A wave of hunger sent him rummaging in his belt pouch for some of the dried fruit and nuts the Cooks’ Guild had provided. As soon as he ate he felt a great deal better. It was easy to forget that the Mother’s power demanded fuel. He passed a few sticks of dried meat to Tobi, which she devoured with frantic enthusiasm.
He considered asking one of his escorts to bring Snowflake. It might be wise to save energy by riding. But then he spotted her with three wounded fighters on her back and another leaning against her side, so he kept walking. Other than some annoying rumbles of indigestion as his intestines resumed their usual function, he felt nearly back to normal. A good sleep was all he needed to complete the process.
It would be a long time before he’d get that, but he was used to long hours of work with little rest. This was nothing compared to a day in the Beggar’s Quarter. The fact that his own body had been one of their patients was an insignificant detail.
He’d almost convinced himself that was true by the time they passed the powder and shot wagons and reached the weapon. His heart leaped when he spotted Meira at its breech. She stepped forward, touched the smoldering length of fuse to the little pool of priming powder in the vent, and moved clear before the main charge sent the weapon slamming backward and the shot hurtling forward.
She grinned and beckoned him close. “How are things going back there? We haven’t seen any Ramunnans for a while, but I figured we should keep firing so they’ll have to stay out of our way.”
He returned her smile. “They’re leaving our flanks alone as well. I expect they’re falling back and setting up a defense somewhere ahead. Let me check.” He put out his hand and reached for Tobi.
Meira’s gasp stopped him. She pointed at the blood on his tunic. “What happened?”
He waved away her concern. “A Ramunnan stabbed me, but Tobi and I healed it.”
She raked him up and down with a penetrating gaze, but apparently he passed her inspection, because she only scowled. “I hope you gave as good as you got.”
“Tobi killed him.” A wave of queasiness swept him, caused both by the memory of the awful moment when his familiar had pulled energy through their contact to violently end a man’s life, and by the realization that until Meira mentioned it he hadn’t given the matter a moment’s thought.
“Good.” Meira pointed at him. “Don’t you dare let it bother you. They started this. We have every right to defend ourselves.”
“I know.” Smash it, he didn’t want to become hardened to killing, no matter how necessary it might be. He hated how much easier it was getting to think of the Ramunnans not as people, the Mother’s children whom he was called to serve, but as objects, obstacles that must be destroyed so he could accomplish his goal.
But he had little choice. Today Ramunnan lives balanced against Tevenaran lives, and he knew which way he wanted the scale to tip. If in order to swing it to a Tevenaran victory he had to hold Ramunnan lives lightly, so be it.
Meira was still frowning at him, so he mustered a determined smile. “Let’s gain as much ground as we can while we’ve got them on the run. If you fire less often we can make faster progress while still keeping the way ahead clear.”
“That should work, as long as you keep a window open so we can see what they’re doing.”
At his request, Tobi generated a golden sphere over his palm. “Done. Forward to the Mother’s Hall.”
She relayed the change in strategy to her crew, and the weapon rolled down the street. Elkan and Meira walked beside it, fighters thick in their wake.
Thirty-Five
Tenorran watched over Benarre’s shoulder as the commander added new markers to the map in response to the latest report. “That’s the tenth weapon accounted for,” Benarre announced. “If Tenorran’s information is correct, all the Tevenarans have taken the field.” He straightened and surveyed the distribution of Ramunnan and Tevenaran forces. “They’re using a simple strategy, though effective enough. But I’ve got a few tricks in store I doubt they anticipate.”
He pointed to the markers indicating the two columns of Tevenarans advancing from the northwest. “They’ve dispersed their strength, so we’ll concentrate ours. These two are closest; we’ll start with them. Mirlen, send messages to the men of the Thulla, the Galarre, the Nobilla, and the Kaminna.” He shifted markers away from four other columns to surround the Tevenarans closest to the river. “Tell them to join the men of the Nikenna and the Jonarra in their attack against this column. With such an advantage in numbers they should overwhelm them easily.” He smiled maliciously. “Once they’ve captured the peasants’ weapon, the Secrets officers can turn it against them. They copied it from ours, so it should be easy for us to operate.”
