“Gina is missing,” Vess snapped. “Qwor saw red lights on the hillside. They have found us.”
More sentries reached the camp, shouting, and the Haeta began to emerge from their tents. Many of them were half-clothed or wearing nothing at all, but they picked up their spears regardless, strapping the quivers of spares across bare skin. Alex crawled out of her tent, with Abraham following.
Leti was nowhere in sight, and everyone was looking at Winter.
Saints and fucking martyrs. She could feel Vess’ stare on her back.
“Torches!” she shouted. “Get some light on the perimeter. Set them and then back off. They may have muskets—”
*
Leti emerged from her tent a few minutes later, still fighting her way into her furs, but it changed little. Instead of coming to Winter for orders, the Haeta looked to Leti, and Leti looked to Winter. Their little band hunkered down and braced for the onslaught of red-eyed slaves of the Beast.
It never came. Once, Winter caught sight of a pair of crimson lights, shining in the darkness, but that was all. Minutes passed and then hours. She organized shifts, kept half the Haeta ready while the others got dressed and packed their tents. By dawn they were shivering and exhausted, but there was no option except to push on.
There was no sign of Gina, the girl who’d vanished. A band of Haeta found where at least two men had caught her, but they’d carried her deeper into the forest, with no sign of whether she was alive or dead. Leti wanted to go after her, and Winter had to take her aside.
“Gina’s gone,” she said, swallowing hard. Live up to her standards. But what does that mean? “Worse than gone. She’s one of them now.”
“One of them?” Leti’s eyes widened. “The red-eyes?”
Winter nodded. “They are... a kind of demon. You know that. If they catch you and stare into your eyes, they can transform you into a demon, too. The same body, but the mind is gone.”
“That’s...” Leti looked like she wanted to be sick.
“I know.” Winter hesitated, then added, “They are a plague. I can’t say too much, but my companions and I are trying to stop them. We must reach the mouth of the Bataria.”
It would have been a ridiculous story, of course, if Leti hadn’t already seen Alex’s and Abraham’s supernatural powers. As it was, guilt flooded through Winter as she saw the girl’s expression change, her horror hardening into a sense of renewed purpose. It’s true, she told herself. We are trying to stop them, even if I haven’t filled in all the details. But she still felt like she was abusing Leti’s trust.
They slogged through the next day, following the bank of the river, where the forest was a little thinner. This land had clearly never been cultivated, which made Winter wonder just how far from civilization they were. She’d been in Murnsk long enough, though, to know the line between humanity and the wild could be abrupt, and she hoped and prayed they’d run into it sooner rather than later.
That night Winter directed the group to a rocky outcropping, where they could put their backs against something solid. Instead of lone sentries, they kept watch in shifts, staring at a perimeter of makeshift torches for signs of movement. They saw points of glowing red, now and then, well off in the dark beyond pistol range. The Beast was there, watching.
“It’s not strong enough to rush us,” Alex said quietly. “So it’s trying to wear us out, slow us down. It must have more bodies closing in.”
Winter nodded. Inwardly, she wanted to scream, to rush out and tear the things to shreds. Only it wouldn’t help. How can you fight something like this? It was too big a task, like trying to dig up a country with her bare hands. No matter how many bodies they killed, the Beast would only send more, a never-ending flood spreading out across the world.
They struggled on through the next day, and the next, setting the pace as fast as Winter dared. Every moment they were stopped, she felt the jaws closing around her, the hidden tide of red-eyed monsters getting closer. Leti had circulated her description of what the Beast could do, and as a result none of the Haeta complained when she asked them to walk longer or push harder. A few of the younger girls collapsed, and the others carried them. Abraham was practically a ghost at the end of every day, white-faced and trembling, and Alex stuck close to his side, looking worried.
But no matter how far or how fast they went, the red lights were waiting for them in the darkness.
This can’t go on. It was a killing pace. One more day, she told herself. One more day. If we don’t reach some kind of civilization, we’ll have to risk a longer halt, recover some strength. Even the Beast’s bodies couldn’t run forever. They still tired, still wore out, even if they could ignore pain. One more day.
