Shadow of a Dark Queen by Raymond E. Feist Page B

town, some of the town girls would be down at the fountain. But Rosalyn was certainly not likely to be one of them.
    â€œWhat happened?”
    â€œI don’t know,” answered Roo. “Gwen can tell you.”
    Erik ran through the streets until he came to the fountain, where a group of three young off-duty soldiers were attempting to impress the local girls with tales of their heroics. But the expression on Gwen’s face as he saw it in the lantern light showed that all thoughts of harmless flirtation were gone. She looked very worried.
    â€œWhat is it?” demanded Erik.
    â€œRosalyn came here, looking for you.”
    â€œI was in the loft,” said Erik.
    Gwen said, “She said she called for you there, but you didn’t answer.”
    Erik cursed his sound sleep and said, “Where is she now?”
    Roo said, “They say she went off with Stefan.”
    â€œWhat?” Erik turned at his half brother’s name and gripped Gwen by the arm. “Tell me what happened.”
    Gwen motioned for Erik to follow her, out of hearing of the soldiers. “She was going back to the inn when the Baron’s sons came. Stefan started saying sweet things to her, but there was somethingabout his manner she didn’t like. She tried to leave, but didn’t know how to say no to someone of his rank, and when he took her by the arm, she went along. But he didn’t lead her back to the inn; they went off toward the old orchard.” She pointed off in the general direction. “He was more dragging her along than escorting her, Erik.”
    Erik had taken one step after them when Gwen held his arm. “Erik, I’ve been with Stefan. The last time he was here I went to his rooms at the Peacock . . .” Her voice lowered as if she was ashamed to speak. “He left marks on me, Erik. He likes to hit while he’s having you, and when I cried, it made him laugh.”
    Roo had been standing beside Erik. As Erik turned away toward the apple grove, Roo saw an expression on Erik’s face that caused him to hesitate an instant. While Erik moved away with purposeful steps, Roo grabbed Gwen by the arm. “Go to the Pintail and find Nathan. Tell him what happened and to come to the orchard!”
    Roo hurried over to where the three soldiers watched Erik disappear into the night. One looked at Roo with an open expression of curiosity on his face, and Roo said, “If you don’t want bloodshed, run and find Owen Greylock and tell him to come to the old orchard.”
    Roo then ran as fast as he could after the rapidly receding figure of Erik. The slender boy was one of the fastest runners in town, but Erik had already moved out of the lantern light of the square and had vanished down the street leading to the old apple orchard at the edge of town.
    Roo hurried through the streets, his footfalls slapping the stones with a sound that seemed to evokethe anger and outrage in the night. Each step sounded like a hand striking a face, and with the sound, Roo felt his blood rise. Quick to anger, slow to release a grudge, Roo knew a fight was coming and was composing himself to help his friend. He didn’t like Stefan, anyway, from what he had seen of him, but as each stride took him closer to confrontation, it was turning into a serious hatred. As he left the last buildings behind, he caught a glimpse of Erik at the far edge of his vision, before he faded into the darkness.
    Roo hurried after, but Erik was possessed with an outrage that lent his feet wings. Roo had never seen Erik run so swiftly.
    Roo crossed the low pasture and jumped the fence that brought him to the edge of the old orchard, a favored meeting place for young lovers on warm nights. Reaching the edge of the trees, cloaked in threatening darkness after the brightly lit town square and lantern-dressed streets, Roo was forced to slow to a walk. He moved between the dark boles, then suddenly was upon Erik, who