He removed the markers indicating the Tevenaran fighters, slid the marker for the weapon to rest among the Ramunnans, and shifted the entire Ramunnan group to meet the next Tevenaran column. “When they’ve eliminated that column, they’ll join the men of the Jorra and the Dalavirre. The combined force should deal with the peasants even more expeditiously.” He swept the Tevenaran markers from the map, picked the weapon marker from the pile, and dropped it on the clump of Ramunnan markers. “And so on.”
The other captains nodded and chuckled. Mirlen smirked as he committed the orders to paper. Tenorran suppressed a stab of unworthy disappointment. He could see no fault with Benarre’s strategy. They would triumph without needing to put Tenorran’s plan into action.
“Meanwhile,” Benarre continued, “in order to delay the other columns until the combined force can reach them, my Secrets officers and those of the Tondarre will deploy the prepared charges.” He set a marker in front of each of the six columns approaching from the south. “If it proves necessary to delay the later columns further, more charges can be used.” He placed additional markers in the paths of the columns to the east.
He regarded the other captains. “Any comments?”
No one spoke. Tenorran read universal approval on the captains’ faces. “Very well. Mirlen, send the messages as soon as you finish. Gentlemen, we’ll take a break until the next reports come in.”
As the captains rose from around the table and dispersed, Benarre’s hand fell on Tenorran’s shoulder. “I’d like you to help my Secrets officers set the delaying charges.”
Tenorran gaped at him. “Me, sir?”
“You know how to handle the Secret. Everything we’ve seen of the Tevenarans accords precisely with what you told us. You’ll be far more useful in the field than sitting around here.”
“Yes, sir!” Tenorran saluted, his heart racing. Benarre trusted him. He trusted him with the Secret. He was giving Tenorran the chance to prove his loyalty once and for all. If he actively helped fight and defeat the Tevenarans, the other captains would see he was no traitor. They’d tell his mother so.
“One more thing, Lieutenant Fovarre,” Benarre said as Tenorran turned to hurry from the room.
He twisted back eagerly, then froze. He didn’t understand how Benarre’s smile had changed, but somehow it had subtly transformed from warm and friendly to icy cold. He tried to keep his voice steady. “Yes, sir?”
Benarre’s voice remained conversational. “Don’t forget, you owe Ramunna a debt. If you encounter an opportunity to pay it, I expect you to fulfill your duty.”
Tenorran swallowed hard. “Yes, sir,” he whispered. He forced two numb fingers of his left hand to touch the back of his right wrist. “I understand.”
“Of course you do.” Benarre’s smile warmed again. “Go on now. Report to Commander Sarrellim. Tell him I sent you.”
Tenorran acknowledged the order and hurried away.
* * *
An all-too-familiar boom sounded from ahead, followed by a rumbling crash. “Smash it,” Meira said. “They’ve brought their weapons from the ships after all.”
Elkan frowned. “I don’t see how we could have missed that.” He raised his hand and a window appeared. After peering into it for a few minutes, he stiffened. “Blas
t it.” The window flickered, and he extended it so Meira could look. “This shows about a quarter hour ago.”
She watched a group of Ramunnans hurry down a narrow side street. They had no weapon with them, but they carried buckets holding what looked like round iron shot. She frowned. “I don’t understand. What good will shot do them without a weapon?”
“Watch,” he said grimly.
They came to a tall stone building that filled the space between the small street and a wider one. “That’s this road, about a quarter mile ahead,” Elkan told her.
The Ramunnans entered the building from the back and moved through it until they reached the room that fronted the road. It appeared to be a shop that had once stocked a wide variety of merchandise, but now the shelves and bins were empty and covered with dust. The Ramunnans carefully placed several iron balls along the front wall, more at the corners, and a few along the side walls. They attached lengths of fuse to each one, measured them, and twined the ends together. Then, after checking that the road outside was clear of their comrades, they lit the combined fuses and retreated out the back of the building.
