Page 137 of The Infernal Battalion

Cyte said nothing. Marcus put a finger on their current position, then shifted it north slightly, toward where Janus’ army was lurking.

“There’s another problem,” he said. “I think Janus isn’t following us anymore.”

She looked up. “The scouts reported enemy cavalry looking for us.”

“They’re not pushing hard enough. If he really meant to hit us here, he’d be searching for a place to cross the river, and he wouldn’t let us brush him off. It’s possible he’s looping around our flank, or pulling some maneuver I haven’t thought of, but I wouldn’t bet on it.” He traced a line north, toward the passes. “I think he’s left a cavalry force and some blocking troops, and taken the bulk of his army toward Vordan City.”

“Which means that it’s not just a matter of getting there,” Cyte said. “We have to make it before Janus if we’re going to do any good.”

“It’s not possible,” Marcus said flatly. “He’s got the inside track, and we’re not going to be able to outmarch him.”

“Then what?”

“If we want to keep him out of Vordan City, there’s only one thing I can think of.” He tapped the map. “We attack. Whatever Janus has left in front of us, we smash it, and threaten to come down on his rear. He’ll either have to turn around and fight, or let us cut off his supply line in the pass.”

“Now you’re sounding like Kurot,” Cyte said. “I don’t think Janus is worried about supply lines. He can live off the land, the same as us.”

“It might be harder in the mountains.” Marcus pursed his lips. “If he keeps marching, we can stay behind him. If the forces in Vordan City can hold him up at all, we might be able to catch him between us.”

“Or,” Cyte said, “he’ll get irritated and annihilate us. Considering he has something like double our numbers.”

“That’s the downside,” Marcus admitted. “It would slow him a bit, but...”

“I have another idea,” Cyte said. “But I don’t think you’re going to like it.”

“I’m listening,” Marcus said.

“We head downriver until we find a boat. Take it to the Pale, and down to Enzport. Get a ship there, sail around the coast and up the Vor to Vordan City. It’d be a hell of a lot faster than marching overland.”

“Faster for a few, maybe. There probably aren’t enough boats on the Rhyf to get us to Enzport, and there definitely aren’t enough ships at Enzport to get us to Vordan. Not after the war and the Borel blockade.”

“I know.” Cyte locked eyes with him. “You and I could go. A few soldiers you trust. Leave the army with Fitz.”

“I can’t abandon my men,” Marcus said. The response was almost automatic. “Certainly not with the enemy still just over the river.”

“You said yourself that you didn’t think Janus was following us.”

“I could be wrong!”

“If they do attack, would Fitz do a worse job than you would?”

He’d probably do better. Marcus shook his head. “That’s not the point. It’s my responsibility.”

Cyte nodded, as though she’d expected that, and took a deep breath. “Then I’ll go.”

“Alone?”

“If necessary. Or with a small escort, if you’d like to assign one.”

Marcus frowned and scratched his beard. “The army needs you, too.”

“Someone has to act on this.” Cyte pushed the note across the map. “That’s why you brought me here, isn’t it?”

“I needed another perspective—”

“And I need to find Winter,” Cyte said. There was a quiet desperation under her controlled voice. “Please, Marcus.”

Was this what I had in mind all along? Marcus sighed. “Have Abby give you an escort. However many you think you’ll need. I’ll write you orders authorizing you to requisition any form of transport you need, for however much that’s worth, and as much gold as I’ve got on hand.”