Kurkas laughed. “You’re learning. And if you want to go on learning, you’ll never pass up good walls when you get the opportunity.”

“And these are good walls?”

Kurkas thumped the brick at his shoulder. A chunk of plaster fell away. Dust spattered his black uniform grey.

“Lumestra, no. But they’re a damn sight better than sitting out in the open field, waiting for some bloody great horse to trample you flat.”

Her lip twitched. Not in a smile, but near enough. “I wouldn’t want that.”

“I imagine not.” Kurkas shot a look over the wall. Still nothing. “Anyway . . . it could be worse. We could be stuck in the redoubts. No bloody room to breathe in there. This is luxury. Worth fighting for.”

“If you say so.”

“That’s the spirit.”

He peered up over the wall. To the north-east, a fresh line of Hadari shields formed. The banner of the spread-winged owl rippled and snapped above their heads. Emerald-encrusted armour glinted.

“His lordship’s getting a visit from the prince. Which means we’ll have friends before too much longer. See if you can scrounge me up some food, would you? I’m starving.”

A crash of drums. A blare of horns. The distant line of Immortals started forward, shields raised high against incoming shot. Golden armour glinted beneath the owl banner and a forest of fluttering spear-pennants. The emperor’s chosen were coming.

No one spoke. Likely they were contemplating the Immortals’ unflinching advance through the hail of quarrels. How the oncoming wall of spears and golden shields was at least twice as deep as their own. Viktor felt their fear – could practically taste it. But he did not share it. Kai Saran was coming, and Kai Saran could be slain. His ambition had brought the Hadari to the killing field. His death would drive them from it.

A ballista shot struck a bloody smear in the outer face of the Immortals’ line. Living warriors flowed to replace the dead.

Silence dissolved beneath whispered prayers. Viktor gritted his teeth. He couldn’t allow the fear to take root. And take root it would, if they did nothing but wait for the lines to clash. His ragtag army had given a grand account of themselves. It wouldn’t be enough. Not if they lost heart.

He pushed through to the front line and set his back to the oncoming foe.

“I’ve had my fill of waiting!” Horns blared. Viktor let their brazen notes crash away before pressing on. “The would-be emperor’s coming for us! We kill him, and this is over! I’m going to end this. I’ll go alone if I have to, but if you want to be free, you’ll follow.”

He glimpsed wary nods as the first glimmerings of courage renewed.

Viktor held his claymore aloft. “For the Republic. For the Southshires.”

“For the Phoenix!”