General Saxu shook his head. “Of course not. We will leave the boats to the sailors and tell them to ready them for our departure.”
“We should leave behind some soldiers to guarantee they do not flee without us,” Commander Rede said. “I will stay.”
“No,” General Saxu said immediately. He frowned, shaking his head. “If we are traversing the swamplands, I am sure the new Kennelmaster would agree that we require the best men to protect Emperor Tallu.”
Attention turned to Sagam, and I could see his face radiating calmness, as though he was wearing a mask of his own. The old Kennelmaster showed his expressions more readily, and I wondered if eventually Sagam would be able to be honest about his feelings.
“With your men, we have nearly two hundred soldiers left. Of those, Commander Rede and I have agreed on twenty that act as personal guards of His Imperial Majesty.” Sagam nodded his head respectfully at General Saxu. “With your approval, I request that they formally be made into Dogs. When we have the means, we will give them masks and training. For now, they can wear the Emperor’s Dogs’ uniforms we have. In the swamplands, it willmake it easier to determine who is allowed close to His Imperial Majesty.”
“That is a good plan,” General Saxu said. He looked at Tallu, who inclined his head in agreement.
“Have you heard anything from the Kennel’s network?” I asked.
Iradîo and I had both observed birds that didn’t belong to us flying back and forth, messages clipped to their legs. Terror had tried to talk to one of them, but the hawk had ignored him and attacked Ratcatcher when the latter had attempted to bribe him for information.
Sagam paused, breathing in through his nose. He glanced at the door, the only sign that he wanted to make sure whatever was said was kept secret. I glanced at Empress Koque, but she sat still, as though by not moving she could deflect all attention.
“The Kennelmaster hasn’t said as much, but the network he has spent years curating has fallen. There are too many gaps. I believe General Kacha has killed most of his informants, because the information has dried up.” Sagam bowed his head. “I’m working to establish new contacts, but such work takes time and a level of care I cannot trust to anyone but myself.”
I noticed what he omitted from that. Even Sagam was having trouble trusting the old Kennelmaster.
“A pity,” General Saxu said. “The Kennelmaster’s network would be of great use to us when we return to the Imperium with General Namati’s troops.”
“We shall leave at first light. I have no idea of the state of Tavornai, or the quality of the transportation. If this much has changed, we might very well be rowing to the edge of the land.” General Saxu nodded his head. “Do you have any other orders, Your Imperial Majesty?”
“No. Prepare everything. Leave only as many as are necessary to keep hold of the ships should the sailors decide to mutiny.” Tallu glanced at me.
“Do we have enough rowboats?” I asked.
“Enough boats?” General Saxu blinked, his expression turning into a frown.
“I know each of the ships is equipped with four, but how many men will that hold?” I looked around the room. “They were intended to row men back and forth between ship and land. Not transport us across a swamp. You just said that you have no idea if there even is any land left in Tavornai. If we must travel by boat the entire way, how many men can we take?”
“If they were able to recover the four boats from the destroyed ship, then we can only take half of our forces. Perhaps a hundred men.” Commander Rede swallowed, his eyes moving back and forth as though he had a list of the soldiers in front of him and was already making decisions.
“Less than that,” General Saxu said. “We must bring our supplies with us.”
“Let us plan to bring fifty men, then.” Tallu made the decision easily. “Fill the rest of the space with supplies and weapons as needed. Everyone else may stay aboard the ships and help the sailors reposition them.”
He made a gesture of dismissal, and Saxu and Commander Rede left, Iradîo glancing at me significantly before following behind. Sagam hesitated in the doorway, but Tallu gestured again and Sagam bowed, closing the door behind him.
Empress Koque remained, her expression placid. “And us?”
“You must remain here with the bulk of the soldiers and sailors.” Tallu’s words weren’t an order, merely a strongly worded suggestion.
“Imust?” Empress Koque turned the words into a feint, testing Tallu’s decision.
“You would rather bring your ill child across enemy territory?” Tallu asked.
“I never said that. But Your Imperial Majesty just made a very valid point as to whyyoucannot stay with the ships.” Koque kepther words low, but they were openly sparring now. It reminded me of the tense moments between them when I had first come in the room. She was looking for something from Tallu.
“I will not risk Hallu’s life simply on a scouting mission.” Tallu frowned.
“Is that all it is?” Empress Koque pressed. “Because it sounds to me like you have a plan, one you haven’t informed anyone else of. Why do you want to go see the Chaliko family? Why not simply gather up as many elves as you can find and torture them until you find the information you need?”
“It’s that easy, is it?” I asked.
“How many of them would bear any loyalty to General Namati, the man who has been attacking their shoreline for decades?” Empress Koque moved her hand, her long sleeve trailing through the air. It was a deep, ruby red color, and left behind the impression of elven blood, spilled across the oceans until the island shores ran red with it.
