Page 119 of The Infernal Battalion

Winter nodded slowly. Alex, crouching beside her, peered at her a little closer.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” she said. “Abraham, do you want to take a look at her?”

“She’s exhausted,” Abraham said. “Leave her alone, Alex.”

“I’m fine,” Winter said. She unfolded her fingers from the tin cup of soup with some effort and took a sip. It was thin, but wonderfully warm. “Just... cold.”

Alex nodded. Abraham clapped her on the shoulder, and they moved off, talking quietly. Winter stared into the depths of the fire, watching the logs slowly crumble, until she heard a soft grunt and looked up to find Lieutenant Dobraev sitting nearby.

“Your friend is quite the healer,” he said. “He tended several men I had despaired of, and they all seem much improved.”

Winter nodded. “He’s... very experienced.”

“Such wisdom in a man so young.” Dobraev shook his head. “I do not pretend to understand you, Winter Ihernglass, or what happened here. I am not sure I ever will. Are you truly a general?”

She nodded.

“In what army?”

Winter didn’t think she could lie to him at this point. “Vordanai.”

“I guessed as much. The famous Girls’ Only division.”

Correcting him seemed pedantic, so Winter only nodded again.

Dobraev shifted, holding his hands up to the fire. “No need to tell anyone else, I think. I am not even sure if we are still at war with you. I have heard rumors... of many things. When we reach Dimiotsk, I will report to the colonel there for orders. I imagine you’ll have time to slip away before then.”

“Thank you,” Winter said.

“It would be poor form to turn you in after you saved my life, and the lives of my entire command.”

“Some of your command,” Winter said.

“True. But without your warning, we all would have been slaughtered by those... fanatics.”

Maybe. Winter couldn’t be sure. If I’d never come here, would the Beast have destroyed the fortress? Or would it simply never have bothered? Am I helping people, or just mitigating the catastrophe I drag in my wake? She took a long breath, thick with the scent of woodsmoke.

“For what it’s worth,” she said, “I’m glad I could help.”

“What will your Trans-​Batariai friends do?”

“Continue north, I imagine.” I should talk to Vess. Somehow the thought of standing up, right at the moment, was unbearable.

“Tell them they are welcome to continue down the river with us, if they would like to put more distance between themselves and the enemy.” Dobraev looked over his shoulder toward the river. “Will they build boats, do you think?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so. But when we get to Dimiotsk, I would advise your superiors to be ready. They’ll be coming sooner or later.” They’ll be coming for everyone, sooner or later.

“Oh, believe me, I plan to. Mohkba needs to be told.”

“Will Kollowrath cause trouble, when he recovers?”

“I doubt it.” Dobraev looked pained. “Apparently the men I sent to retrieve him from his sickroom in the keep disobeyed orders and fled directly to the ships.”

Oh. Winter swallowed. For all that the captain had nearly gotten her killed, she wasn’t sure he deserved to be left for the Beast. No one deserves that.

“We will spend the night here, I think,” Dobraev said. “The ships are too heavy to risk the river in the dark.”

“Keep a watch,” Winter said. “Just in case.”