Axis exchanged an amused glance with Maximilian. StarDrifter”s joy was infectious and
lightened both their moods.
“You may well have a goodly portion of your Strike Force back, Axis,” StarDrifter said.
“Not my Strike Force any longer,” Axis said. “They are yours, but…”
“But…?” StarDrifter said.
“BroadWing is a good man to place as Strike Leader, StarDrifter. If you were looking.”
StarDrifter smiled, and gave his son a nod. BroadWing had a new job.
“Georgdi,” Maximilian said, “I know you have been chafing at the bit to take your
soldiers and do what you can for the Outlands.”
“A million Isembaardians have invaded my homelands, Maxel,” Georgdi said, “and
refugees must be continuing to pour through the Salamaan Pass. Yes, I am chafing.”
“I think that every sword shall be needed over the coming months,” Maximilian said. “I
know you want to leave…” He paused. “Georgdi, do you have trusted and capable lieutenants
among your men?”
“All my men are trusted and capable,” Georgdi said. “It is our strength.”
“Good,” said Maximilian. “Leaving aside for the moment the problem of the half a
million or so Isembaardian soldiers, there is something we can do about the settlers and refugees.
Georgdi, can you spare men enough to start to organize the Isembaardian civilians into convoys west?”
Georgdi nodded, but raised his eyebrows. “West?”
“I do not think the Outlands is going to be the safest place for them,” Maximilian said.
“The Central Kingdoms can absorb them—if you will excuse my bluntness—far better now that
the Skraelings have emptied half of their populations.”
“You might also like to think about evacuating the Outlanders,” Axis said quietly.
“Whatever comes up from the south is almost certain to come through the Salamaan Pass,
and—”
“The Outlanders will stay to protect their land,” Georgdi said. “We are all born with
swords in our hands.” He drained the last of his ale, then poured himself some more. “I”ll send
men out in the morning to do what they can with the Isembaardian settlers and refugees,
Maximilian. They will do what you need.”
Maximilian bowed his head in thanks.
“And me?” Georgdi said. “My family are in Margalit, and—”
“You will prove more useful to me here,” Maximilian said, very quietly. “I beg you to
stay, Georgdi.”
“Doing what?” Georgdi said. “Shepherding ever more resentful Isembaardian soldiers
along the road to Elcho Falling? Frankly, Maxel, you could have done more yesterday to rally
them to your cause.”
Axis sent Maximilian another significant glance.
“I decided not to try and force them to my cause,” Maximilian said, then told Georgdi
and StarDrifter about his policy of allowing the gigantic force to fracture along its fault lines.
“I can never hold it together,” Maximilian said, “and it would be foolish of me to try.
What I wanted them to see yesterday was who I am, and where I go. Maybe one day they will
remember it, when they are cold and dark and hopeless.”
“That”s a risky policy,” StarDrifter said. “If this force does fracture, then it may turn to
bite you.”
“But not as hard as it might had I tried to force it to stay with me,” Maximilian said.
Georgdi was looking at Maximilian and grinning.
“What?” said Maximilian.
“I smell Outlander cunning about this,” said Georgdi.
Maximilian laughed. “And you are right. It was Ishbel who suggested the strategy to me.”
Georgdi was still smiling, but it had faded somewhat, and he regarded Maximilian with a
keen eye. “I hadn”t been very impressed with you, Maximilian Persimius, until this very
moment. That is a courageous course you plan…and a subtly brilliant one. What can I do for
you?”
“Join Axis in running a small errand for me,” Maximilian said.
“And that is?” Axis asked.
“The Lealfast are all over me,” said Maximilian, “professing loyalty and a long-held
desire to reside at Elcho Falling. But I don”t trust them, and I don”t yet believe in them. Axis,
Georgdi, I want you to test them a little. Take Eleanon and the twenty or so thousand he has with
him, and roam the plains of the Central Outlands. Look for the generals. I don”t think you”ll find
them, but I want you to test out the Lealfast. Give them some rope, and see what they do with it.”
Axis nodded. “Good. They are full of themselves and their fighting experience, but what
experience? Who have they fought before?”
“The Skraelings—” StarDrifter began.
“No. Not the Skraelings,” Axis said. “Eleanon told me this afternoon they have never,
and will never, raise sword nor fire arrow against the Skraelings.”
