The Death of Chaos by L. E. Modesitt Jr. Page A

I glanced at the four guards, but none were more than noddingly familiar, then back to Krystal. “I told Rissa dinner for seven.”
       “Good. None of us have eaten.”
       “I thought it might be like that.” I squeezed her hand as we walked her mount to the stable. The others followed. Krystal just let me unsaddle her horse and rub him down, while she racked the saddle and poured the feed into the trough.
       Then we walked back through the twilight-a few stars had begun to twinkle in the evening sky. As we neared the house, Krystal handed me a heavy leather purse. It clanked. “Put that away.”
       “What's that for?”
       “Your traveling expenses from Kasee. Please try to make the coins last. Our treasury isn't exactly the deepest, although Kasee would never say so.”
       “I will try to return some, Commander.” I took the purse and bowed.
       Krystal hit me on the arm, hard enough for me to wince. “Sometimes. Sometimes, you are so... so...”
       “Insufferable?”
       “Yes!”
       “Have you washed up?” I asked.
       “No.”
       “Neither have I.” I did give her a hug, but it didn't last long.
       “You're right. You didn't. And you're still insufferable.”
       I turned to Rissa. “Dinner will have to wait a little longer. At least until we're more presentable.”
       “Too much washing is not good for the health.”
       “Neither is too little,” I answered.
       After I carried the purse into the bedroom and set it in the wardrobe I had made far too quickly-and wished I had taken more time and care every time I looked at it-we went to the rear washroom together.
       As I pulled off my shirt, Krystal turned to me. “What happened to your ribs?”
       “Tamra. She showed up this morning, and we sparred. She thought I ought to sharpen up.”
       “Being beaten black and blue is going to improve your skills?” Krystal laughed softly as she stripped off her vest and shirt.
       At that point I forgot about washing and opened my arms, trying not to wince. She obliged, but only for a bit.
       “You and I do need to wash up, and we have hungry troops waiting.”
       “Where's Yelena?”
       “Getting ready for tomorrow. Have you forgotten so quickly?”
       “No. I wish I could.”
       After washing quickly, I shaved, and we dried and hurried to the kitchen where, as soon as we entered, all the troopers stood and Rissa began carrying the big casseroles to the table for me to serve.
       Dinner was something called burkha, hotter even than the normal chilied foods that the Kyphrans enjoyed so much, and although I gave every trooper a huge helping, they ate it all, and didn't even break a sweat.
       I was sweating after three bites, and so was Krystal, and we kept grinning at each other.
       “Perron?” Krystal said softly. “We'll have to leave not much after dawn.”
       “Yes, Commander.” He glanced at the two of us, grinning.
       “The order-master is my consort, but, more important from your point of view, he has already saved more of the Finest than anyone in Kyphros.”
       Perron flinched at the gentle words, spoken quietly, and without edge.
       “I never did thank you,” said a woman trooper at one corner.
       I looked at her, but I couldn't say I knew her.
       “I was the one with the lieutenant, ser. In the vale of Krecia. I'm Haithen.”
       “I'm glad I could help, but I was very lucky,” I told her.
       “Luck didn't have much to do with it,” she added, directing her words at the squad leader. “He's the one who took out the white wizard with a staff... on a pony.”
       Perron seemed to acknowledge that I might have some benefit.
       “How did your sparring go with Tamra?” asked Krystal innocently, although I could see the glint in her eyes.
       “Pretty much a draw,” I mumbled with a mouthful of burkha. “I can hit her more often, but she hits harder.” I had to reach for