Rezkin slept lightly, his mind constantly alert to the slightest sound or movement. At one point during the night, Frisha rolled into him and curled up against his side. He had never had anyone so close to him while he slept, and the experience was unnerving. He did not feel comfortable being in such a vulnerable position, even though he did not expect Frisha to attack him in his sleep. For one thing, it would serve no purpose. He was aiding and protecting her, so an attack on him would only hurt her. Likewise, she did not seem like the kind of person who would slip a knife between a sleeping man’s ribs. But, did he dare put trust in that? There was a Rule against letting down his guard.

He tried to roll her away without waking the young woman, but Frisha simply snuggled in closer. He decided she must be cold, so he wrapped his blanket around her. After several minutes, she still had not moved, so he tried to force himself to relax into that place between sleep and awake so he could rest.

The young warrior was startled when he suddenly awakened from a deep sleep. Rezkin was not certain he had slept that deeply before—ever. But, what was it that woke him? Rezkin started to rise when he realized he was entangled with Frisha who had wrapped her arms and one leg around him. Was she trying to keep him from leaving? Did she fear he would abandon her in the night? He would have to reassure her that he had no intention of shirking his duties. He carefully maneuvered out from under the sleeping woman. He had no idea how anyone could sleep so soundly. She would need to practice against such vulnerability.

Rezkin strapped his sword belt to his hips as he moved through the darkness out of the firelight, careful to avoid looking directly at the fire so he could retain his night vision. Corporal Lattery was on lookout duty and nearly shouted in surprise when Rezkin appeared beside him in the dark.

“There is movement,” Rezkin whispered to the young soldier.

“I know,” he replied. “I just saw. I was about to go inform the lieutenant.

Rezkin nodded. “Keep it quiet. They do not know we have seen them.”

“Begging your pardon, sir, but we haven’t seen them,” the corporal replied anxiously.

“Four are coming up the rise over there in that gully. Two are crouching low in that brush over there, and five more are crawling through the tall grass twenty yards in that direction. I would guess a similar number are coming up the other side of the hill in an attempt to surround us,” Rezkin said, keeping his voice low. “Go alert the others, but do not sound an alarm.

“Yes, sir!” Corporal Lattery whispered firmly with a quick salute.