‘Done with training,’ said Greylock. He let his horse crop grass at the roadside as he sat with Erik. ‘Next time we’re up here, we’ll be doing it for real.’
Erik said, ‘I’ve wished a thousand times for a few more days, a week, anything, to get these men into better shape.’
‘You’ve done wonders,’ said Greylock. ‘Honestly, I can’t imagine anyone could have gotten more from the men than you did, Erik. Not Calis, not Bobby de Loungville.’
‘Thanks for that, Owen.’ Erik sighed. ‘I still worry that it’s not enough.’
‘That hardly makes you unique, my young friend.’
‘Has Lord William told you what we’re going to do?’
‘Yes,’ said Greylock. He nodded back up the road. ‘At least our part of it. I can guess the rest.’
‘We’re going to lose Krondor, aren’t we?’
‘Probably,’ said Greylock. ‘You’ve seen what happens to cities that resist the Queen, but we’ve got to hold her at Krondor long enough so she gets into the mountains late.’
Erik looked up at the high, pale blue sky streaked with faint clouds far above. ‘If this weather holds, it could be a long summer.’
Greylock sighed. ‘I know. Prince Patrick has had some magicians with weather sight trying to gauge that, and they all say a long summer is likely.’
Erik said, ‘I keep wondering about those magicians. The Queen uses them. Why don’t we?’
Owen smiled. ‘I expect we’ll have a few magical surprises in store for them. But do you remember Nakor’s explanation of why you don’t use magicians in warfare? He repeated it often enough.’
Erik laughed. ‘Yes, I remember, “First magician throws spell in battle, then second magician throws counterspell, then third magician tries to help first magician, and fourth magician tries to aid second, then army shows up and chops them all while they’re throwing magic around”, ‘ he mimicked.
Greylock laughed. ‘You do a terrible impression of Nakor.’
Erik shrugged. ‘But the point is, if we don’t do something to counter her magicians we let them have a terrible advantage.’
Greylock stood. ‘Ah, my bones are getting too old for all this riding over the countryside.’ As he pulled his horse away from the grass at the roadside, he made a display of being old. Erik laughed. Greylock put the reins over the horse’s head, then set foot into stirrup and mounted. Once in the saddle, he said, ‘Erik, the more you talk, the more you sound like a Knight-General instead of a Sergeant Major. So don’t be asking those sorts of questions around the Prince, or he might promote you.’
Erik laughed. ‘In other words, keep my mouth shut.’
‘As I said,’ continued Greylock. ‘The Prince has some surprises up his sleeve, I’m sure.’
Erik mounted. ‘I’ll see you when I get the men back to the city.’
‘Good,’ said Greylock. ‘Oh, and one other thing.’
‘What?’
‘The local commanders are being called in for a last-minute council. The cover story is they’re coming in to celebrate Banapis with the Prince, but we know why. So that means de Beswick will be in Krondor.’
‘I’ll keep my eyes open.’
‘Good. The festival in Krondor is nothing like what you’re used to.’
Erik nodded. Since coming to the Prince’s service, he had managed to be out of the city every Banapis. He had never seen the city celebrate the Midsummer’s festival. ‘I’ll try not to get too distracted.’
Erik rode back toward where his men should be mustering. He hadn’t encountered de Beswick since leading this second company into the mountains. But the suspicion that he could be one of Mathilda von Darkmoor’s agents was not lost on Erik. Besides, Erik had four reasons to keep an eye on the man even if he wasn’t.
Erik stood stiffly at the rear of the room, the only non-titled non-officer in the room. Captains Calis and Greylock, the only men he knew well, were across the room with Knight-Marshal William, the Duke of Krondor, and the Prince, the only other men he recognized.
He was familiar with some of the others, members of the Prince’s Court, officers of the palace, local nobles, though he had spoken to only a few of them, on rare occasions. He knew within an hour or so, he’d be dismissed and he could squeeze out some personal time before having to get back to the orders that were sure to be waiting for him.
Patrick stood. ‘My lords, and gentlemen. I’m pleased to see you all in attendance. You will be given a full briefing in select groups. It’s no secret a hostile army is heading our way, and we’ve spent the last several months in preparation for this coming invasion.
‘Some of you know a great deal more than others, and for reasons of state security, I command you not to speculate among yourselves or share information. Assume that the man next to you is as knowledgeable as you, or more or less, and cannot give you any more information than you already have, so don’t ask questions.’