superior, but as a friend?” said Will.
“Certainly.”
“Might I have a minute alone with your squire?”
Captain Barrentine nodded then left, and as soon as the three of them were alone Will stood and embraced his long-time friend. “I miss marching with you, Tiny.”
“So march! None of the regulations forbid you from doing whatever you want,” answered the big man. He waved a hand before Will could become defensive. “I’m joking. I know it wouldn’t do for you to fraternize.” Then he sized Will up and down for a moment. “Do you have something special up your sleeve?”
“What do you mean?” asked Will.
“To keep you alive. You know I’ll be running as fast as my legs will carry me, but I’m not a sprinter. You’re going to be all alone for what will seem like several lifetimes until we get there.”
“Darla will be with him,” reminded Laina. “You know how formidable she is.”
Tiny shook his head. “No disrespect, but lethal though she may be, in a heavy press of armored bodies, she’ll be easily swept away.”
Laina looked the squire up and down, then responded, “Even as wide as your shoulders are, if it was you instead, you’d still be just one man.” Then she looked at Will. “I think you’re insane and I wish you wouldn’t do this, but if anyone should be there, it should be me. I did promise to protect you after all.”
“We’d be discovered,” Will pointed out, as he had several times over during their previous discussions. “Otherwise I’d have all of you and Barrentine’s entire company with me as well, but it just wouldn’t work. Just stay close to Tiny and you’ll reach me as soon as anyone does.”
They bantered for another minute or two, then Tiny straightened. “I’d better take my leave. I’m sure the captain is waiting for me.” Another big embrace, and then he was gone.
Lieutenant Renly stepped in a moment later. “Are you ready for Commander Spry?”
Spry was leading Second Division, so his role would be just as pivotal for Will’s plans. “Send him in.” Mentally, he ran through the list of officers he’d spoken to, and those he had yet to brief. It would be a long evening. Before Renly could step out, Will added, “I’m supposed to meet with Scholar Sundy after Commander Spry, but send her in with him. They’ll need to coordinate anyway, so I should meet them together.”
Chapter 28
That night Will checked on Selene again and was relieved to see she had recovered, though she still looked tired. He spied on Lustral after that, but didn’t manage to catch the man meeting with anyone dubious or writing out incriminating messages. Once again, Will went to bed late, and unfortunately, he was awakened early.
“What time is it?” he croaked groggily as his eyes focused on Lieutenant Renly.
“Dawn is an hour away.”
He scowled at his dutiful subordinate. “We aren’t attacking at dawn. Why are you getting me up?”
“The pickets on the other side of the river are reporting activity.”
Will sat up, his heart speeding up. “What kind of activity?”
“They think it’s the forward scouts of the Darrowan relief forces.”
“Oh.” Will took a deep breath. Forward scouts meant they probably had another day, possibly two before the Patriarch’s forces could attack. They’d have to make camp, reorganize, and get in position first. “See if Scholar Sundy is in her tent. If she’s asleep, don’t wake her. She had a long night, but if she hasn’t slept yet tell her to report to me.”
Renly nodded. “I’ll send a runner.”
His stomach made its needs known, so Will added, “And have someone send breakfast my way.”
Scholar Sundy arrived at almost the same time the food did, so Will offered to split it with her.
“No, thanks.” The senior researcher from Wurthaven looked tired. “I’ll eat after I sleep.”
“How did it go? Did they finish?” asked Will. “There’s signs of the enemy on the other side of the river already.”
“We need more time. We could finish it now, but…”
He waved his hand. “No, you need sleep. Besides, if you work during the daytime it’s too easy to spot. I don’t think they’ll come at us until tomorrow at the earliest.”
“If I might take my leave then?”
Will nodded and returned his attention to his breakfast. Laina appeared a few minutes later. “Eating without me?”
“I figured you’d appreciate sleep more,” he replied.
His sister’s face was sour. “Darla decided you might be about to do something foolish, so she woke me early.”
“Then you need to eat.” Will offered her