“You look rested.” General Ru sent Luc a laughing glance as they rode together.
Massi and Dak were on his right, and Kurvin and Fervanti were on the general’s left, ready to discuss the most likely Kassian points of attack.
“I got a quiet night,” Luc said, with a straight face.
General Ru’s quick look made him wonder if she somehow knew something about Ava’s working a sound dampening spell into his tent.
He would have to ask Ava if there was a chance of that.
“Good.” She gestured with her hand. “So what do we have?”
Kurvin leaned forward. “Dak and I looked at frontal attacks, and we think our approach to the Bartolo River is the most likely place for that. The map marks it as open plain, so it would be difficult for them to hide the size force they’d need to take us on in an ambush.”
“However, an ambush would be much easier once we’re all across the river, because we’d have to go through thick forest. They’d be wise to wait until we had all just gotten across, and then attack when we have no place to retreat except back into the water.” Massi seemed calm, almost serene this morning.
Luc had thrown her cup into the fire for her last night. They had stood together and eventually Luc had had to tug it from her grasp.
He thought he saw a brief flare of green flame as it burned, but he couldn’t say if that was his imagination or not.
“So the Bartolo River is the place?” The pace of the column meant it was easy to hold this talk on the move. He unrolled a map and leaned across so the general could look at it as well.
“I agree it’s very likely, but they’ll know we’ll know that.” General Ru studied the topography. “What’s the most unlikely place?”
A lively conversation began, and Luc was pleased to see the way the lieutenants interacted with each other.
There was respect on both sides.
A call from the Venyatux side silenced everyone, though, and Luc saw it was Ava’s friend, Deni, warning them of someone’s approach.
The Skäddar rode up. He had a scarf around his neck that matched the markings on his face, and something about the style made him think that Ava had done it.
“Kikir.” Fervanti nodded in warm greeting.
Luc had forgotten about the Skäddar. He knew the man had traveled with the Venyatu column in order to speak with him, but so much had happened in the time since he’d scooped Ava up after finding her sparring with him, he hadn’t given the man a thought.
Obviously, the Skäddar warrior had been using his time to make friends amongst the Venyatu.
“If you are discussing the Kassian attack that is to come, I would like to be included in the discussion.”
“I thought you wanted to return home as soon as possible.” The general turned on her horse.
“I was waiting to speak with the Commander.” Kikir nodded toward Luc. “But now I think it would make sense for me to continue on with you for a little while longer. I think I’ve learned a lot that would be useful to the Skäddar Collective.”
Luc glanced over at General Ru, happy to allow her to make the decision.
“We accept.” The general inclined her head. “We are talking about places where the Kassian army may try to intercept us on the way to Fernwell. What are your thoughts?”
Kikir held out his hand for the map, and Luc passed it to him.
They had to trust potential allies. It was how he’d got both the Venyatux and the Funabi to join the Rising Wave. His decision to trust others was also how the Kassian had managed to capture him, but even that had led to him meeting Ava.
So, on balance, it had always worked out for him.
And if the Skäddar wanted to be part of the Rising Wave, he would be pleased to let them in.
They could rise up and crash over Fernwell together.
“Shouldn’t you be up there, plotting?” Kali waved a wrinkled hand at Luc, the general, and their lieutenants up ahead, heads close together.
Ava noticed Kikir had been invited to join in, and hoped it was a sign the Skäddar were going to become part of the Rising Wave.
“No. I’m not senior enough.” She lifted her knitting and made sure her yarn was secure. You only had to drop a ball of yarn once from horseback to make sure you never did it again. She had forgotten her knitting at the fireside last night, but when she woke in the morning, it had been neatly set just inside the outer part of Luc’s tent.
She had worked on the general’s scarf early this morning, before the tents were packed up, behind the shielding walls of canvas. She didn’t think it wise for her to be seen sewing with black thread anywhere in either column.
They were traveling slowly enough to make it possible to knit, though.
She and Kali had spent a happy time chatting about Cervantes embroidery motifs and knitting styles, and as people had overheard their conversations, they had joined in, talking about things specific to their region, or things their grandparents had done.
The heart’s song motif was something she was shown more than any other.
“A heart’s song is an outpouring of truth to your heart’s choice,” Kali explained. “And it can be in actual words, but it can also be shaped into a piece of jewelry or a garment, or even in a song, sung around the fire.”
The Funabi and Venyatu passing by also couldn’t help getting involved, talking about their own patterns and styles, as well as their versions of a heart song.
Her head was full of ideas by the time it came for lunch.
They were eating on the move today, trying to make up for the delays of the day before.
The trader caravan had been gone by the time the columns had started their lumbering movement and she wished them fair travels and a soft wind at their backs.
The leaders up ahead broke away from each other, the general and her lieutenants peeling left toward the Venyatu column, Luc, Massi and Dak wheeling their horses right.
Kikir followed the Venyatux, and Ava realized the Skäddar warrior had embedded himself well into the column. He barely raised a brow now, despite the markings on his face and his shorter, sturdier mount.
Kali had drifted off to get lunch, and Ava reached into her saddlebag to pull out the pie the cooks had handed out this morning at breakfast, made from yesterday’s leftovers.
“Wait.” Luc had doubled back, coming from behind her, and his hand clamped down on hers. “Will you follow me?”
She nodded, and he led them out of the Rising Wave and into the strip of neutral space between the two columns.
He slowed until they were in the middle section, where the carts and large wagons lumbered, protected from attack by the front soldiers and the rear guard. Then he leaned over and kissed her, holding her face in his hands and exploring her mouth.
When at last he leaned back, his eyes were crinkled in the corners. “I didn’t want a large audience for that, but I have been thinking about it all day.”
Ava looked around, and gave a laugh. “I’m afraid you misjudged the interest in us from the cart drivers.”
He followed her gaze, to the waving drivers.
Whistles came from behind them, and when Ava looked back, the rear guard from both sides gave cheeky waves.
“Ah, well.” Luc leaned forward and kissed her lightly again. “I tried.” He unhooked a small basket from his saddle. “The cooks gave me this.” He held out a small wild strawberry, and touched it to her lips.