Lord Parable spoke from atop his stout horse. “It is wiser to camp where we are on the road. A company of this size is impossible to hide regardless of where we go.” He gestured ahead. “If we continue, we may fall into a trap. Send scouts ahead rather than endanger the entire host.”
“And lose a day of travel? Our original plan does not change.”
Parable raised his voice. “We need to regroup.”
Ah, he was the bellower in the generals’ tent.
Jerrald knelt before the queen, a plea. “We can’t lose the light. We need to move now to have enough time to fortify camp before dark falls.”
Queen Elthra looked between her two advisors. For all her rage, her lips pressed together, uncertain. In the books, whether it was the right decision or not, she always had an answer. Quick to act, always in motion. Perhaps beneath it all, she was as uncertain as I was.
Ironclaw’s horse broke through the trees. Its black sides heaving and chest lathered with sweat. He reined it to a halt. “They’re gone, Your Grace.”
“In which direction?” Draw asked.
“Northeast, of course.” Ironclaw eyed Draw with disdain, then turned his attention to the queen. “I can go after them—”
“No.” It was the first the queen spoke in some time and the word broke from her harshly.
Ariana rose, the tail of her black braid swinging at the small of her back. She had bundled herself that day in a thick shawl wrapped and tucked across her shoulders in a way that left her hands free. “We shouldn’t splinter now, Your Grace. They are antagonizing us for that very reason.”
Jerrald nodded.
Parable tried again. “The entire host will be spooked by the time news spreads to the back. We need time to plan and scout ahead.”
Ariana took a step forward. Her eyes, always so expressive, were tight. “We keep moving, Your Grace. We don’t falter.”
A look passed between Ariana and Elthra. It seemed more than anyone there, Queen Elthra respected Ariana’s opinion.
For the first time, I saw an edge to Ariana. It was just a glimmer, but I filed it away to think about later.
Queen Elthra’s glance passed to me. She didn’t need to ask, and I didn’t need to think twice. I knew enough to trust Jerrald and if Ariana was in alignment, I knew to trust her too.
“We keep moving, Your Grace.”
––––––––
THAT EVENING, WE SETTLEDcamp well ahead of sunset to give the soldiers extra time to comb the surrounding forest. A few squads built tree stands around the perimeter, though whether to serve as a lookout or a place to shoot from, I didn’t know. I had gone into my tent as soon as it was erected and washed my hands in the basin. After, I pulled the blanket around my shoulders and stared at the canvas wall.
I couldn’t stop seeing the body on the road. Further, I was worried about where Westly and the others might be. I don’t know that I could have stopped what had happened, but I shouldn’t have made assumptions about anyone’s safety. Shouldn’t have said what I did to calm Meg’s fears when she first came to me. What if I had lulled him into a false sense of security and that was why his group was overtaken?
Denise and Lu had drawn Meg into a tent to calm her. I considered going to her but felt I was just as likely to make things worse.
The bustle of activity was still raging when I was summoned to the generals’ tent. Like I had assumed, inside were several large tables pushed together.
I took a seat next to Ariana and jumped past the pleasantries. I had been thinking about her too. “You’re a general.”
“A lieutenant general, yes.”
“How did I not know?”
She wasn’t slight like Issa but strong. There was a knife at her waist. I had thought the demands of Ariana’s position were being at the beck and call of the queen’s dressing needs, I hadn’t realized they were militarily strategic. And what had Jerrald said? That Ariana could take care of herself?
The signs had been there, but I overlooked them. Ariana defied what I thought a lady-in-waiting could be. I wondered if Sherry Whitehorse had had the same deficit.
What had I seemed, trying to talk a fighter into a baseless one-night stand when she had more important things on her mind?
Ariana didn’t smile but looked pleased. Glossy locks of black hair that had escaped her braid were tucked behind her ears. “Lady Dottie, you’re a romantic if I ever saw one. Your work as a witch’s apprentice may take you where needed, but perhaps you should consider love potions your specialty instead of tactics.” She said this not unkindly. Again, her skill was in cutting to the point.
