a hint of strength in the muscle, the marks on her left by childbirth, and he found himself astonished by his ability to make love to Karli.
As Sylvia put on her robe, he said, ‘What’s gotten into you?’
‘You have time to spend with Helen Jacoby, but you spend days away from me.’
Roo said, ‘You can’t possibly be jealous of Helen?’
‘Why not?’ She turned, an accusatory expression on her face as he sat up in her bed. ‘You spend time with her. She’s not unattractive in a raw-boned peasant-girl fashion. You’ve mentioned you respect her wit, far too many times for my liking.’
Roo got out of bed, and said, ‘I killed her husband, Sylvia. I owe her some comfort. But I have never touched her.’
‘You’d like touching her, I wager,’ said Sylvia.
Roo tried to put his arms around her, but she brushed him aside and moved away. ‘Sylvia, you’re being unfair.’
‘I’m being unfair?’ she said, turning and allowing her robe to fall open.
Roo found himself beginning to become aroused at the sight of her.
‘You’re the man with the wife, children, and reputation. I was one of the most eligible daughters in the Kingdom until I met you.’ Pouting, she moved toward him, letting her breasts rub against his bare chest as she said, ‘I’m the mistress. I’m the woman of no status. You can leave whenever you want.’ Her hand began tracing small circles on his stomach.
Roo’s breath came hard as he said, ‘I would never leave you, Sylvia.’
Reaching down, she stroked him and said, ‘I know.’
He pulled off her robe and carried her so quickly to the bed he almost tossed her onto the covers. Quickly taking her, he pleaded his undying love while Sylvia looked at the canopy overhead, fighting off a yawn. A self-satisfied smile then formed on her lips that had nothing to do with physical pleasure, and everything to do with power. Roo was on his way to being the most important merchant in the history of the Kingdom, and he was clearly under her power. She listened to Roo breathe more rapidly as his passion mounted and she detached herself from the experience. The novelty of his lovemaking had long since worn off, and she preferred the talents of his cousin, Duncan, who was far more attractive, and whose appetite for inventive love play matched her own.
She knew Roo would be appalled to discover that she and Duncan often shared this bed, and occasionally invited one of the servants to participate as well. She knew that Duncan would be malleable as long as he had access to fine clothing, good food, rare wine, pretty women, and the trappings of prosperity. He would make a fine lover after she wed Roo, and a completely socially acceptable replacement for him one day. As Roo neared the pinnacle of his ardor, Sylvia absently wondered how long she need wait to wed the repellent little man after she arranged the murder of his fat wife. At the thought of taking control of both her father’s financial empire and Roo’s, Sylvia found her own passion mounting at last, and as Roo could control himself no longer, Sylvia joined him in a paroxysm of release, imagining herself as the most powerful woman in Kingdom history.
Erik knocked on the door and William looked up. ‘Yes, Sergeant Major?’
‘If you have a minute, sir?’ he asked.
William waved him to a chair and Erik sat. ‘What is it?’
‘Nothing to do with training,’ said Erik. ‘That’s going well. It’s a personal matter.’
William sat back. His expression was neutral. While serving together, each man had occasionally let the other glimpse some facet of his personal life, but neither had intentionally opened a conversation on a personal subject. ‘I’m listening,’ said the Knight-Marshal of Krondor.
‘I know this girl, and, well, if you don’t mind, I just need to talk about being a soldier and getting married.’
William said nothing for a moment, then he nodded. ‘It’s a difficult choice. Some handle family matters well. Others don’t.’ He paused. ‘The man who held this office before me, Gardan, was once a sergeant like yourself. He served Lord Borric, Duke of Crydee, when my father was a child there. He came to Krondor with Prince Arutha and rose to this office. All the while he was married.’
‘How did he do with it?’
‘Well, all things considered,’ said William. ‘He had some children, one of whom became a soldier like him. He died in the sacking of the Far Coast.’
Remembering what his stepfather, Nathan, had told him of those days, Erik knew that many had died during those raids. ‘Gardan was already dead by then. Some of the other children survived, I believe.’
William rose and closed the door behind Erik, and came to sit on the edge of his desk. Erik noticed that apart from the formal tabard of his office, the Knight-Marshal elected to wear a common soldier’s uniform, without markings of rank. ‘Look, with what’s coming …’ William began. He fought for words, then said, ‘Is any sort of relationship wise?’
‘Wise or not, I have it,’ said Erik. ‘I’ve never felt this way before about a girl.’
William smiled, and for a moment Erik saw years drop from the man. ‘I remember.’
‘If you don’t mind my asking, have you ever been married, sir?’
‘No,’ said William, and there was a hint of regret in his voice. ‘My life never seemed to have room for a family.’
He moved to his own chair and sat. ‘Truth to tell, my family hasn’t had much room for me.’
‘Your father?’ asked Erik.
William nodded. ‘Time was we didn’t speak to each other from anger. We’ve since gotten over that. But it’s hard. If you’d ever met my father, you’d think he was my son. He looks but ten years older than you.’ William sighed. ‘The ironic thing, it turns out, was that becoming a soldier, as I did, had been his own boyhood dream. He insisted I study magic.’
William smiled. ‘Can you imagine growing up somewhere where everyone practices magic, or is married to someone who does, or is the son or daughter of someone who does?’
Erik shook his head. ‘It must run in your family, though. I met your sister.’
William smiled ruefully. ‘Another irony. Gamina’s adopted into our family. And she’s far more adept at things magical than I.
‘I have one pitiful talent. I can speak with animals. They tend toward short, uninteresting conversations. Except Fantus, of course.’
At mention of the firedrake, Erik said, ‘I haven’t seen him around the palace lately.’
‘He comes and goes as it pleases him. And if I ask him where he’s been, he pointedly ignores me.’
Erik said, ‘I still don’t feel any closer to a decision than I did before.’
William said, ‘I know that feeling, too. There was a young magician from Stardock, a girl from the desert stock of the Jal-Pur, who came to study with my father when I was a boy. She was two years older
