Cormyr_ a novel - Ed Greenwood [32]
The priest of Malar spat. "Bah! I deal in hunting and slaying, not nursemaiding the sick! See to your own duty, court wizard!"
Vangerdahast did his best not to smile grimly. This is what he'd expected and been waiting for. Indeed, such anticipated response by the huntmaster was the sole reason Vangerdahast had invited him in the first place.
The Royal Magician made a far more grand gesture than he needed to and looked straight at the huntmaster as-with a flash and sparkle of light motes and drifting smoke-the staff of the High Wizard of Cormyr appeared in his hand. He raised it as high as his arm would stretch and willed it to hum and crackle with power. As it burst into life, glowing impressively above their heads, he said regretfully, "I regret having to inconvenience you in any way, holy lords, but it is imperative that you aid Cormyr in this problem without delay."
"And if we do not?" Surprisingly, the cool question came from the loremaster of Deneir.
Vangerdahast silently revised his kindly opinion of the runelord and said sternly, "As Regent Royal of Cormyr, I expect your cooperation in this-or your heads." He caused his upraised staff to wink slightly but meaningfully.
"'Regent Royal'?" Huntmaster Buruin's voice was loud with derision. "You think this nonsense title gives you any authority over me?"
"Good and holy lord, it does-and yet, respected servant of Malar, it is authority I should not need."
"Oh? How so?"
The Royal Magician smiled a crooked wolflike smile. "Hearken to the decree of Garmos Saernclaws, one of the most respected servants of the lord of beasts-a holy decree that still applies to all priests of Malar, as it has for nigh a thousand years: 'The Hunt must be clean. If disease or affliction is visited on hunters by a beast, clergy of Malar must do all they can to root out and exterminate the taint, that bloodlines and beasts in the wild remain always strong.'"
The huntmaster gaped at him in pale-faced astonishment. He hadn't expected a layman, even a wizard, to know the gospel of Saernclaws. They both knew Garmos had said just that, and Agrathar Buruin was bound by it.
The Royal Magician dropped his eyes from the stunned gaze of the Malarite and looked around at the faces of the other priests. There was no more fight in any of them, it remained only to gesture toward the door and add gently, "Lord Alaphondar and Palace Mage Halansalim will accompany you to the chambers of the princess and be your escort therein and when you examine and bring out Bleth."
The priests tumbled out of the room like adventurers fleeing a dragon, the sage and the war wizard in the lead. Vangerdahast imagined the turmoil that would result when the gaggle of holy men arrived at Tanalasta's quarters and dragged off her suitor for laborious tests, examinations, and divinations. The Royal Magician labored to keep a broadening inner smile from spreading across his face.
Instead, he merely made the gesture that caused his staff of state to disappear, then turned away, to leave the Chamber of Crossed Dogs by another, smaller door, passing the gigantic wall carving of leaping hounds that had given the room its curious name.
The door opened onto a small, dark passage that gave onto a step halfway up Halantaver's Stair. Ascending, he passed through the echoing stateliness of Endevanor's Hall into the Salon of Six Scepters, nodding to the belarjacks who sprang to open doors before him.