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“What’s that?” Dak looked up from the table they were all leaning over at Heival’s words.

“We offer them bait.”

“And if they decide to burn the bait with magical fire?” The general shook her head. “No one should die like that.”

“Agreed.” Luc was not seeing anyone burned. Or anything.

But it did give him an idea.

“This needs to be a stealth operation, not open battle.” He looked over at the general and she nodded in agreement.

“Take each cannon unit out with a small group of well-trained warriors. Preferably at the same time.”

“Do you want to form five teams, and so will I?” Luc didn’t think the Venyatux would sit this one out. Not with the incandescent rage still burning in General Ru’s eyes at the thought of the flares.

“Yes. Tell me what you’ve got in mind.” General Ru glanced across at the curtain shielding a sleeping Ava from the lieutenants and officers in his tent, but Luc had no intention of involving Ava in this.

She had done enough.

“I would like to be in one of those teams.” Kikir, the Skäddar warrior, had said nothing about the flares, but now Luc saw something in his eyes that told him the man simply hid his rage well.

The sound of shouting filtered through from outside, and everyone turned as Rafe stuck his head in.

“Oscar and Deni are back. And they have some news.”

Luc gestured for them to come with his hand, and the two men walked in, a little wide-eyed.

“Encountered some trouble?” Luc asked.

Dak handed them each a cup of water, and neither answered until they had swallowed it down.

“We came over the river, but there were patrols all along the banks, and someone saw us and gave chase.” Deni looked around for a seat, found a box and sank down on it.

“We didn’t want to lead them back to where we knew you were headed, so we swung wide, toward the north east, in what we thought was a big loop that would put us out of their way.” Oscar rubbed his face with a filthy hand.

“But?” General Ru asked.

“But instead we found a whole new army coming from the north west. Not fresh, like the ones we saw in Bartolo. Hardened, tired. Like they’d just been fighting. They’ll probably reach what’s left of our wagon train by midday tomorrow.”

“The whole of the Kassian army was fighting the Jatan, but my latest information is they pulled more than half their force away a few months ago. Probably to rest and reequip to fight us. But they had to have left some forces to hold the border with Jatan. You think they’ve pulled those units?” Luc leaned over the map again.

“I think they’ve decided we’re too dangerous. That they have to overwhelm us.” General Ru tapped the map with a finger. “Or maybe the Jatan drove them back and they decided to cut their losses there. My guess is they’ve sent the contingent that was on the Jatan border to herd us toward the hills and the flares. The north east is where they thought the columns would be. They’re coming up behind our old position.”

“But the carts and wagons are still in the old position,” Heival said. “They’ll find something there, but it won’t be the Rising Wave.”

There was silence.

“Let’s say Massi and Raun-Tu deal with the Kassian army in Bartolo.” Luc bent over the map. “We’ve got Kassian troops waiting along the river and cannons in the hills, and now a whole new army coming from behind.”

“We deal with the army behind, and the cannons, and then we take the river.” General Ru crossed her arms over her chest.

“I agree.” Luc stared down at the map. At their options. “We have to deal with the cannons now, but we can’t leave the Jatan border contingent to take our carts and wagons. It’s not just that’s our supplies, they’re more or less unprotected.”

“Wait. How did you know about the troops in Bartolo?” Oscar had found a seat as well, and he looked up with red-rimmed eyes.

“Ava got here at dawn.”

Both men slumped in relief.