they all looked to me when it came to a coordination of efforts. I had seniority by several years. “Send ahead scouts to better assess their targets. Make it quick. Sitting out here like this is asking for trouble.”
She nodded and mentally communed the message.
I turned to give Hamath the order, but he had already ducked off toward our objective.
Ira, Dekar, and a few others sat against the cypress, closing their eyes. I wished again for the ability to relax as they did. I could have used a few minutes of it. Since I never had gotten the hang of grabbing sleep when I could get it, first watch naturally fell to me and the others in my unit too anxious to sleep.
My hands fidgeted while I scanned the swamp.
Water lilies sat in the low water behind us while cattails bordered the embankment. I lingered there a moment longer just to ensure nothing human or animal lay in wait. Satisfied, my gaze left the embankment and rested on my sister. Her eyes remained closed, as if in communication with the other units. I knew her too well to believe that. She couldn’t stand the other mages and kept contact to a minimum. Their feelings were mutual. No one outside of our unit ever spoke to her. Actually, few in our unit did either unless they had to. Only me, Hamath, and Dekar even liked her.
My sister was that kind of person.
I decided against calling her ruse since I knew she was still aggravated with me from our earlier conversation. Now wasn’t the time or place to revisit it.
Ava’s eyes popped open. “Hamath’s back.”
A twig snapped, and Hamath appeared from the darkness half a breath later.
Ira cursed in a hushed whisper. “Prax be blessed, I hope your lazy rear did a better job of staying quiet when you were out there.”
Hamath glared in Ira’s direction. “Don’t get all worked up. I heard Ava announce me. Ain’t no one around here anyway. I checked.”
He settled next to me.
“Well?” I asked.
“It matches the reports that Balak gave you. Communication post. Ten men stationed there. Three horses.” He picked up a couple of sticks, using them to represent the men and animals he saw. He pointed with his finger. “Two of them are hiding here in a covered ditch. Almost missed them at first. Both have crossbows aimed right at where we’d have to come at them. First couple men who hit that opening will be easy targets.”
“I’ll take care of them,” said Ava.
I shook my head. “No sorcery. Tell the other units the same.”
“It won’t take but a second. If this is because of what happened earlier—”
“You know me better than that,” I snapped, aggravated that she’d even suggest such a thing. “When would I ever purposefully risk the lives of others just to get back at you?”
Her tone softened. “You’re right. Sorry.”
I waved a hand. “I’m over it. I know it might only take you a second to take those two out, probably all eight of them actually. But a second is more than enough time to draw unwanted attention our way. We don’t have the resources or the time to deal with someone powerful who might be watching. This is only the first target. You’ll get your chance before all is said and done.” I cleared my throat. “Tell the other units to wait as long as they can before employing sorcery and under no circumstances are they to do it now.”
She closed her eyes.
“What’s the plan?” asked Dekar.
“You and Ira split the rest of the men into teams minus me, Hamath, and Ava. Ira has the right. You the left. Ava will stay behind and cover us.”
“And us?” asked Hamath.
“We go after the two with the crossbows. It will make it easier for Ira and Dekar.”
“I told you we’re going to be good as dead once we hit the clearing.”
I pointed behind a couple of the larger pebbles he used to mark the post. “We’re going to skirt back around this way.”
“Nothing but brush, Tyrus. We don’t have time to get through that without making all kinds of noise. That’s why I didn’t suggest it. We just as soon hit the opening and hope those two are bad shots.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got it all worked out.”
* * *
Hamath and I got a head start on the others. I told Ira and Dekar not to move until after Ava received word that all other units had checked in. I figured that