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Ava took the jacket the general had extended to her, and brushed her fingers over the fine work.

“It no longer works. But for two years after I got it . . .” General Ru shook her head in wonder. “Two years. I thought it would last me a few months at most and even then it would have been worth it, but for two years I knew when someone was planning to stab me in the back. Mostly figuratively, but once, literally.”

“It's good to see something by her hand,” Ava said. She handed it back. “I am here to offer to do the same. I have two suggestions. I can work something into this tent to make it impossible for anything said here to be heard by someone outside. I can also work on something to find the two Grimwaldian spies.”

The general stood, one hip cocked, and lifted her brows. “That is a generous offer.”

Ava lifted her shoulders. “It is likely my fault the Grimwaldians are here. I think they followed me out of Grimwalt. And you are my general, and your cause is my own. I want what is planned and arranged in here to remain only among those who should hear it.”

“I accept.”

Ava had brought some black thread with her. Unlike her mother and grandmother, she didn’t need it for her workings to be effective, but she didn’t have to reveal all her secrets to the general.

She walked to the tent entrance, and saw there were a row of toggles down the middle so the tent could be closed.

She chose the middle one, and began embroidering a design around it.

When she stepped back to look at it, she hoped it looked like it had always been there.

Then she turned and walked to the opposite side of the tent.

She had a feeling the working on the front flap was all that was needed, but she didn’t know for sure, and it was worth doing it properly.

She crouched down and worked the same cloud design low to the ground, where it would be difficult to see.

“That’s it?” The general’s eyes were wide when she rose and slid the thread back into her pocket.

“I think so. Perhaps you can find some way to test it, without letting anyone know what I’ve done.”

The general nodded. She had obviously gone back into her sleeping quarters while Ava had been working on the tent because she had put away the jacket and now had a scarf in her hands. It was of a soft, black fabric.

“I want you to use this item for your other working, so it is difficult to see the black thread,” the general said. “If they are Grimwaldian, they may know your family’s abilities. In fact, I think it’s why they followed you.”

Ava nodded. “Who do you want this to be for? Do you want me to wear it and find them?”

“No. The Grimwaldians are going to avoid you. Make it for me.” The general handed it to her, and then pulled a small bag of coins from her trouser pocket. “You will need to replace the black silk thread.”

Ava started to protest, and the general held up a hand. “Before you object, listen. I am going to ask you to change the working. Don’t make it specifically to catch the Grimwaldians. Work something that tells me everyone who means my column ill.”

There was a gleam in her eyes that told Ava she was looking forward to finding whoever those people were.

She took the money. She needed it, and she could see the general thought it was a fair bargain. “It’ll take me a little time, but you’ll have it tomorrow.”

She walked out the tent, nodded to Catja, and made her way to Luc’s tent.

When she returned and found him still gone, she considered going looking for him. The thought of sparring with Massi again was too wearying. Instead, she took out the knitting from her pack and found the closest campfire.

Her other job was to mingle, to forge the two columns into a team.

She had been doing precious little of that.

It was too dark to work on the black scarf with black thread anyway, and she enjoyed the sound of the needles clicking, the way the wool twisted in satisfying patterns, and the soothing mental mathematics as she counted stitch combinations.

“I always wondered how they did that.” The soldier sitting with her shuffled closer. He shook his head in wonderment. “Who would have thought?”

“I just learned it myself.” Ava held it up for him to see a little better.

The few others talking quietly and drinking something hot also shifted closer.