Please read chapters 1 – 21 first if you have not done so. This is not a stand-alone story. Link to other chapters in comments.
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The sun shone sharp through the bare branches of the trees as Jarl stepped out of the Matrimancy building. He put his hand on the rough stones of the railing and took a deep breath.
“By the dead, I am tired.”
Sigrid grunted. Jarl looked sideways at his bodyguard. Then up at the glowing red sphere that encapsulated the College. It was brighter today than usual. He mostly forgot about it nowadays. He had asked Master Cerdic about once, but the old man had just stared at him, then given him the day off. He hadn’t asked since. But it was brighter today, wasn’t it?
“For one night I would just want to lay in Irese’s embrace once more. How long has it been since we’ve been to see her? A month? Two?”
Sigrid just shrugged. Jarl sighed. The woman seemed even more upset with him lately than usual. And she had not let him touch her a single time since that time with Mirja. By the seventh, that memory still made him hard.