They sat down, backs against the deckhouse. After the exertion of walking for more than half a day, Kira thought being able to sit, stretch out her legs, and watch the riverbanks slide by was delightful. But she had to shift position as the hard wooden deck made it clear that Kira had acquired more than one new bruise when jumping off the train.

Sunset wasn't far off when a faint smell of cooking came to Kira. The woman showed up soon after. "Blankets?"

"How much?" Kira asked.

"You can each have the use of one for another couple of crowns."

"How about we have one blanket each for one crown total?"

The woman studied Kira. "How about three crowns, and include the blankets and meals until we reach Dorcastle?"

"Deal."

After the woman left, Jason spoke softly. "Kira. Look."

She followed his pointing finger. The road next to the river had few travelers with night coming on, but in the distance toward Danalee Kira caught the glint of light off of burnished metal as the setting sun shot nearly level rays across the land. She watched the glints bob in a familiar, rhythmic way. Riders on horses, wearing helms. Coming this way from the city.

"What do we do?" Jason whispered.

"Sit here and hope," Kira said. "We can't move any faster by any other means. The cavalry should stop searching once full dark comes on."

"If they're after us—"

"Shhh! Look at the movement of the helms. The horses are trotting, not cantering or galloping. If they were in pursuit, they'd be moving faster."

"How can you—?" Jason shook his head at her in admiration. "Oh, yeah. You're an officer in that cavalry of the queen's."

"Honorary officer," Kira corrected. "And don't say that! We can't afford for anyone to overhear it."

The cavalry drew steadily closer as the sun sank, twilight coming on. The river narrowed, higher banks closing in either side, and the current flowed more swiftly, pushing the barge along faster. Kira had worried that the barge would stop for the night when dark fell, but the woman lit a lantern at the bow and they kept on.

She could barely see the oncoming cavalry in the dimness when the river swept around a bend and Kira lost sight of the riders. It bothered her that the cavalry had kept moving as dusk fell, but they would surely have to stop soon for the night. Unlike the barge, horses needed rest.

The woman brought Kira and Jason chunks of stale bread and two large bowls of stew, then went back to relieve her husband at the tiller. Kira found that the stew contained a few vegetables, some fish, and a lot of watery broth.

"I liked the food in Denkerk better," Jason grumbled.

"They get water and fish from the river," Kira said. "We'll probably have this every meal."