Jeff Salyards - Veil of the Deserters

“I’ve seen newborn calves with better balance. Careful, you whoresons.”

One said, “Sorry, Cap!” and they hustled out, letting another Syldoon in the room before tromping into the hall.

I was about to ask Braylar what we were doing, but Mulldoos appeared next to us and I shut my mouth. “Boys are near to ready, Cap. Main battalion are heading out with you, the remainder are holding back with the wagons, like you ordered. Got ourselves a problem, though.”

“I imagine we have several. Anytime you rouse the troops in the middle of the night to tell them plans have moved up, many things can go awry. What, specifically, are you referring to?”

Mulldoos glanced over his shoulder, and seeing no other soldiers coming or going, replied, “Got to figure we’re up against Brune’s bunch, right? I mean, you didn’t say as much, but then you didn’t have to. Now, the gates are supposed to be open just after dawn, Fair hours. But if it’s that prick Gurdinn or any other Bruneboys come calling, even if we leave their corpses in the street without a casualty and break for a gate, real good chance we might find it shuttered tight. But even if we win free, the wagons and stragglers will be, well, straggling. Maybe we should have them trail close behind. If it’s a lock in, our best chance is to break free in force.”

Braylar nodded. “Perhaps so. But while the good baron has no doubt attempted to gather some intelligence about how many Syldoon he has in his city, we’ve done an even better chance of disguising our number and keeping ourselves scattered. He will be expecting us to try to flee in a group. Those wagons are going to go slower. Even if we abandon some supplies, the bulk even, we’re not leaving the recent cargo. Too big for horse, so wagon it is. If most of our force litters the street with their bloodied soldiers and makes for a gate, locked or otherwise, they will not be looking for the rest to come in a smaller party.”

“Fair point, but-”

“I wasn’t finished, Lieutenant. Mobility is our greatest ally. Always was and will be. So we ambush the ambushers and take flight, but the wagons would only slow us down. Our one chance to really see them out as well is to take the risk of them leaving separately once the gates are clear, and reconnecting well outside Alespell. Once we’ve assured ourselves we have lost or beaten any pursuit.”

Mulldoos nodded vigorously. “So they go separate. Fine. But we should at least provide some other kind of diversion. Beyond just us killing Bruneboys in the streets, I mean. If we do win free-”

“When.”

“When we win free, then, even if they ain’t looking real hard for more Syldoon, they won’t be half-asleep at the gates neither. Might be checking wagons real close. I would. And you’d check them twice as close.”

Braylar nearly smiled. “Very well. What did you have in mind?”

When Mulldoos didn’t reply right away, it was obvious he had been operating in extemporaneous mode. Once again, my words came out before I’d examined them carefully beforehand. “The ripper.”

Both men looked at me in surprise, clearly having forgotten I was standing right there. I pushed on, “The other day, I saw a ripper caged near the main plaza. On display. About as terrible a creature as Lloi described, maybe more so. Tore a boy’s hand clean off like it was… a page from a book. If someone freed it…”

I left the thought unfinished, because I hadn’t really considered the consequences of the suggestion, and when I did, it was impossible to say them out loud.

Braylar seized on it immediately. “A ripper running free would cause chaos. The very kind to draw the attention of every city guard in the quarter.”

Mulldoos nodded. “Like to kill a few folks, for certain. Anybody who wasn’t would be heading for the gates right quick. Brune couldn’t double his damage by impeding them neither.” He smiled, showing several shockingly white and uneven teeth. “That’s vicious, scribbler. Right vicious. Didn’t think you had it in you.” He turned back to Braylar. “Wish I’d thought of it myself, but it’s plaguing perfect.”

Braylar agreed. “Near to it. See it done.”

Mulldoos’s looked at me again, but something akin to grudging appre ciation instead of the ready disgust that so often sat there. He saluted his captain and headed to the door.

When I blurted out the suggestion, I had an image in mind of the beast running loose, roaring, scaring everyone in the city, but foolishly, I hadn’t imagined that it would be killing as it went. But of course it would. It attacked a boy through the bars-if it had run of the city, even for a short time before the watch or soldiers cornered it and took it down, surely more bodies or pieces would be left in its wake.

I felt my stomach twist and said, “Captain, about the ripper, I-”

“Very clever, Arki. Exceedingly, truth be told. Mulldoos is right-a surprisingly cold and calculating design. You have been in our company too long already, I fear. You are becoming more Syldoonian than the Syldoon.”

He clapped me on the shoulder and turned to head back to his quarters when he heard a voice that stopped him short. Soffjian’s. “Brother, I must say, I hadn’t expected such compliance. In fact, I was prepared for the likelihood that I was going to need to repeatedly remind you of the Emperor’s very limited leniency. And yet here I discover you and your men scrambling around as if in preparation for an invasion. Curious.”

The captain turned around, making no special pains to remove the sneer from his face. “Nearly as curious as you appearing here before the dawn.”

“You weren’t trying to leave without me, I hope. The Emperor and Commander Darzaak were quite clear. Skeelana and I escort you to the capital. The entire way. And as to my sudden, and early, arrival, surely you haven’t forgotten-”

“You have your ways. Of course. And of course I could not possibly have forgotten. So let us both dispense with the theatrics, sister. You know we are preparing for an unexpected fight. There is very good reason to believe our enemies are moving against us this morning. Very soon, in fact.”

Soffjian drove the butt of her ranseur into the floorboards. “Oh, dear. And what enemies are those?”

Without missing a beat, Braylar replied, “The kind that carry swords and grudges, my dear. And they will be upon us presently if we are not on the move. So, as I can see you are already armed and fed, you are welcome to join us. In an Imperial escort capacity, of course. I would never expect Memoridons to get involved in a conflict not of their making. Or you can remain behind and take the Fair in for a few days. Catch up after, as I know you are infinitely capable of. But either way, my men will be leaving without me in a moment, which would hardly be very captain-like of me. So if you’ll excuse me, I have some martial matters that require my attention.”

Soffjian didn’t look particularly satisfied with that response, but wasn’t prepared to push the issue either. I had the feeling she was trying to determine if her brother was playing her in some fashion. Which, if true, was a healthy skepticism to have. I would have been better served with a healthier dose of it myself along the way.

She nodded and bowed ever so slightly. I wasn’t sure if that was appropriate or mocking and Braylar gave no indication. “If it’s all the same to you, I will accompany as you leave to meet your foes. And do my best not to get in the way. If you’ve seen one grand Fair, you’ve seen the rest, true?”

Soffjian didn’t wait for his response and left the room, deftly sidestepping a Syldoonian soldier coming through the door. Braylar looked at me and my possessions. Much less than most men, but too much for one horse. He said, “Store your extra clothes and writing supplies in a wagon in the stable, and be quick.”