water, which was crowded with people. Children and old people were there, even babies. Mothers were crying. People were searching for their families. And, above them all, the white smoke hung, moving after them, but it couldn’t get the people in the water. Licks of smoke came down, but people splashed the water and the cloud moved up higher.
“Stand on the bottom! Here, where it’s not so deep!” Rashford shouted. “And keep splashing!”
Everyone joined him. Thousands splashing and shouting together, and the cloud of smoke rose higher. The crowd shouted and cheered. Someone threw a wet shirt into the cloud, and it fizzed and hissed before falling back into the sea, and the cloud rose higher still, as if it had given up on them. It rose higher and higher, and then it drifted over the hills and was lost in the brightness of the sun.
Edyon and March waded onto the beach, which was packed with people. Many wouldn’t stray far from the water’s edge, saying they’d stay there all day and all night, until they were sure the smoke wasn’t going to return.
Edyon embraced March, and March put his head on Edyon’s shoulder. “Are we safe, do you think?” Edyon asked.
“I’ve no idea. I think all the smoke has burned off. The entire boy army had it in them or in the bottles. They’re gone—or powerless. Just ordinary boys now.”
“So . . . am I in charge?”
March laughed a little against Edyon’s shoulder. “Quite possibly.”
CATHERINE
NORTHERN PITORIA
Never surrender, at least never in your heart.
Queen Valeria of Illast
CATHERINE AND Ambrose were taken on horseback to Aloysius. The boys didn’t bother restraining them. They knew their prisoners could never outrun or outfight them. Catherine was stunned, partly from the blow she’d received and her bloody and broken nose, but also because of Ambrose.
How was he here? He was meant to be in the demon world. He must be here to help her, but why was he talking to the boys about smoke?
“Listen to me—you need to take the smoke from her. She may try to attack the king.” Nobody responded. “Noyes will burn with fury when he hears about my treatment,” Ambrose continued. “You’d better pray he’s in a forgiving mood.”
“Shut it,” Gaskett replied.
“I know you’re keen to show loyalty, boy. But I’ve just come from the demon world. My men have had great success. But something’s happening there—something big. It’s urgent.”
“And you can tell Noyes soon enough. But for now will you just shut up?” Gaskett replied.
Catherine’s mind was fuzzy. Why was Ambrose staring at her so meaningfully? He was trying to send her a message, that much seemed clear, but what?
I’ve just come from the demon world . . . My men have had great success . . .
Did that mean they had destroyed the supply of smoke? Surely not. These boys were proof that Aloysius had plenty of smoke for his boy army.
Something’s happening there—something big . . .
It was impossible to tell what he meant. She could see his fingers twitching, as if he wanted to sign her a message, but they were being too closely watched.
They rode back through Catherine’s destroyed camp, the ground littered with dead white-hairs. She had a vague hope that her message to Ffyn had somehow got through, and he might come to her rescue, but from the top of the hill she saw that the main battle was raging far to the west. Ahead, the plain was clear all the way to the Brigantine army. Had Ffyn’s forces been overcome too?
They rode on, joined by more and more boys, all heading toward Aloysius’s pennant, which was flying above a huge unit of armored horses. Catherine was relieved to see a cluster of white-haired prisoners on their knees; not all her men had been slaughtered.
Then she saw him. Her father. And that old, cold fear swept through her.
Aloysius was dressed in red and black with a black breast-plate. Beside him was another figure she recognized: Noyes.
The boys pulled Catherine from her horse and took hold of her arms, as if to ensure the king saw that it was them who had caught her. As she was brought forward, her father actually smiled and Noyes clapped slowly.
Noyes spoke first. “Boys, boys, boys. You have exceeded my expectations. Two for the price of one.” He came closer, as if to check it was really them. “Sir Ambrose Norwend. And Princess Catherine.”
“Queen Catherine.”
Noyes chuckled. “Not for much longer.” He ran his finger from her shoulder to