Then, on the fourth day, one of the scouts came back to report a curl of dark woodsmoke rising against the cloudy sky.
*
“They have ships,” Alex said.
“Boats,” Winter said, although she had to admit she wasn’t entirely sure of the difference.
Whatever they were, there were two of them tied up to a stone pier, bobbing in the fast current of the Bataria. They had one mast each, and locks for several sets of oars. Winter thought they looked like something between a ship’s longboat and a proper sailing vessel.
They were looking at a small fortress, presumably one of the Murnskai army garrisons Alex had mentioned. It had an outer palisade of logs strapped together, with a wooden wall walk and a pair of gates. Inside was one large stone building, grim and official-looking, surrounded by a scatter of makeshift wooden shacks and lean-tos. In addition to the smoke rising from the chimney of the central structure, several smaller fires contributed thin strings of gray.
The hillside they stood on was some distance away, and overgrown enough that Winter was reasonably certain they wouldn’t be spotted. Around the fortress, though, the forest had been cut back, leaving a clear field of fire.
Leti squinted, shading her eyes. “I see men on the walls.”
“Are they in uniform?” Winter said.
“I think so. White uniforms.”
“Murnskai army, then.” Winter had half expected the fortress to be held by bandits, but apparently the garrison was still in residence. “When you were fighting the heretics, did you work with them?”
Leti shook her head. Vess, crouching beside her, looked sour and said, “The priests told us we were serving in the same cause but that the southerners were too blind to see it. We stayed apart from them where we could and killed them when we had to.”
“They don’t seem to be expecting trouble,” said Alex. “There’s only a few men on the wall.”
Winter made a quick count of the buildings she could see and the number of fires, and frowned. “There could be at least a hundred of them in there, though.”
“Wait for nightfall,” Vess declared. “We can go over that wall easily in the dark, kill the guards before they can cry out.”
“Then what?” Winter said. “Slaughter them all in their beds?”
Vess nodded. “Now that the heretics are gone, there is no reason for us to consider them allies. We have often fought the white-coats.”
“We don’t necessarily need to kill all of them,” Alex said. “Just steal their ships. If we can get over the wall, we can just go to the pier and help ourselves.”
“Getting our supplies over the wall would be difficult,” Vess said.
“Capture a gate, then,” Alex said.
“Too dangerous.” Vess set her jaw. “If they are alerted, we will be too few to fight them.”
Leti was looking at Winter. Live up to her standards, Winter thought.
“We should try to talk to them,” she said. “I don’t want to massacre anyone, if we can help it. And they need to be warned about the red-eyes.”
“They won’t listen,” Vess said. “And once they know we’re here, they’ll be on guard. We’ll lose our chance.”
But Leti was nodding. “Even if we take the
m by surprise, attacking is risky. If one guard shouts, we could all be killed. I think it’s worth trying to talk.”
Vess looked from her sister to Winter. Her expression said, Of course you do.
Winter cleared her throat. “Besides, do you know how to sail a ship like that?” The two Haeta shook their heads. “I certainly don’t. If we can convince them to evacuate before the red-eyes get here, they might be willing to help.”
“We can manage the ships,” Vess said stubbornly. “Logs float downstream. I’m sure we’ll be able to.”
“With the river running so fast, I wouldn’t bet on it,” Alex said. “Logs don’t mind being flipped over.”
“We’ll talk,” Leti said decisively. “I will go.” She looked at Winter almost shyly. “Will you accompany me?”
“Of course,” Winter said. “Bring a few more warriors. Not too many. We don’t want to scare anyone. But just in case.”
“I’ll come,” Alex said, but Winter shook her head.
“Stay with the camp,” she said. “If the red-eyes see we’ve split up and decide now is the time for another try, you’re the best chance of stopping them.”
“I will—” Vess said, but Leti interrupted her in her own language. An argument ensued, but after a few moments Vess sighed, got to her feet, and stomped back in the direction of the camp.
