Salamander by David D. Friedman

Author:David D. Friedman [Friedman, David D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Publisher: ChuHartley
Published: 2011-03-20T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

"You asked for an audience. What can one of my uncle's mages want from me?"

The room was bare of ornament save for a richly woven rug whose blue and silver echoed the silk robes of its owner. Fieras paused a moment to be sure he had his carefully rehearsed speech clearly in mind. "I am no longer in His Highness's service, my lord. For causes that are closely linked to my reasons for coming to you."

Lord Iolen said nothing, waited.

"I discovered His Highness engaged in a project about which I had serious suspicions. When I raised them, he arranged to have me accused of misuse of magic, convicted me, and on that excuse released me from his service."

"It must have been a serious matter to lead to such consequences. Tell me about this project."

Fieras paused a moment, did his best to look undecided. "His Highness is a powerful man, and I will be telling things he does not wish known. Can your lordship promise me your protection?"

"I am not without resources. If what you tell me can be used against my uncle, I will protect you so far as I am able. If I cannot, I will at least do my best to get you safely out of the kingdom."

"I rely upon it, my Lord."

Fieras paused. "What does your Lordship know of the mage's college at Southdale and of a mage there named Coelus?"

"It has the patronage of His Highness and His Majesty. Some of its graduates are in my service, more in my uncle's. I am familiar with none of the mages who teach there. What more should I know?"

Fieras spoke carefully. "Magister Coelus is, at least in His Highness's view, talented not so much in the use of magery as in its invention. He has created spells, some in common use. He is now creating a spell so powerful that His Highness, on learning of it, dropped everything he was doing and set off for Southdale. I accompanied him. He has made arrangements with all who knew of the spell intended to prevent anyone else from learning of it."

"Secrecy has been so high that its nature has been kept even from those in his service. His excuse was that a group of mages wielding the spell would constitute a threat to His Majesty; he feared enemies outside the kingdom, if they learned of it, might work out the necessary schema for themselves. It is most disturbing that His Highness wishes to restrict knowledge of so potent a weapon to himself and a handful of mages under his control, especially since he is himself both a mage and heir presumptive."

Fieras fell silent. Iolen thought a moment before speaking: “I understand your concern. What do you propose that I do?”

“Your Lordship has contacts within the military. If some high ranking officer friendly to your Lordship was willing to detach a suitable force, on the understanding that the secret you searched for would be of great use in war … .

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