“Why not?” said StarDrifter as everyone else gaped at Axis.
“Because,” Axis said, “the Lealfast are half Skraeling, as we surmised. They loathe the
Skraelings and their connection to them, but they pity them, too. Eleanon said that the Lealfast
cannot touch the Skraelings.”
“Oh, for mercy”s sake,” StarDrifter murmured. “Of what use are they?”
“Did you believe that explanation, Axis?” Maximilian said.
Axis gave a small shrug.
“That”s what we need to discover,” said Maximilian. “Axis, Georgdi, will you ride out in
the morning?”
Axis and Georgdi exchanged a glance, and then both grinned and nodded. “It will be
good to ride out a-hunting again,” said Axis. “Georgdi, how many of your men can you bring?”
“A few hundred,” Georgdi said.
“With Axis gone,” said Maximilian, “I will need someone to act in his stead.”
“Ezekiel?” StarDrifter said, but Maximilian shook his head.
“No. Ezekiel is of little use to me. I think he is largely finished as someone who has any
influence within the Isembaardian army. Axis, who can I raise up from among the Isembaardians
to act as one of my senior lieutenants and as my conduit back into the Isembaardian army?”
“Insharah,” Axis said without hesitation. “He is relatively young, but he is respected. He
is also experienced, and, perhaps more importantly, he has a clear head atop his shoulders.
Insharah also had family who were left at Aqhat. The Isembaardians will know that, and will
trust him for it. Maxel, I do not know quite what you want from Insharah, but I think you will
find him a good advisor, and an honest one.”
“Thank you, Axis,” Maximilian said. “Insharah it shall be, then. Arrange for him to
attend me at dawn.”
When Axis finally left, he caught up with StarDrifter, who was almost back at his and
Salome”s tent.
“StarDrifter,” Axis said, “can I have a few minutes?”
StarDrifter nodded. “What is it?”
“This afternoon Eleanon showed me the origins of the Lealfast. I think you need to
know.”
StarDrifter looked into his son”s eyes and saw the pain there.
He nodded. “Come inside, then.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
On the Road to Serpent’s Nest
Ravenna?”
Maximilian walked a bit further into the night, away from the column. She was here. He
could feel it.
Ravenna?
He turned slightly to his left, sensing her in the night.
“Ravenna, talk to me.”
“Why? I had thought you tired of me. Embarrassed, perhaps. Have you taken Ishbel back
to your bed? Have you been that foolish?”
Maximilian walked very carefully toward her. She stood a little distance away, all
wrapped in blackness and reserve, only her pale face and gray eyes clearly visible in the night.
“Ishbel has nothing to do with this, Ravenna.”
“She has everything to do with it! Maxel, she will destroy you, and—”
“And Elcho Falling and this land. Yes, I have heard it all before, Ravenna.”
“And yet you ignore it. Dear gods, Maxel, what else can I say? What can I do to make
you understand?”
“Are you aiding the generals, Ravenna?”
Everything about her closed off from him. Maximilian could almost feel her shrink back
into the night.
“It is not me, Maximilian.”
“It stinks of your power, Ravenna.”
She didn”t say anything.
“How did we come to this, Ravenna?”
Again she did not reply.
“Ravenna,” Maximilian said, “don”t turn me into your enemy. Please, you saved my life
once. You were my friend. Don”t now turn against me.”
“I am carrying your child, Maximilian.”
“Don”t use that to manipulate me!” Maximilian said. He took a deep breath, quelling his
anger. “Damn it, Ravenna, that child is the only thing keeping you safe in this column right
now!”
“This child,” Ravenna said, “is the only thing keeping Elcho Falling safe right now.”
“That child,” Maximilian ground out, “was a mistake. Everything about us and between
us was a mistake, Ravenna.”
As soon as the words were out Maximilian wished he had not said them. It was, he
thought, too stark a truth for either of them to bear right now.
But he had no chance to take the words back, or to moderate them. Ravenna sent him a
hard, brilliant-eyed look and then she was gone.
“Do you remember, Maximilian Persimius, what happened in the mine that day you
battled Cavor?”
Maximilian whipped about. He”d stood a few minutes after Ravenna had left, wondering