Beltur doubted that Gaermyn had been that vague, but only replied, “He probably was referring to any attack we make.”
“Why would we attack? They outnumber us.”
“Because we’ll have to fight them sooner or later. If we attack first, and they don’t expect it, we can gain an advantage. It also might slow them down.”
“I can’t believe I asked to be assigned to a reconnaissance company.”
“Why did you?” Beltur managed to keep his sense of wry amusement out of his voice.
“Because Rhyana and Aliza thought I’d distinguish myself better there.”
“You’ve told me about Rhyana, but you haven’t mentioned Aliza.”
“Aliza’s my sister. She’s going to be consorted to the elder son of Trader Chaeltyn once this unpleasantness is over.”
Beltur was very glad it was dark enough that Zandyr didn’t pick up on his momentary shock at Chaeltyn’s name. Are all the traders’ offspring like that?
At that moment, Laugreth appeared. “Time to mount up. The Gallosians are forming up and look to be headed toward us. Beltur, you’ll be with me and Second Squad. Zandyr, you and Third Squad will withdraw with the rest of the company to the second ambush position. Undercaptain Gaermyn will fill you in on what you’re to do.”
Beltur was more than glad that he’d already arranged his gear and saddled Slowpoke before breakfast.
Zandyr did not move.
After a moment, Laugreth said firmly, “Undercaptain Zandyr, you’d best see to your squad.”
“Yes, ser.” Zandyr turned and headed toward the tie-lines that held the horses.
“Beltur…?”
“Yes, ser?”
“I’ve been thinking. There’s not much chance of ambushing the Gallosians if that white mage can sense us. Can you keep a squad from being detected by their white mage?”
Beltur frowned, then said, “If they’re very close together and it’s not for more than a glass or two … I think I can. It’s not something I’ve done much.”
“Could you tell if he’s sensing us?”
“Maybe some mages can. I can’t. I can tell if the Gallosians change direction, though.”
“That should give us enough time to withdraw, then, if they do detect us.” Laugreth shook his head. “This is all new.”
Why? “You haven’t used mages before?”
“No. The Suthyans don’t like whites, and they don’t have that many blacks, and they didn’t use them. So the Council didn’t think it was necessary. Now … with the Gallosians having so many whites, without using black mages to counter their whites, even the Council had to admit that using mages was necessary. So I’ve been told.”
Beltur accepted what Laugreth said, even while he wondered why the Council had been so late to see the need. It wasn’t as though magery hadn’t been used in the past. That was how Nylan had defeated the Gallosians and Saryn the Black had become the first Tyrant of Sarronnyn.
“We’ll just have to get into position and see if you can make it work.”
“Yes, ser.” Beltur wasn’t looking forward to holding that sort of concealment, especially since he’d have to do it from the moment Second Squad rode away from the rest of the company.
Nearly half a glass later, Second Squad rode up the back side of a hill close to a kay east of where Second Recon had spent the night, guided through the darkness in part by Beltur. He didn’t feel more than a slight strain from holding the shield that blocked detection of order and chaos. He wasn’t holding a concealment, since there wasn’t any point in that yet and it would have tired him more. Even so, he still worried.
So did the captain.
Beltur could tell that when Laugreth asked for the third time since they’d set out, “Where are the Gallosians?”
“They’re now about a glass away. They seem to be on the road, and they have three scouts out ahead, two on foot and one mounted. The mounted scout is on the hilly side of the road, a bit farther away from the column than the other two.”
“They’re thinking about a possible ambush. We’ll have to loose arrows before they know we’re here. Otherwise, they’ll lift their shields overhead.”
“How effective will that be?”
“Too effective,” replied the captain dryly.
Beltur kept his senses searching. While there were tiny flickers of order and chaos from small creatures and possibly a fox, and farther away what might have been a mountain cat, the only concentration of order and chaos was that surrounding the oncoming Gallosians.
Beltur kept sensing and watching. He could see slightly more than he had been able to, but whether that was because dawn was nearing or because his eyes were getting more used to the darkness, he couldn’t tell.
The lead scout was still some three hundred yards away when Beltur said, “It’s time to raise a concealment. I can just barely see the mounted scout.”
“Do it.”
Darkness enfolded Second Squad.
Beltur murmured to the captain, “The lead scout is two hundred yards to the east … not coming up the slope … first rank about three hundred yards back from him…”
When the mounted scout rode past the concealed Squad Two, less than fifty yards below Beltur, Beltur managed not to give a sigh of relief … or to say anything until the rider was more than a hundred yards west of him. “… scout passed by … now a hundred yards west … first rank a little less than two hundred yards away…”
“Let me know when they’re abreast of us.”
“Yes, ser.”
Beltur found it hard to believe that they were so close to the Gallosians … and yet undiscovered. But when they do find out, their mage will be very close. Very close.
Finally, Beltur murmured, “The first mounted officers and the mage are riding past. Do you want me to drop the concealment now?”
“In a moment.”
Beltur wondered why Laugreth wanted to wait still longer, but said nothing, waiting … and waiting, until it seemed as though a good third of the Gallosian rankers had passed them.
“Drop it now.”
