Soldiers Live

38

The Taglian Territories: The Dandha Presh

We were high in the pass through the Dandha Presh when the news arrived. The grinding weariness dragging my ancient bones down slipped my mind. I was at the head of the column. I stopped walking, moved aside, watched all the tired mules and men trudge past. Man and animal, we hoped the main force had not stripped Charandaprash of food and fodder.

The Voroshk had sunk deep into exhaustion and despair. Tobo traveled with them, talking all the time, trying to teach them through their pain and apathy. The kids had not had to walk anywhere ever before.

Their flying logs followed right behind.

Lady finally came up. I joined her. I sensed that rumor had reached her already, even though nobody seemed to have any breath to waste on conversation. Rumor is magical, maybe even supernatural.

I told her anyway. "Runmust and Iqbal have captured Narayan and Booboo. They never stopped heading our way after Soulcatcher left off chasing them."

"I heard."

"You as nervous as I am?"

"Probably more." We trudged along for a while. Then she said, "I never got a chance to be a mother. I never got a chance to learn how. After Narayan kidnapped her I just went back to being me."

"I know. I know. We have to keep reminding ourselves not to get emotionally entangled in this. She isn't going to think of us as Mom and Dad."

"I don't want her to hate us. And I know she will. Being the Daughter of Night is her whole life."

I thought about that. Eventually, I told her, "Being the Lady of Charm was your whole life once upon a time. But here you are."

"Here I am." Her lack of enthusiasm would have disheartened a lesser man than I.

She—and I—were of an age now where we spent too much time wondering how things might have gone had we made a few different choices.

I had plenty of regrets. I am sure she had more. She gave up so much more.

Willow Swan went puffing past with some remark about old folks slowing everybody down. I asked, "You guys keeping an eye on Goblin?"

"He don't fart without we don't know about it."

"That goes without saying. The whole countryside knows."

"He's not getting away with anything, Croaker."

I was not confident about that. Goblin was a slick little bastard. If I had the time I would stay right beside him myself, step for step.

Lady said, "Goblin hasn't done anything suspicious."

"I know. But he will."

"And that attitude is beginning to win him some sympathy. I thought you ought to know."

"I know. But I can't help recalling One-Eye's warning, either."

"You noted yourself that One-Eye would try to get his last lick in from beyond the grave."

"Yeah. Yeah. I'll try to take it easier."

"We need to move a little faster." The rear guard was almost up to us.

"We could lag behind and sneak off into the rocks for a while."

"Maybe you're not as worn out as you thought, then. Get a move on." And after a moment, "We'll talk about that tonight."

Some motivation, then.