"William Forstchen - Magic The Gathering - Arena" - читать интересную книгу автора (Forstchen William R)

He looked back around the room.

тАЬWhich corner has the fewest fleas and lice?тАЭ
* * *


Varnel Buckara, Master of the House of Fentesk, set down his inlaid cup of gold and looked over coldly
at his host.

тАЬI really donтАЩt like the implication of what youтАЩve just said.тАЭ

тАЬIt was your man who started the incident by dueling illegally, first with Webin of Kestha. Distasteful, my
good man, distasteful for two fighters to brawl in the gutter for the amusement of the mob.тАЭ

тАЬMy fighters have high spirits; otherwise, they wouldnтАЩt be fighters. You know that doesnтАЩt bother you in
and of itself. ItтАЩs the fact that they did it as a public display and your agents could not control the betting
that bothers you.тАЭ

Grand Master Zarel Ewine laughed, his bulging stomach shaking like jelly. He set his own goblet back
down, motioning for the servant to refill it and that of his guest and then to leave.

тАЬAs if I need to be concerned about a bit of silver,тАЭ Zarel finally replied, leaning forward and fixing Varnel
with his gaze. тАЬI got past such concerns a long time ago.тАЭ

Varnel said nothing, looking around at the room, the imported tapestries from Kish, the fine wood
carvings of the legendary La, the gems that were ringed to ZarelтАЩs beefy hands.

тАЬI serve the Walker in administering the Western Lands, and with it the games,тАЭ Zarel continued. тАЬThat is
honor enough.тАЭ

Varnel wanted to burst out laughing with the hypocrisy of that line. But fear stayed him, not of Zarel but
of what might be standing behind him now, invisible in the shadows, lurking, waiting.

He looked around anxiously and then realized that Zarel had undoubtedly sensed the moment of fear.

тАЬNo, he is not here. Not until the last day of Festival will he come for the winner and for the yearly
report.тАЭ

тАЬAnd will this incident be part of the report?тАЭ Varnel asked, finally getting to the heart of the matter.

тАЬAh, old friend, youтАЩve been generous in the past. There is no need tonight for the distasteful ritual of a
bribe to have this forgotten. Consider it a gift. If I tried to stop every fight outside the arena, I would
have gone mad long ago. During the rest of the year, what you and the other House Masters do in your
own territories is your concern, not mine. During the rest of the year you can kill each other in your own
lands as you please, and hire out to whomever you wish. But now you and the other three Houses are
gathered in my city for the testing of skills and that is indeed my concern. I can expect an occasional
wager fight, but to the death in front of the mobs is for the arena only. Otherwise, thereтАЩd be chaos, and
that I will not tolerate. I fully expect you and the other Houses to go around brawling, but please do it
inside your own compounds. ItтАЩs tradition. But public displays are outтАФthat is for the ArenaтАФand if the