“What did you tell her?” Winter asked.
“That she should stay behind,” Leti said. “If something goes wrong, she will have to lead the others.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
*
In the end there were five of them: Winter, Leti, red-haired Yath, and a pair of sisters named Elka and Seka. They circled around the cleared area so as not to approach from the direction of their camp and then walked slowly and deliberately toward the fortress.
Whether or not they were expecting trouble, the guards on the wall weren’t blind. It wasn’t long before they spotted the small group, and a half dozen of them gathered to watch as the five women came closer. Winter stopped the others a bit outside musket range and waved to the watching soldiers. When one of them cautiously waved back, she cupped her hands to her mouth and shouted in Murnskai.
“Greetings! We’d like to speak to someone in authority, please!”
The answer drifted back, almost inaudible. “Who are you?”
“Travelers!” Winter paused, then added, “We don’t want any trouble!”
There was an animated discussion among the soldiers, and several of them disappeared. The others stared, but didn’t speak, and for a long while nothing happened. Leti shifted impatiently, but Winter, more familiar with the ways of soldiers, gestured for her to wait. They’ll have to find the command, explain the situation, convince him it requires his attention...
Five minutes was actually faster than she’d expected. The front gate swung open, and four white-uniformed soldiers emerged, followed by a man in a dark cloak. He wore a uniform underneath it, Winter saw as he approached, of a considerably more impressive cut, adorned with silver and gold braid. His cloak was black leather, lined on the inside with soft, dark fur. He had blond hair that fell loose to his shoulders and a narrow, suspicious face with a neat blond beard. A pistol and a short sword hung at his belt, while the men with him carried muskets with bayonets fixed. Not taking any chances, is he?
When he was perhaps twenty yards off, he stopped, eyeing the group of women with open curiosity. His eyes lingered on Winter, and he raised an eyebrow.
“You’re not one of them,” he said, his Murnskai strangely accented to Winter’s ears. “But by your voice you’re not Murnskai, either.”
Winter shook her head. “I’m from the south.” No need to specify Vordanai, what with the war...
“A foreigner.” His mouth twisted. “So, what is a foreign woman dressed in rags doing in the company of four girl savages?”
Winter glanced down at herself. “Rags” might be pushing it, but she had to admit she didn’t look imposing. She’d patched the gear she’d gotten at the Mountain with pieces provided by the Haeta, and the result was warm but didn’t look pretty. She shrugged.
“It’s quite a story,” she said. “I’ll be happy to tell it to you, if you like.”
“We shall see.” The man strolled forward, and his escort followed, though they looked unhappy. “Do your companions speak Murnskai?”
“I do,” Leti said. “I am Letingerae, of the Haeta.”
“Remarkable,” the man murmured. “I am Captain Evar Kollowrath, commander of Fort Penance.”
“And I’m Winter Ihernglass.” She didn’t think her fame was enough that she had to worry about being recognized.
“And what do Winter Ihernglass and her savage friends require of His Imperial Majesty’s army?”
Winter took a deep breath. “We need passage downriver, as soon as possible. We saw your ships. We’d like to use them.”
One of the soldiers standing beside Kollowrath sniggered. The captain merely smiled broadly.
“Really? Is that all?” He waggled his eyebrows. “You don’t want a hot meal and a bath while you’re at it?”
“There are... people behind us. A small army. They’re killing everything in their way.” Winter had explained to Leti that the Murnskai wouldn’t believe in demons. She had to admit, though, that this story wasn’t as convincing. “I suggest you come with us.”
“Abandon our posts, in other words,” Kollowrath said. “Give up this fortress, with which His Imperial Majesty has entrusted me. Take over His Imperial Majesty’s river couriers for my own use, on the word of an indigent young woman and a pack of northern barbarians.” He raised his hands. “Why not?”
The man at his shoulder, a big, heavily bearded fellow, whispered something in the captain’s ear. Kollowrath turned scarlet.