Beltur did. He immediately saw the long column of marchers, even the occasional glint of starlight on weapons or armor.
“Loose shafts! Now!”
Beltur still held the limited concealment to block the sensing of order and chaos.
The slightest hissing of arrows filled the air around Beltur as the rankers fired into the mass. Almost immediately, he could feel wound chaos from below, possibly some men who were dying, but that wasn’t certain.
With a blast of light, a chaos-bolt arched from the front of the Gallosian formation, angling toward Second Squad.
How did he know where we are? Beltur threw up his regular shield, in time for the chaos-fire to spray across the hillside some fifteen yards below the squad.
“Hold your shafts!” ordered Laugreth. “On me!” He turned his mount and headed southwest across the upper slope of the hill. Beltur had to use his boot heels to get Slowpoke to move faster and match the fast trot of the captain.
Even as Beltur deflected another firebolt, he kept wondering how the other mage had known where Second Squad had been. Except he didn’t know until after the first three or four volleys of arrows struck the column.
Laugreth led the squad over the back side of the slope before turning back onto a westward track.
Beltur didn’t have to deflect the last firebolt that dropped onto the north side of the hill behind where Second Squad was riding.
“What are they doing?” demanded the captain.
“They’ve halted, ser.”
“Good.” After several moments, Laugreth spoke again. “How did that wizard find out where we were?”
“I don’t think he sensed us … not exactly. That last firebolt wasn’t anywhere close. Maybe he saw us when I dropped the concealment.”
“He was well past us,” the captain pointed out.
Then how … Abruptly, Beltur understood. “He
sensed what wasn’t there.”
“What wasn’t there?”
“When I shielded our order and chaos from him—or any mage—that meant he couldn’t sense anything at all where we were. There’s always some background order and chaos from small animals and what’s in the grass. It’s very low, but it’s there. He started seeking out where there wasn’t anything at all and then aimed the first two firebolts there. But when we started moving he couldn’t figure that out quickly enough.” Beltur shook his head. Yet another thing he really hadn’t thought through. You just don’t have enough experience.
As the first hint of dawn seeped up from the east, Laugreth asked, “Do you have any idea what sort of casualties they took?”
“No, ser. I do know that a number of the arrows hit their armsmen.”
“It sounds like their mage will detect another attack like this.”
“He might not. Not if you put the squad just over the top of a hill out of direct sight. He wouldn’t be able to sense that there wasn’t anything there because there would be background chaos and order in front of us and behind us, and the absence of order and chaos wouldn’t stand out the way it did on an open hillside. It would be very hard to find us—until the men moved to the hilltop and loosed shafts.”
After a moment, Laugreth said, “We might as well try.”
As Second Squad moved west along the back side of the hills, the faint gray light on the eastern horizon began to strengthen. After the squad had ridden close to another kay, the captain positioned the squad just below the south side of a hill with enough of a curve that the squad couldn’t be seen from either the road or farther east. Then he turned to Beltur. “Can you keep us concealed until they get here?”
“Keeping the white wizard from sensing us shouldn’t be that hard. Holding a visual concealment once they or their scouts get close enough to see us will be harder, but I can do that.” You think.
“Have they resumed their march?”
“They have. They’re about half a kay north now.”
Laugreth nodded. “It looks like they’re moving to be in position for an attack on Elparta or on our forces outside the city. Let me know when their scouts are within a few hundred yards.”
“Yes, ser.”
Just about the time the white disk of the sun had cleared the horizon, Beltur again turned to the captain. “The Gallosian scouts are about two hundred yards north. The mounted scout is high enough on the slope above the road that he’ll be able to see us soon if I don’t raise the concealment.”
“Raise it.”
Darkness replaced the dim light around Squad Two.
“We don’t want to attack until the middle of the column is below us. That should make it harder for them.”
“Yes, ser.” Beltur could feel that his shoulders were tight, and that his head was beginning to ache. You can do this. They’re only a few hundred yards away. He shrugged several times, trying to loosen the tightness, even as he tracked the oncoming Gallosians and the white mage. Each moment that passed felt like a glass. That was the way it seemed, anyway, but the mounted scout passed without noticing the Spidlarian force, and eventually Beltur could say, “The middle of the column is almost even with us.”
“Drop the concealment,” ordered the captain quietly.
Beltur did, and the early sunlight flooded over the squad. He had to blink several times before his eyes adjusted to what seemed like a harsh glare.
“Squad! Bows ready! Forward!”
As soon as the rankers reached the crest of the hill, Laugreth first ordered, “Halt!” and then, after just a hint of a pause, “Loose shafts!”
The first arrows had barely struck the second company of infantry when a chaos-bolt flared directly toward the squad. Beltur deflected it, but noted that some of the Gallosians had already lifted their shields in an effort to block the shafts that sheeted down on them.
A second chaos-bolt followed the first.
Beltur felt the strain on his shields as he managed to block it.
“Withdraw! On me!”
Beltur managed to keep Slowpoke beside the captain as Laugreth led the squad over the top of the hill and then toward the southwest. At that moment, another chaos-bolt slammed into Beltur’s shields with enough force that it rocked him in the saddle, and a wave of pain needles ripped through him. Yet, at the same time, Beltur had the feeling that the last firebolt hadn’t been nearly as strong as the ones before.
