Arcolin reined around and they headed back for the road and camp. “I had no idea you were so knowledgeable about horses.”

“It’s why I tried a cavalry company first,” Burek said. “I thought my background would be useful there.”

“Why not horse breeding or training?” Arcolin asked.

“I didn’t want to stay in one place,” Burek said. “And besides—I also like swords and fighting.” They were up at the road by then. “I had the chance, sir … to stay, to become a horsemaster … but it would be the same thing the rest of my life, year after year. I had seen the local militia drilling, and later saw the armies come through, in the war against Siniava. Including this one.”

“Where was that?” Arcolin asked. “We covered a lot of ground that last year.”

“Andressat,” Burek said. “That’s why the Count made complaint of me, I’m sure, when I was sent back there with troops he’d hired. I’d hoped he wouldn’t recognize me as a man grown, but he did, or someone else did, and told him.”

Arcolin had hoped Burek would mention Andressat and clear up that mystery; he had not expected this. “You were a horsemaster’s son?”

Burek nodded. “Though there were rumors, my looks being different than my father’s. At any rate, I grew up in the stables and fields of Andressat’s stud. As I grew older, the Count approved my work and named me successor to my father. The other prentices said it was only because my father was not my real father, and said things about my mother—and then there was a fight, and I was punished for it. So I ran off for a few days, and when I went back, the Count declared me outlaw and I left forever.”

“Are you angry with him?” Arcolin asked.

“Not anymore. At the time—I was sixteen perhaps—I thought it was unfair and hated him heartily, but he did me a greater favor than he knew and I’m grateful for it now. I like horses and I know a lot about them, but I found my true calling when I left.”

Arcolin looked at him. “Did you ever see your family again?”

“No. My duties with Golden Company sent me nowhere near the stud, and I was still hoping to go unnoticed. I sent messages—twice—but with no answer. Likely they were glad to be quit of me. My father never understood wanting to swing a sword.”

The camp was in sight now, busy and orderly, the thorn barrier repaired, sentries in their daytime locations.

“We have a choice,” Arcolin said. “We can spend the day pursuing them—though they have a good lead and know the ground better than we do—or we can move on and see what the next village tells us. Or we can sit here, as if planning to stay awhile. What would you do?”

As Arcolin expected, Burek was able to lay out reasons for and against each choice. “I don’t think I’d pursue them,” he said finally. “Too much chance of ambush, and on ground they know, they can move faster than we can. Staying—they’ll move away, won’t they?”