The Floodgate - Elaine Cunningham [77]
Kiva had already been declared traitor, but apparently Procopio had not deemed that sufficient. She had been excommunicated by the church of Azuth.
Matteo repeated one of the oaths he'd recently heard Tzigone employ.
The scribe looked up sharply. "Problems?"
"Halruaa is full of them, it would seem," Matteo said grimly. "With your permission, I would like to bring a particularly troublesome one directly to Lord Procopio's attention."
Shiphor took the page Matteo handed him and scanned it. His grasp of politics was far better than his employer credited, and he caught the implication at once. "The lord mayor is going to be highly displeased with this news and, no doubt, with the person who brings it." He handed it back with a wry smile. "I won't fight you for the privilege, but perhaps it would be best if Lord Procopio learned this news along with the rest. There is no shortage of ill tidings with which to pad it."
"Why pad it?" Matteo demanded. "Procopio has earned a hit or two."
The scribe sat back and regarded the angry jordain. "You'll get no argument from this quarter. Go with my blessing-though you'd be better off with Mystra's."
Matteo was already gone, too furious to consider either the warning or the possible consequences.
This writ of excommunication meant that contact with Kiva was proscribed.
Any questions asked about her would be viewed with an extremely jaundiced eye. Matteo could think of no more effective way to squelch inquiries into the magehound's whereabouts.
He brushed past the guard at Procopio's door and burst into the room. The wizard waved away the guard.
"Your troubles must be great, jordain, to urge you into such imprudent behavior," he observed with measured calm.
"What have you done about Kiva?" demanded Matteo.
"Kiva?" Procopio echoed blandly.
Matteo took a steadying breath. "We are neither of us fools, but treating with me in such fashion casts shadows of doubt upon us both."
Procopio acknowledged Matteo's words with a curt nod, motioning Matteo to a chair. The jordain shook his head and remained standing-yet another lapse of protocol.
"I can see this matter is of some importance to you," began the wizard.
"Kiva," Matteo cut in pointedly, for he knew well the wizard's skill at wandering from the matter at hand.
Procopio smiled faintly. "To the point, then. What have I done about Kiva? In a word, nothing."
He held up a hand to cut off Matteo's indignant response.
"I will admit that my negligence is pure selfishness. Surely you realize that as Zephyr's patron, I was tainted by the elf's treachery."
Matteo nodded.
"There has been talk of need for a new lord mayor," Procopio went on. He gestured around the fine study and the wide window that overlooked the king's city. "As you see, I have much to lose. But when I become more concerned with my own success than with the good of Halruaa, perhaps it is time I stepped down."
This disarmed Matteo. Never had he see the arrogant wizard so humble. It occurred to Matteo that Procopio was merely taking another sidetrack. The manipulation was insulting, but he took the wizard's lead to see where it went.
"That would be the city's loss, my lord."
Procopio's answering smile was faint and self-mocking. "You no longer serve me, Matteo. You no longer need trouble yourself to find soft words."
"When did I ever do so?"
The wizard blinked, then burst out laughing. "Well said! You were ever quick to tell me when I was wrong. Perhaps, then, I should trust in your judgment when you tell me I am not."
"I would not go quite that far, my lord," Matteo said coolly. "Forgive me for speaking so bluntly, but I have neither time nor patience for games. Did you persuade the church of Azuth to declare Kiva excommunicate?"
The color vanished from the wizard's face, leaving it slack and gray. This was answer enough for