Good thing it wasn’t. His shield against direct chaos was gone, and he could barely hold on to the blocking shield as the squad continued, slowly moving away from the Gallosians, who had barely slowed after the second attack, although Beltur had sensed wound chaos among the armsmen, until he’d had to deflect the last chaos-bolt, after which he wasn’t able to sense much of anything. Even his vision was blurred, as flashes of light flickered before his eyes, and he was definitely feeling very light-headed. He swallowed to force down the bile in his throat, and he seemed to be having trouble hearing because what Laugreth was saying seemed both far and distant, and some words were missing.
“… you … right…? Undercaptain!”
“Sorry, ser. I don’t think I can do any more for a while.”
“That’s probably for the best. I doubt we could get away with a third attack, anyway.”
Beltur finally had to drop even the chaos/order-blocking shield. “I can’t hold any shields right now.”
“We definitely aren’t trying a third attack.”
Beltur would have sighed, except it was taking all his effort and strength even to stay in the saddle.
Second Squad caught up with the rest of Second Recon sometime just before eighth glass. The rest of the company was halted, but whether that had been planned or Gaermyn had just ordered a stop to rest the mounts, Beltur didn’t know, and the captain didn’t say.
Instead, as soon as Second Squad reined up, Laugreth turned and said, “Squad Leader, send a ranker to get a water bottle full of ale for Undercaptain Beltur.”
Chaeryn must have looked askance, because Laugreth added, “Blocking all those firebolts exhausted him, and we just might need his shields again before long.”
“Yes, ser.”
As a rider headed toward the single supply wagon, Gaermyn rode to meet the captain, then reined up beside him. “How did it go?”
“There are two companies of heavy infantry. They’re well-disciplined, and they have a white wizard. We inflicted casualties, but how many we couldn’t remain to determine. Beltur kept the white mage from seeing us until we loosed shafts from the hills overlooking the road, but after that, the mage was quick to throw firebolts at us. They’re good enough with their shields that an archery attack, even by the whole company, won’t stop them.”
“Do they have pikes?”
“No. They’ve got the straight-swords that are longer than a sabre, though. I could see that.”
“If … if we have to stop them, the only thing that might break their formation is a charge, but that would cost us…” Gaermyn broke off.
Beltur listened, but he had trouble concentrating and following the words.
“They don’t have any supply wagons,” said Laugreth. “If they’re not planning on attacking, they’ll have to start foraging.”
“That won’t be as hard on the herders as it might be. Most of the flocks are still north.”
“It’ll be hard enough. Have there been any messages?”
“Just one. We’re supposed to delay the Gallosians as much as we can without taking excessive casualties.”
The captain snorted. “That’s helpful.”
“What else could the majer say?”
At that moment, the ranker returned and handed a water bottle to Beltur. “Ser.” For a moment, he paused, then added, “Begging your pardon, ser, you’d best drink some of this.”
Beltur realized he hadn’t even reached for the water bottle. “Thank you.” He extended a hand and took it, then carefully pulled the c
ork and took a small swallow.
After drinking, if slowly at first, the entire bottle of ale, Beltur could at least see straight, and the light-headedness was gone, although he’d scarcely heard any of what else had passed between Laugreth and Gaermyn.
“Did that help?” asked Laugreth.
“Yes, ser. But I can still only sense about half as far. I might be able to block one of those chaos-bolts right now.”
“Do you think their white wizard feels the same way?”
“Ah … his last chaos-bolt wasn’t as strong as the others, but other than that, I couldn’t say.”
“That’s something. It suggests that he can’t throw chaos all day.” The captain glanced back over his shoulder, looking east at the hill road, then turned back to Beltur. “Can you sense the Gallosians?”
“No, ser, but I can only sense about a kay right now.”
“What about our scouts?” asked Laugreth.
“Second Squad is all they’ve seen so far,” replied Gaermyn, “but foot don’t raise dust the way a mounted company does.”
Laugreth turned back to the older undercaptain. “We’ll rest our horses for just a bit longer, and then we’ll withdraw for another kay and take stock. There’s a taller hill about that far, and we’ll be able to see all the eastern approaches to Elparta from there. We’ll send a report to the majer once we’re in position.”
“That’s only two kays from the piers,” Gaermyn pointed out.
“That’s close enough that we can request reinforcements if we need to.”
Beltur understood what Laugreth hadn’t said—that the captain didn’t see much point in losing lightly armed recon troopers against heavy infantry.
“There’s one other thing,” Laugreth added, turning back to Beltur. “We’ll need to make sure you have extra ale from here on. We’re going to need your shields.”
Beltur nodded, just hoping he didn’t have to do much of anything soon.
LIX
By noon on threeday, Second Recon was in position on the hill that Laugreth had described, only about a kay east of the river road. Beltur realized that he could actually see the lower hills on the south side of the road to Axalt, the same hills that backed Jorhan’s smithy, slightly more than a kay to the north.
The Mongrel Mage Page 54