Page 142 of The Infernal Battalion

“Sub-​Captain Gale is handling the logistics.” Dorsay beckoned, and a younger man, less impressively uniformed and hatted, stepped out from behind the others. His superiors were eyeing Cyte with mixed expressions of mirth and horror, and one of them whispered something that set the others to chuckling. Cyte studiously ignored them, but Marcus felt himself going red.

“These gentlemen,” Dorsay went on, “are the captains of our frigates. Captain Neilson, of the Swiftmark, Captain—”

Another chuckle was too much for Marcus.

“Yes,” he said. “My chief of staff is a woman. If you find this difficult to accept, I suggest you get over it quickly.”

“Sir—” Cyte said.

“My apologies, madam,” one of the captains said.

“It’s just a bit... unusual for us,” said another. “Borel has never been quite so desperate that the frailer sex has needed to take up arms.”

Cyte straightened up. “I suggest you not repeat that comment when the rest of the army gets here. We have a couple thousand women with muskets, and they’re quite used to making fools of men who think of them as frail.”

“Quite right,” Dorsay said blandly. “We fought them at Gilphaite, and you’d better believe that was a bloody mess.”

The smiles on the captains’ faces were gone, but they made no further comments. Cyte went off with Sub-​Captain Gale to compare lists, and Marcus endured the rest of the introductions, though none of them stuck in his mind. More Vordanai cavalry was starting to arrive, and he set them to marking out an area where the army could stop and erect its tents. We’ll be at least a day getting on board. No sense getting wet until then.

“You’re very thorough, General d’Ivoire,” Dorsay said approvingly. “We’ll have some time on our hands once we set sail. I hope we get the chance to compare notes.” He winked. “And it’s possible a bottle or two of Hamveltai flaghaelan may have come into my possession.”

Marcus grinned. “I think I would like that very much, Your Grace.”

“We can raise a glass to your queen,” Dorsay went on. “She’s due congratulations.”

“Congratulations?”

“On her marriage to Second Prince Matthew.” Dorsay slapped Marcus cheerfully on the shoulder. “The price of the alliance, I imagine. Georg drives a hard bargain, but if she got a fleet and an army out of him in exchange for a marriage, I think he may have got the short end of the stick for once!”

23

Raesinia

“Well,” Raesinia said.

“Well.” The second prince gave a crooked smile. “It was a nice engagement while it lasted.”

“Surprisingly pleasant,” Raesinia agreed, grinning back at him.

They were standing in the same foyer where Raesinia had confronted Georg. Trunks full of Raesinia’s things sat by the door, waiting to be hauled to the docks.

“You’re sure you wouldn’t rather come with us?” Raesinia said. “I can’t imagine you want to spend any longer here than you have to.”

“Unfortunately, I can’t simply vanish from the capital on a moment’s notice,” Matthew said. “I have affairs to wind up and friends who need tearful good-​byes. It won’t be long before I grace your Ohnlei Palace with my presence, I assure you.”

“If your father tries anything—”

“I’ve got the letters,” Matthew said. Cora had written out instructions for a few different contingencies. “And the duplicates are somewhere safe. My friends know what to do.”

The threat that they could still bring the Borelgai economy down, even once Raesinia and Cora had left the city, should be enough to keep Matthew and his lover safe from the king’s reprisal. Still, Raesinia felt uneasy. “Make sure he knows what will happen. Just in case.”

“I will.” Matthew looked down, uncharacteristically at a loss for words. “Your Highness—”

“Raes,” Raesinia said. “My friends call me Raes.”

“Raes, then.” The prince swallowed. “I don’t know how I can possibly thank you for this.”

“You don’t have to,” Raesinia said. “We couldn’t have done it without your connections.”