Meira swore. “They’re like the pots I used in my mine. Hollow shells filled with blasting powder.”
“We can’t look inside them because there’s no light, but I’m sure you’re right.” He squinted at the window, and the flames moving along the fuses accelerated.
After a few moments, time within the window slowed to its usual pace. Meira flinched from the flash and boom. Elkan pulled the window back as the bottom portion of the building’s front wall disintegrated. The upper stories leaned over the road and collapsed into an enormous pile of rubble, billowing smoke and dust into the air.
For a moment Meira thought the window was transmitting scent as well, until she realized the choking smell had rolled in from ahead, along with a gray cloud that coated everything it passed with grit. She clenched her fists. “Blast them! We won’t be able to get through.”
“We’ll have to go around.” The window over Elkan’s hand swiftly scanned the area. “Most of the side streets are too narrow for the wagons, but if we turn left just before the blockage we can detour around it and come back to the main road not far beyond.” He showed Meira the route.
Meira was about to agree when cold dread gripped her stomach. “Go back to when they lit the fuse.”
He complied. Meira pointed. “They’ve still got shells in their buckets.”
Elkan understood without her having to explain more. The Ramunnans raced through the streets with ridiculous jerky motions she would have found funny any other time. They slowed again as they entered another building along the path of the detour. “This is now.” The window’s viewpoint rapidly retreated until the streets between them and the Ramunnans spread out like a map. “Blast it. Too far.”
“It will take them time to set the charges. And the fuse burned for a long time; it only seemed short because you sped it up. Take Snowflake and ride close enough.”
He didn’t argue. “Follow the path I showed you. I’ll make sure they don’t block it.” He grabbed her, kissed her hard, and ran, shouting for the fighters to bring his mount.
Meira turned to her second-in-command. “Bring the horses and hitch them up. We need to move fast. Firing can wait.”
He hurried to comply. She explained to the rest of her crew what had happened and how they would respond. They listened intently and assured her of their understanding and readiness.
When the horses were in place she gave the order. The weapon rolled forward at its swiftest pace. The rest of the column followed, news of the change in plans buzzing through the ranks. Several wizards came to walk beside her and opened windows onto the path ahead.
She snatched glances whenever she could. The road they needed to take was right at the edge of where the building had fallen. Scattered stones and debris cluttered it. Most of their forces would be able to pass, but the wagons might have trouble if the rubble blocked their wheels. She sent mounted fighters ahead to clear it.
Another window showed the Ramunnans’ progress. Her tension mounted as they placed charge after charge.
If Elkan didn’t make it in time to stop them, he’d follow them to their next target. They must have another, because they still hadn’t exhausted their supply of shells. She pointed to a wizard. “Look for a way around if the Ramunnans succeed in blocking that road, too.”
The woman studied the sphere over her hand while her familiar, a small dog, leaned against her ankle and panted. “We’ve got two choices. We can turn left like we planned, go past the street they’re trying to block, and take the next one. But if they block that one as well, there’s no other way through. We’d have to turn around and come back.” She held the window out to Meira and showed her how the last street curved around where it met a rocky ridge, only narrow pedestrian paths connecting it to the road beyond. “Or we could go back about three blocks and turn right. We’d have to meander around a lot, but eventually we could make it through to the road the next column is on.”
A horrible thought occurred to Meira. “Can you see that column? Look in front of them for more Ramunnans doing the same thing.”
The other column hadn’t advanced as far as they had. As the window scanned farther and farther ahead, Meira breathed a sigh of relief. Too soon. At the edge of the wizard’s range a cluster of Ramunnans with buckets, these full to the brim, hurried through the streets.
A rider would never get through in time. “Do any of you have a familiar fast enough to carry a message? It would have to be a bird, I think.”
She frowned. “I suppose Night could.”
