Interesting, I told Blade. But not a surprise. Sindhu! He was back. Hed moved fast. Whatever he was, he could do a job. I told him, I want you to stick to our guests. I indicated Swan, Mather, and Smoke. Show the little one your rumel if they abuse our hospitality. He nodded.

Theyre to walk like everyone else. He nodded again, went back to mounting skulls on poles.

Blade watched for a moment but said nothing, though Im sure he had thoughts.

We marched out an hour after I decided to move. I was pleased.

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

We didnt reach Ghoja in ten hours but I hadnt expected to make four miles an hour in the dark. We did get in before dawn and, with Blades connivance, we chose a campsite which both shouldered the road and almost nudged Jahamaraj Jahs encampment. We were there an hour before anyone noticed. Sloppy. Deadly sloppy. If wed been the Shadowmasters cavalry we could have cleaned the area.

We used the skulls and poles to mark the bounds of the camp. I had the interior laid out in a checkerboard cross with the center square for the headquarters group, the four squares on its points for four battalions with the squares between as drill grounds. The men grumbled about having to set up for twice their number-especially since certain favored individuals, who had been performing well, only had to stand around holding poles with skulls atop them.

Croaker had been fond of showmanship. Hed said you should adjust the minds of observers to think what you wanted them to think. That was never my style, but in the past Id had brute force to waste. Here, let everyone think I believed Id soon have men enough for four battalions and the battalions would expand.

Tired as they were, the men were content to work and grumble. I saw no shirking. No one deserted.

People came out of the fortress and other camps to watch. The men Narayan sent to gather firewood and timber and stone ignored their undisciplined cousins. Skulls looking down moved the curious to keep their distance. Sindhu babysat Swan, Mather, and Smoke. Blade took his appointment seriously. The men in his battalion accepted him. He was one of the heroes of the desperate hours before the coming of the Company. It was almost too sweet.

But nothing crept up. I watched the watchers. The camp was three-quarters complete, including a ditch and embankment and the rudiments of a palisade faced with locust thorns and wild rose canes. Jahamaraj Jah rode out of his camp, watched for fifteen minutes. He didnt look pleased by our industry.

I summoned Narayan. You see Jah? He was hard to miss. He was as gaudy as a prince. Hed carried all that with him on campaign? Yes, Mistress.