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The lost will gather, to build a dream of home. The Watch welcomes them all.
‘Glyph!’
He nodded. ‘Very well. But be sure to wait until they are well past, and kill all the wounded who might be retreating.’
‘None shall survive,’ Lahanis promised, and then she moved off to re-join her score of followers.
Her Butchers. Among us of the forest, the dressing of meat is a common skill. She takes the name and makes it a horror.
Such are the children of war.
The morning was chilly, but sweat lay slick upon Glyph’s palms, and he shifted yet again his grip on the bow. I walked out of the water, dreaming of death. I left the lake, having wept into the waters the last of my grief. I painted ash on my face to make a mask, but the ash is no longer needed, and the mask has become me.
Narad speaks of a battle. But not this battle. He speaks of a war. But not this war. He speaks of a shoreline, but no shoreline we can see.
No matter. In the meantime, there is this.
* * *
‘Stay the fuck closer, damn you!’ Arkandas snarled.
Telra lifted the shield again and caught up to her lieutenant. ‘Why don’t I just climb into your tunic, sir?’
‘Keep an eye out for the first arrows!’
‘They’re retreating again,’ Telra said, cursing as she stumbled into a hole hidden by deep snow. Her breath was harsh, her throat clawed at by the bitter cold air. Grunting, she climbed free and staggered forward.
Arkandas paused to let her catch up. ‘They’re not running though, are they?’
‘No sir. When you’re laying a trap like this one, you don’t want to get too far ahead of your prey.’
‘Do you see Hallyd?’
‘No.’
‘He needs to sound the recall. We need to close ranks and then begin a withdrawal.’
‘Yes sir.’
‘I think he was off to our right. Let’s angle that way.’
Telra blinked at her lieutenant. ‘Because you don’t think the fool’s done any of that.’
‘We’d have heard.’
Offering Arkandas a bright white grin, Telra said nothing.
‘He wants to push them right through the entire forest, all the way to the fucking river.’
‘Yes, well, I guess he used to be smarter.’
‘Watch your mouth, Telra. Now, stay close and let’s find the captain.’
Pausing to wave on those soldiers directly behind them, Arkandas led Telra to the right, across the advance. When the arrows did not come, as the soldiers closed on the forest’s edge; when the Deniers simply melted back another dozen or so paces, keeping their distance and taking cover behind tree-falls and boles and heaps of snow, Telra knew what was coming. Captain Hallyd Bahann seemed oblivious of the tactic being employed against them. Telra felt a burgeoning of fear and growing dread. Someone had organized the bastards. A mind was at work against them. And we’re walking right into this.
‘Lieutenant—’
‘Save your breath, Telra! We’ll get to him – see? There he is. We’ll—’
