus. Later, he would pay for forcing her to act before a time of her choosing. A pivotal part of her plan was not yet in place. Before the battle could begin, she had to return to Akhlaur. Not just to the swamp but to Akhlaur himself.

Chapter Fourteen

Tzigone took a slow sip of the wine Matteo had chosen. It was marvelous-the best she had ever tasted, bought, or stolen. Who would have thought the man had taste?

In fact, everything about this lovely i

More importantly, it was the first time Matteo had actually sought her out. Usually their meetings were irregular and entirely at her instigation-more of a friendly ambush, really, than a meeting. Her pleasure at this invitation was so great that it could not be marred by the sidelong glances and whispered gossip their presence elicited. In well-ma

For once, Matteo did not seem concerned with such niceties. As he spoke his mind, her bright mood dimmed, but she heard him out without interrupting, cursing, or dumping the kumquat trifle on his head-though she dearly wished to do all of these things.

"I don't know about this," Tzigone said dubiously when at last he paused for breath.

Matteo leaned forward. "Dhamari Exchelsor made a generous offer, one that could change your life-one that could save your life. You should at least consider it."

The girl shrugged. "I'll think about it. Did you get any information for yourself?"

For a moment he looked startled. "Oh. You mean information about Kiva."