Always leave your opponent a line of retreat—unless you want a fight to the death.
Wiz realized Bal-Simba was watching him intently.
“Would it do any good if I said Ebrion was involved?” he said at last. “I mean in the long run?”
The giant black wizard considered. “In the long run? No, not really.”
“Then let’s say he died trying to save me and leave it at that.”
“Sparrow, you never cease to amaze me,” Bal-Simba rumbled. “You grow constantly in wisdom.”
Wiz snorted. “Too schoon ve get old und too late schmart.” Then he sobered. “I just hope it really isn’t too late. I made a royal mess of things this time.”
“Things are in an, ah, ‘interesting’ state,” Bal-Simba agreed. “But certainly not beyond hope.”
Twenty-Two : Mending Fences
Good client relations are the key to a successful project.
—consultants’ saying
The Mighty in the Capital gathered in the chantry the next morning in no very good mood. They knew that Wiz had been kidnapped by magic and they knew Ebrion was dead. Some of them, guiltily remembering old conversations and half-dropped hints, suspected very strongly the two events were not unconnected. Most of them didn’t know enough to suspect, but they had an uneasy feeling that someone’s head was on the block.
As the blue-robed men and women took their seats in the carved throne-like chairs around the room they murmured and muttered among themselves. Bal-Simba had commanded this meeting, but obviously the Sparrow was the one who would do the talking.
Wiz stood up as soon as Bal-Simba called them to order.
“This isn’t easy for me to say,” Wiz looked out over the assembled group. “But you were right and I was wrong. I am sorry. No matter how my magic compiler turns out, humans are still going to need your wisdom and your sense of restraint. I was so wrapped up in the technical details I couldn’t see that.
“My blindness has had very serious consequences. Now I can only hope to undo the damage I have done.”
He took a deep breath and went on. “I can’t change the past, none of us can. But we can put it aside and go on from there. I’m asking you to work with me, both with the problems we have right now and in the long run.
“I hope that we can work together in spite of what happened in the past. We need each other.” He paused. “At least, I need you. Thank you for listening.” With that he stepped away from the podium to a smattering of applause.
“What of Ebrion?” someone called from the back of the room. Suddenly there was dead silence. The Mighty froze where they were and everyone looked at Wiz.
Wiz licked his lips. “I am sorry to say Ebrion is dead. He was a good man and he always acted in the way he believed was right. He was killed trying to protect me.”
There was an almost audible sigh from the assembled wizards.
Several of the Mighty crowded around afterwards. The first to reach him was Malus. “Well, my boy,” Malus said. “Well, well.” Then the fat little wizard hugged Wiz to him.
“The fault was hardly yours alone, Lord,” Juvian said, stepping up to him. “We have had our blindnesses.” Several of the others pressed forward to offer their support as well, and for several minutes Wiz, Moira and the wizards stood making strained small talk.
“If you will excuse me, My Lords,” Wiz said at last, “I have to meet with the programming team this afternoon and I want to get something to eat before then.”
Malus followed them out. “I wanted you to see something,” he said once they were alone in the corridor. “Your friend Karl has been teaching us while you were gone.” He shook his head. “It is hard, very hard, this new magic of yours, but I have been practicing and, well . . . greeting exe.”
Suddenly, written between them in glowing green letters six inches high was:
HELLO WORLD
“It is my first spell with the new magic,” Malus said shyly. “How do you like it?”
Wiz grinned, Moira hugged the tubby little wizard and kissed him on the cheek.