Page 87 of The Infernal Battalion

“It was,” he said. There was a touch of sadness in his eyes. “Let me apologize again.”

“You’ve apologized enough for last time—”

“Not for that. For my father.” Matthew shook his head. “I wish we’d been able to meet under better circumstances.”

“We’ll figure something out,” Raesinia said, aware that there were still servants all around them.

Matthew nodded distantly, but his expression was resigned. He thinks there’s nothing we can do. That I’m going to have to take Georg’s offer, and we’ll have to go through with it.

It made her even more determined to escape from the trap the Borelgai had laid. On top of everything else, Matthew doesn’t deserve to be used like this.

15

Marcus

The orders had come in just after dark, as the Second Division was settling back into camp. Marcus scanned through them, suppressing a groan. Another dawn march. Another battle tomorrow. He turned the page. At least we won’t be right in the middle of it.

“Thank you,” he told the young lieutenant who’d brought the pages. “Tell General Kurot I understand, and we’ll be ready.”

“Yes, sir.” The young man looked around curiously. Cyte and Abby were in the tent with them, looking over the big map, along with several Girls’ Own sentries. This courier clearly found the idea of women in uniform fascinating.

Marcus cleared his throat. “That’ll be all.”

“Ah. Yes, sir.” He straightened, saluted, and left the tent. Marcus glared after him.

He should go visit the cutters. Casualties from the fighting at Satinvol were still being brought in by the stretcher teams combing the town. Those who could be saved had been evacuated already, so now the work mostly came down to giving the badly wounded a somewhat more comfortable place to die. Meanwhile, Hannah Courvier and the other cutters worked nonstop, the floor of their tent slick with blood, the pile of amputated limbs outside growing ever larger as the bone saws sang.

All of the Second’s regiments had lost soldiers, but it was the casualties among the Girls’ Own that hit Marcus the hardest. I can’t help it, damn it. I’m supposed to protect them, not march them into danger. Thinking about it made him angry with himself, angry with Janus, angry with everyone. It was almost enough to make him forget what had happened on the enemy’s last charge.

Magic. It had to be magic. That Girls’ Own ranker had turned on him, and he was certain the glow in her eyes had been real. Janus must have... something. Some power. Maybe he found what he was looking for. The voice at the back of his mind—​the one he tried to ignore, because he knew he wanted what it said to be true—​said, Maybe something got to him. Maybe he’s not to blame for all this after all.

“More good news, sir?” Abby said.

Marcus blinked and shook his head. He handed her the orders, and while she read he said, “We’re going to be moving out at first light again. You’d better spread the word.”

“Understood, sir.” Cyte saluted. “I’ll make sure the colonels get the message.”

“You believe this, sir?” Abby said, when Cyte had slipped out of the tent.

“Which part?”

“That we’re going to be able to trap Janus against Alves.”

The orders called for a fast march southwest, pushing through whatever got in their way. With the Satinvol bridge destroyed and the Alves bridge presumably still in friendly hands or at least demolished, Janus would be left with no way out, and his supplies would be diminished by days of siege and fighting. The Army of the Republic, by contrast, was still receiving supplies and reinforcements over the passes. Kurot had carefully assigned forces to guard those lines, but Janus had made no attempt to interfere. As though he doesn’t mind walking into the trap.

“It seems... possible.” Marcus shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t want to speak against a superior directly, but... “Janus is tricky. You know that. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s got something up his sleeve.”

“Me either.” Abby sighed. “We gave about as good as we got yesterday. It’s not easy, fighting our own people.”

“No, it isn’t,” Marcus said. “Is morale holding up in your regiment?”

“I think so. The girls feel... not good, never good after something like this, but happy to have done their part.” She cocked her head. “Thank you, by the way. For keeping your promise.”

“It’s... only fair.” Even if it does give me nightmares. “Your performance was excellent. General Ihernglass would have been proud.”

“I’m only sorry you were in danger,” Abby said. “I never expected those mad bastards to try to break out.”

“No one did, myself least of all.” Marcus hesitated. “Any idea who they were? They seemed to have a mix of uniforms—​I saw Vordanai, Murnskai, and some in civilian clothes.”