The Magehound

The wizard braced himself against the rail for the coming impact and glared at his young counselor. "Consider yourself discharged, jordain."

"Now!"

The helmsman gave the wheel a violent twist, and the Starsnake nosed about into the turning path of the rapidly approaching skyship.

Just then the full impact of the expected wind seized them. The ship hurtled forward, leaping through the sky like a breaching dolphin. There was a soft hiss as the wooden rails of the two ships kissed gently in passing.

The sudden squall died as quickly as it came, and the Starsnake slowed to a more sedate pace. Procopio turned an incredulous gaze upon his young counselor.

"What was that?"

Matteo permitted himself a smile. "About three and thirty knots, I daresay."

"Four and thirty," the helmsman corrected in an awed tone.

The wizard waved this victory aside. "But the wind… how did you know it was going to pick up just then?"

Matteo pointed to a long, low building that lay below on the shores of that lake. "That is the city icehouse. See the large blocks being loaded onto those wagons?"

"What of it?"

"When water is magically changed to ice, much heat is given off. Some of that energy is channeled into magical power, but much of it is wasted. It rises swiftly, creating a strong updraft."

"Heat from ice," the wizard muttered. "Never would I have thought of it quite that way."

"The effect upon the winds does not stop there. The chill given off by such large quantities of ice creates a strong pull for the warmer air, which in turn creates a strong circular wind. That is what caught us and brought us forward in a sudden surge. Had we not turned precisely when we did, we would not have caught the full power of the wind and would have collided despite Lord Basel's evasion."

The wizard regarded him with interest, the near miss apparently forgotten. "Heat from ice. What battle applications might that have?"

Matteo thought this over. "The ice works with the winds to create a small storm. If the clouds from this storm are low, a starship could rise above and seed them. A sprinkling of fine sand would be enough to engender a strong hailstorm. With or without magical amplification, such a storm could provide a diversion, at the very least, and quite possibly a devastating attack."

"Ice below draws ice from above. Under certain circumstances, that might prove useful. Ah, we hear at last from the intrepid Avariel," Procopio said snidely as he turned to the softly humming globe.

Basel Indoulur's face appeared, ashen but smiling. "Well done, my friend! Half my crew are wishing for a clean pair of breeches and the feel of solid land beneath their feet You've earned your two thousand skie. Or should I say, your new jordain has earned them for you," he added slyly.

A velvet bag appeared from the empty air and fell at Matteo's feet with a weighty chink.

"What say, lad?" continued Basel. "I could use an adviser with your nerve. Mine cluck and flap about like a passel of brooding hens."

Matteo noted the wary expression on Procopio's face. The wizard had discharged him, he was free to take any employment offered him. But Matteo sensed that yielding anything, much less the services of a valuable counselor, would mean a loss of face to the wizard.

"I am honored by your words, Lord Basel, but I have just recently entered the employ of your friend Procopio. I have no wish to leave."

It might not be the whole truth, but judging from the relief in the diviner's eyes, it was the right answer.

"Nor would I willingly let him go, Basel, and shame to you for trying to steal him out from under me!"

The conjurer shrugged. "Ah, well. A man must have his sport. We will meet soon, I trust."

Basel's image faded from the globe. "Too soon, most likely," the diviner grumbled.

When he turned back to Matteo, he was smiling. "That was well done all around. You displayed knowledge, judgment, confidence, and, not least important, loyalty. I am well pleased," he said in a patronizing tone.

Matteo inclined his head in a bow, less out of courtesy than to hide the flash of anger that he couldn't fully suppress. He had hoped to prove himself, but through true service and not in foolish games.

"Thank you, Lord Procopio, but I had thought that you found me unsuitably arrogant."

The wizard tossed back his head and laughed. "That's no failing as long as it is justified. Arrogance is only intolerable in the inept."

"I shall keep that in mind," Matteo said dryly.

They spoke of other things, and the skyship came to port without further incident Matteo suspected, however, that his time of testing had just begun.