“Rumors and exaggerations,” he spat. “And if you contradict me in public again, Sergeant, you’ll be on ice duty for a month. Is that clear?”
The sergeant stepped back. Winter met his eyes and saw his frustration. But he muttered, “Yes, sir.”
“We will not be abandoning the fortress,” Kollowrath said, turning his attention back to Winter and the others. He came closer, until he was just a few strides from her. “If some ‘army’ of brigands wants to take it, I invite them to try. They will find His Imperial Majesty’s soldiers ready for them.”
“Fine,” Winter said. She turned to Leti. “This was a mistake. Let’s go.”
“Now, wait.” Kollowrath was smiling. “I don’t want it to be said that I’m uncharitable. If you and your companions wish to shelter within the walls, I’m sure something could be arranged.”
“Sir,” the sergeant said.
“What kind of arrangement?” Winter said. Though, looking at Kollowrath’s face, she had a sinking feeling she already knew.
“The kind I imagine a group of young women alone on the road makes on a regular basis,” Kollowrath said. He stepped closer to Seka, who stiffened. The girl didn’t understand much Murnskai, but she could read Kollowrath’s tone.
“Sir!” the sergeant said. “We should go back—”
“Stop,” Leti said.
Kollowrath ignored both of them. He moved beside Seka and stroked her cheek with one hand. “I’ve never bedded a northern girl, you know,” he mused, fingers sliding down her arm. “They say they’re wild—”
Elka, Seka’s sister, raised her spear. Winter saw her moving as though in slow motion, and her own hand came up as she shouted in Murnskai, knowing the girl wouldn’t understand. Leti barked something in Haeta, and Elka hesitated, her weapon pointing at Kollowrath. Then the world went white, and Winter’s ears were ringing with the blast of a musket going off at close range.
For a moment everyone was still. The spear clattered from Elka’s fingers, and she brought her hand up to the hole in her furs, just below her collar. When she pressed it against the wound, red spurted around it. She blinked, and collapsed.
As if that had been a signal, everyone moved at once. Seka screamed, snatching up her own spear. Kollowrath scrambled backward, his face a mask of terror, and the sergeant was shouting something. The soldier holding a smoking musket backed away, while his companions raised their weapons.
“Run!” Winter screamed.
The closest soldier blocked Seka’s spear thrust with his musket, slashing his bayonet diagonally across her stomach. Leti was going for her weapon, but Winter grabbed her arm, her legs feeling slow and clumsy. Dirt slid under her feet as she turned, her boots tearing through the tall grass. She shouted again at Yath, who’d drawn her own spear, but the girl was already pivoting on one foot for a throw. The weapon whipped out and caught the soldier who’d shot Elka, several inches of bloody spearhead emerging from the back of his neck. He fell to his knees, clawing at the spear as he choked and gurgled.
“Back to the fortress!” Kollowrath said, voice high with panic. “Back!”
Yath turned to run. Another musket went off, and she toppled with a grunt. Leti saw, and half turned herself, pulling Winter with her.
“Leti—”
“We can’t—” Leti began.
Seka’s guts were sliding out of her, but she had a long knife in her hand, jamming it over and over into the soldier’s ribs. The sergeant and his two remaining men were following their commander back toward the gate. One of them had snatched up an unfired musket from his companion and turned to sight on them. Winter flung herself down, pulling Leti alongside her, just as the weapon went off with an earsplitting crack.
She buried her face in the dirt, tasting it on her lips, listening. There was a short shriek, a soft gurgling noise, and then only the sound of retreating boots fading into the distance. Winter raised her head, brushing soil from her face.
“We have to get out of here,” she said. “Kollowrath will send more men. He’ll—”
She stopped. Leti didn’t move.
No. Not again. Winter was back in Bobby’s arms, huddling against the motionless statue. At the regimental aid station, watching as Hannah Courvier removed arms and legs. Signing the strength reports, counting the dead. No, no, no...
The Infernal Battalion Page 25
