The Autumn Republic

“We were attacked a little north of Gillsfellow by Kez cuirassiers. We outnumbered them two to one, but they managed to surprise us, and took their toll before we were able to recover and win the day.”

“How many did you lose?” Tamas asked.

“A hundred and twenty-seven dead, three hundred and twelve wounded. We killed one hundred and seventy-one of the enemy and captured twice that many, most of whom are wounded.”

“Could be worse, I suppose.”

“It is, sir. We lost Colonel Davis.”

Tamas swore. Colonel Davis was a capable cavalry commander, if a little shortsighted at times. “Gillsfellow is north of us. Damn it, how did they get behind us? And what the pit are they doing so far north?”

Corporal Salli shook her head. “Not sure, sir. I passed two companies of our dragoons on my way to give a report. The Thirty-Sixth has been badly mauled, and their major has lost all his messengers. Gave me a report for you.” She handed the report to Olem. “I also spotted more Kez in the distance, about eight miles northwest of here. Looked like dragoons, at least a regiment of them.”

Tamas took the report and glanced over it before handing it to Olem. “Get some rest, Corporal. I’ll have orders ready for the Seventy-Ninth in a quarter of an hour.”

The messenger saluted and rode on down the line. Tamas swore again under his breath. “I can’t afford to lose any more senior officers. Find out if there’s anyone worth promoting among the Seventy-Ninth. If not, find a replacement from that list I gave you earlier.”

“Yes sir,” Olem said.

“Also, send messengers to our dragoon regiments. Let them know that Ipille is trying to win superiority of the plains. He must have sent all his remaining cavalry north the day after the parley. They should keep their eyes out for traps. He’s trying to distract us and I won’t let that happen. Send a messenger to Sulem and see if he can spare a couple thousand dragoons to reinforce our own.” Tamas tried to make sense of everything in his head. The battle would have taken place not far south of where Taniel was chasing those Kez Privileged. Perhaps the Kez cavalry were screening for the retreating grenadiers.

“Our cuirassiers, sir?”

“They’re too slow out in the open. I’m keeping them in reserve for when we meet the Kez lines. If Ipille wastes all his cavalry in a bid for the plains, he’ll have nothing to counter ours when it comes to the real battle.”

“But they’ll be behind us, sir.”

“And cut off from communication with the main army. A fact we can use to our advantage. See if Sulem has any riding Privileged.”

“Oh, that’ll be a nasty surprise for Ipille’s cavalry. Excellent thinking, sir.”

“Looks like another one coming in, sir.” Olem nodded up the line to where a horseman had just crested a hilltop and was coming down toward them along the road.

“Shit. What is it this time?”

The messenger was one of Tamas’s own-a ranger from the vanguard. “Sir,” he said before he’d come to a stop.

“Tell me we’re getting close to the enemy camp.”

The messenger grimaced. “We are, sir. A little under four miles.”

“But?”

“But they’re gone, sir. They’ve up and fled. They left this morning, marching double-time.”

Tamas felt as if a cold hand had reached into his gut. He dismissed the messenger and sat brooding in his saddle.

“Sir? Isn’t that a good thing?” Olem asked.

“No,” Tamas said. “It’s as I suspected: Ipille is pulling back, resorting to delaying actions. He just needs to keep us off of him long enough to awaken Kresimir, and then he’ll kill us all.”

“What do we do, sir?”

“We press on, and hope Taniel catches up to his savage Bone-eye in time.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

“Then we’re all dead men anyway, and I intend on taking Ipille with me when we go.”

CHAPTER 29

Why didn’t you tell me?” Taniel asked.

He rode alongside Gavril on the western road, trying desperately not to think about Vlora. She still loved him, Gavril had claimed, and she had not denied it. The revelation had been a shock-something that Taniel hadn’t even considered. She’d bedded another man, hadn’t she? That meant that she no longer wanted him, didn’t it? Feelings he’d spent the last six months trying to bury were suddenly bubbling to the surface. Until last night the whole situation had been cut-and-dried. He’d dealt with it and moved on, only to find that he’d never had the facts straight in the first place.

It was confusing and it made him want to shoot something.

The big man beside him sat slumped, looking half-asleep and almost ready to fall out of his saddle. It was a misleading posture. He was watching the road, and he read the wear of hooves in the mud like a scholar might read a long-dead language.

“Eh?” he rumbled. “Oh, you mean back on South Pike?”

“Yes.”

“I was drunk.”

“You sobered up pretty quick.”

“Well, that’s the odd thing. I kinda assumed you knew.”

Taniel peered more closely at the big Watchmaster. “What?”