the bread. Redberry alone wouldn't cool the burning in my mouth and nostrils.
“You sparred with the red-the redheaded wizard?” asked Perron.
“About midday. We have on and off for several years.”
“Brave man...” About sparring with Tamra he was certainly right.
After dinner, and more superficial remarks about the heredity and dubious claim of Berfir to the Duchy of Hydlen, Krystal and I took our leave.
After we closed the door and slid the small bar in place, I kissed her.
“We do have some time, Lerris. And I prefer to be close to you without my boots on.” She sat on the edge of the bed.
That was a good idea, and I followed her example, shedding a few other accessories as well.
She stopped and gave me a long deep look, the kind where I almost fell into her eyes. “You don't have to do this, tomorrow, you know?”
I looked at the floor. What could I say? “I owe you... and Kasee...”
She pursed her lips and laid a hand on my leg for an instant. “What else happened to you today?” she asked as she eased out of her leathers.
“You know. What happened to you?” I asked, pointing to an ugly bruise.
“Tamra.”
“Darkness, she gets around.”
We both laughed.
Krystal stretched out and lay there in the light of the one lamp. Outside I could hear the faint whisper of the low evening wind. “You never did answer my question about the day.”
“Not much. I worked on the damned chairs for Hensil. I finally got more of the backs done. It's taking forever, because I don't have enough clamps. Oh... do you know a woman by the name of Antona? She was familiar with you.”
“Antona?” Krystal laughed for an instant. “She is the proprietor of the Green Isles. She supplies most of the... courtesans... for the more established and wealthy young men-and some of the handsome... escorts for widows or bored consorts.” Her voice sharpened. “How did you meet her?”
“She came here this morning and commissioned a desk.”
“A desk?”
“A very tasteful desk. Also very expensive, with a matching chair. I told her it would be fifty golds.”
“She can afford it, but... still...” Krystal whistled.
“You told me to charge what things are worth.” I looked at her sheepishly. “Now I know why she told me not to call her madame.”
“Lerris, you didn't?”
“I did. How was I to know? She was very ladylike about it, just told me to call her Antona. So I called her Lady Antona.”
“You must have made her day.”
“She wanted a desk. I make them.”
“What kind?” mused Krystal. “Something ornate and elaborate?”
“She had definite ideas and-”
“I'll bet.”
“-she wants black oak, and she wants it simple and perfect.”
“I wonder why. I'm told that's not the style of the Green Isles.”
I grinned at her. “Because things that are simple and perfect are worth a lot more.”
“I don't know that I like that implication.”
“You are perfect.”
“Oh, Lerris.” But she did open her arms, and I turned down the lamp first, marveling at how long it had taken me to see what she offered, not only each night, but season after season, and how fragile each moment was. And how soon tomorrow would come.
5.Death of Chaos
VI
Cigoerne, Afrit [Hamor]
THE SLIM BALD man in the tan uniform steps from the carriage outside the military gate to the palace of His Imperial Majesty Stesten, Emperor of Hamor, Regent of the Gates of the Oceans, and liege lord of Afrit.
“Marshal Dyrsse, ser, if you would follow me?” The junior officer inclines his head slightly.
Dyrsse nods brusquely in return, but his eyes drift downhill from the green marble palace to the smooth waters of the Swarth River, held in its banks by the levies that stretch from above the capital more than fifty kays down to
“You sparred with the red-the redheaded wizard?” asked Perron.
“About midday. We have on and off for several years.”
“Brave man...” About sparring with Tamra he was certainly right.
After dinner, and more superficial remarks about the heredity and dubious claim of Berfir to the Duchy of Hydlen, Krystal and I took our leave.
After we closed the door and slid the small bar in place, I kissed her.
“We do have some time, Lerris. And I prefer to be close to you without my boots on.” She sat on the edge of the bed.
That was a good idea, and I followed her example, shedding a few other accessories as well.
She stopped and gave me a long deep look, the kind where I almost fell into her eyes. “You don't have to do this, tomorrow, you know?”
I looked at the floor. What could I say? “I owe you... and Kasee...”
She pursed her lips and laid a hand on my leg for an instant. “What else happened to you today?” she asked as she eased out of her leathers.
“You know. What happened to you?” I asked, pointing to an ugly bruise.
“Tamra.”
“Darkness, she gets around.”
We both laughed.
Krystal stretched out and lay there in the light of the one lamp. Outside I could hear the faint whisper of the low evening wind. “You never did answer my question about the day.”
“Not much. I worked on the damned chairs for Hensil. I finally got more of the backs done. It's taking forever, because I don't have enough clamps. Oh... do you know a woman by the name of Antona? She was familiar with you.”
“Antona?” Krystal laughed for an instant. “She is the proprietor of the Green Isles. She supplies most of the... courtesans... for the more established and wealthy young men-and some of the handsome... escorts for widows or bored consorts.” Her voice sharpened. “How did you meet her?”
“She came here this morning and commissioned a desk.”
“A desk?”
“A very tasteful desk. Also very expensive, with a matching chair. I told her it would be fifty golds.”
“She can afford it, but... still...” Krystal whistled.
“You told me to charge what things are worth.” I looked at her sheepishly. “Now I know why she told me not to call her madame.”
“Lerris, you didn't?”
“I did. How was I to know? She was very ladylike about it, just told me to call her Antona. So I called her Lady Antona.”
“You must have made her day.”
“She wanted a desk. I make them.”
“What kind?” mused Krystal. “Something ornate and elaborate?”
“She had definite ideas and-”
“I'll bet.”
“-she wants black oak, and she wants it simple and perfect.”
“I wonder why. I'm told that's not the style of the Green Isles.”
I grinned at her. “Because things that are simple and perfect are worth a lot more.”
“I don't know that I like that implication.”
“You are perfect.”
“Oh, Lerris.” But she did open her arms, and I turned down the lamp first, marveling at how long it had taken me to see what she offered, not only each night, but season after season, and how fragile each moment was. And how soon tomorrow would come.
5.Death of Chaos
VI
Cigoerne, Afrit [Hamor]
THE SLIM BALD man in the tan uniform steps from the carriage outside the military gate to the palace of His Imperial Majesty Stesten, Emperor of Hamor, Regent of the Gates of the Oceans, and liege lord of Afrit.
“Marshal Dyrsse, ser, if you would follow me?” The junior officer inclines his head slightly.
Dyrsse nods brusquely in return, but his eyes drift downhill from the green marble palace to the smooth waters of the Swarth River, held in its banks by the levies that stretch from above the capital more than fifty kays down to
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