Key to Havoc by Piers Anthony

Author:Piers Anthony [Anthony, Piers]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, General
ISBN: 9781594260001
Google: RFwEfAEACAAJ
Amazon: 0972367071
Publisher: Mundania Press
Published: 2003-05-30T00:00:00+00:00

"I'm with you,” Lad said immediately.

Leader considered. “I don't like this. But the fact is, your presence in this troupe isn't just coincidental.

Word came down the chain of command from the king himself, making you the real commander of the mission. Dame, I must obey your directive. But I wish you would reconsider."

Gale had known that she governed the mission, but had said nothing, both to preserve the secret and to avoid affronting the nominal commander, Leader. Still, she preferred to have a consensus. “I must go on.

But if any member of the troupe should be lost, it would be difficult to continue. All of us are needed for the tour. That means that all of us are at risk. I'm willing to go into danger myself, but I'm not willing to require it of the rest of you. So maybe it would be better to end the tour, but let Lad and me go on alone.

That would at least enable the three of you to return safely, and organize another tour with another Dame and Lad. It is better to preserve your lives, than to put you at risk for something that is not your concern. I could order you to do this, so that there would be no question of dereliction."

"No,” Leader said firmly.

"But you are family men. It simply is not right to risk the grief of your families for this."

Leader glanced at Guard and Carto, then returned to her. “Dame, if you are committed, we are committed, regardless."

"I know that Lad is committed for his own reason, but—"

"Dame, we all have the same reason. We could not let you go on alone, even if that were feasible."

"No, I mean Lad loves me, so does not even want to let me go alone. I'm sorry to have imposed on him so, but it's a consequence of the role. You three men, in contrast—"

"There is no contrast. Dame, we all love you."

"Well, in a figurative sense, of course. But—"

"No,” Guard said. “We are all your father's age, and married. But you have simply overwhelmed us."

Gale was taken aback. “But I never sought to—you know that this is a professional relationship. How can

—?” She looked desperately at the third man, Carto.

Carto answered. “We have seen lovely women before, and we are true to our wives. We will cause you no problem, and will not speak of this elsewhere. But it is true: from the first your presence has been like that of the succubus, drawing us in even as we tried to resist. It is not merely your great beauty, but your attitude. You do not complain of hardships, you do what is required, and you are nice. You are to our minds the perfect woman. We tried to remain professional. But there is something about you that draws us in regardless. It is true that to know you is to love you."

"Yes,” Lad said avidly.

Gale was nonplused. “I had absolutely no idea. If I had realized—"

"It would have made no difference,” Leader said.

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