“Do it.” The woman nodded and hurried away.
Which route should she choose? Left would bring them to the Mother’s Hall much sooner if they made it through. But if the Ramunnans managed to block the last street, they’d have to turn around and take the slower route anyway, wasting precious time.
She looked into the window showing the Ramunnans. They were cutting the last fuse. As she watched they started twining the fuses together.
Another window showed Elkan on Snowflake galloping toward the building, Tobi racing beside them. They were getting close, but were still well outside their thousand-foot range. Elkan allowed Snowflake to slow as she maneuvered through a tight turn, then urged her back to full speed.
For a moment the possibilities swam in her mind. The faster but riskier route, or the slower but surer? How could she choose?
With more thought, the best decision became obvious. Even if Elkan couldn’t stop the Ramunnans from blocking the second street, he was close enough to prevent them from collapsing a building across the third. They would make it through and reach the Mother’s Hall only a little behind schedule.
Confident she was right, she urged the column forward. The riders in the lead reached the intersection and swung left as the Ramunnans in the window lit the fuses and retreated.
Meira turned her attention to the other window. Snowflake had dropped to a trot, her flanks heaving. Elkan stroked her neck and murmured encouragement.
Meira looked back and forth between the windows. The flame crawled along the fuses. Elkan popped open a window to check on its progress, then zoomed it out to evaluate the distance. They were so close. Just a little farther. She shook her head. Elkan would never force Snowflake to harm herself by exceeding her strength.
Elkan clamped his legs tight around Snowflake and leaned forward. Tobi dropped back. With a vicious snarl the mountain cat leapt at the horse and raked sharp claws down her flank.
Snowflake screamed and hurtled forward. Elkan clung to her neck. In the other window the flames crept toward the shells. Tobi raced behind Snowflake and drove her on with snarls and nips whenever her pace flagged.
At last the horse could go no further. She stumbled and crashed to her knees. Elkan jumped free and threw himself at Tobi. Gold light burst from his hand and raced out of sight.
Meira yanked her attenti
on to the other window. A gold tendril shot into view and ripped fuses out of shells. The last length of cord came free when the flame was less than an inch away from setting off the explosion.
Meira panted as if she’d been the one running. The wizards holding the windows exchanged glances of mixed horror and elation.
Elkan knelt beside Tobi, his face buried in her fur. Meira waited for him to move, but he didn’t. “You’re not done,” she growled at him. “They’re going for another building. And when they don’t hear this one explode, they’ll come back.”
“Um, ma’am? He can’t hear you.” The young wizard with the wolf familiar looked apologetic.
“I know.” Meira breathed deeply, trying to slow her racing heart. If the Ramunnans blocked the last street now, it wouldn’t matter, as long as one remained clear. But they would be back when they realized they’d failed to collapse their second target. “Can some of you ride ahead and help him?”
“We don’t have horses, but we can ask the mounted fighters,” the girl with the cat in her arms said. She ran back, waving at the riders.
Meira grabbed the boy’s arm before he could follow. “Stay here and show me what’s happening.”
He obediently raised his hand again, the window he’d let die blooming back to life. Elkan and Tobi stood by Snowflake, pouring golden light over her. The horse’s agonized gasping gradually eased.
Meira shook her head, torn between affection and annoyance. Of course Elkan would stop to heal the horse. She hoped it wouldn’t take long.
She hurried to catch up with the weapon that had outdistanced her while she was distracted. The column was making good progress, but they wouldn’t reach Elkan before the Ramunnans finished with the third building and came back to investigate why their second set of charges hadn’t gone off.
In the window Snowflake heaved herself to her feet. She looked fully recovered to Meira, although she knew little about horses. Elkan petted her head and murmured reassurances. But when he moved to her side to mount, Snowflake spotted Tobi. Her nostrils flared and she reared, tearing her reins from Elkan’s grasp. When her hooves touched the ground she bolted, fleeing as if the mountain cat were in hot pursuit instead of pressed close to Elkan, blinking.
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