The Deadwalk by Stephanie Bedwell-Grime Page B

a break
once we've entered the forest.”
    Rau bit back the caustic reply on his lips, determined that if he must
stoically suffer beneath the searing sun, so must the army. But the Captain's
suggestion made sense. He was desperately in need of a moment's rest and some
strong tea to revive him. “A half-hour's rest,” he agreed. “Once we're within
the shelter of the forest.”
    There was much to be said for having a camouflage of trees to conceal an
army. No wonder the wars of Bayorek had been such a disaster. The exposed plains
of Kor-Koraan left the Shraal armies without cover. Like trying to hide an army
among so many grains of sand, Rau thought, congratulating himself on his
superior strategy.
    The Shraal, for all their greatness, had merely marched out upon the plains
and slaughtered each other.
    Shraal, he thought, blinking back another glimpse of the Kanarekii phantom
who'd somehow taken root in his subconscious. She did so resemble temple
drawings of the Shraal with her ghostly hair and light eyes. His intuition never
led him astray. These persistent visions meant something.
    Or were they merely the effects of too much drink? Rau shook his head to
clear the cobwebs from his mind.
    “Certainly you could use the rest yourself, Your Highness?” Larz inquired
quietly. Only Larz would suggest such a thing. No one but Larz would dare.
    “Indeed.” Rau cast an inquiring gaze at his captain. “You seem to fare well
enough for one who was up even later than I.”
    “I have fared better,” Larz admitted. With a second glance Rau noted the
shadows beneath the captain's eyes. Tiny lines creased the corners, wrinkles
that hadn't been there before.
    The Prince nodded. “I see. So this break you kindly suggested on the men's
behalf was for your own benefit?”
    “If Your Highness is at all merciful,” Larz said, “you'll grant me a break
before I slide from the saddle and humiliate us both.” Though the words were
spoken lightly enough, exhaustion darkened his face. The day's events, it
seemed, weighed heavily on Larz as well.
    “Agreed then, a short rest and a pot of scalding tea. After that, Captain, I
will have no mercy until sundown.”
    He watched as Larz made his way down the column to give the order. Ahead on
the horizon the forest was a gray shadow.
    Though he could appreciate the covering of trees as a tactical maneuver, Rau
disliked the forest. The dark, damp interior made him claustrophobic.
Manifestations of his growing paranoia waited to leap from under every branch.
He much preferred the flat terrain on the outskirts of Hael, where anything
within two days ride could be seen coming toward them.
    You could lose an entire army among the twisted vegetation. From the corners
of his eyes, he imagined he saw ghostly shapes prowling among the thick screen
of trees. Or was it simply another vision of the silver-haired Shraal princess
rumored to to be hidden in the deepest reaches of the forest.
    Rau wrenched himself from morbid thoughts. There was nothing in the forest
save for trees, rabbit and fox. Indeed, he could hide an army in its shadowy
depths. Concealed by the forest, Kholer would never know what lay in store for
them. His present mood was the result of too much drink and too little sleep.
And a father who promised his throne to his younger son, forever withholding it
from the son who did so much to win his affection.
    In the end, his father would be happy enough to take the credit for Rau's
victory.
    Will you now, my father, he thought viciously. We shall see.
    #
    They drew to a halt a mile within the shelter of the forest. Rau surrendered
the reins to the soldier who appeared at his side. Grateful for the shade, he
settled down against one of the wide tree trunks. Larz already had the map
spread upon the ground. Together they plotted their passage for the rest of the
afternoon.
    Stores were broken open. On further contemplation Rau passed up the tea
offered