Gavin nodded. “Let’s look at this,” he said. “We need to beat Ash to Lissen Carak. And hold there until we’re relieved; at least until the queen can come for us from Albinkirk.” He raised his eyebrows. “The rangers are exhausted; Syr Ydrik looks as if he lost a fight with an octopus, and Bill Redmede looks like old pea soup. We cannot expect them to fight every day. And I need to get a message through to the queen.”

Ser Gregario tugged his beard. “My people are better, though,” he said. “Four days of hot food and sleep.”

“That’s my point,” Gavin said. “If we pass south of the river, one of two things happen. Either Ash passes us by, in which case it’s a straight race to Lissen Carak, and we have all the advantages; think of the fortified bridge on the river, and the magicked gate. Right? Or he follows us south of the Cohocton.” Gavin waited a moment to let that sink in. “Then we’ve won. In fact, we’ve won clean, and even if he kills every one of us, he’ll lose ten days doing it and have to march all the way back here to cross.”

Tapio gave Muriens half a smile. “You alwaysss planned thisss, man?” he asked.

Gavin allowed himself one of his brother’s smug looks of triumph. “Yes,” he said.

Tapio nodded slowly and looked at Tamsin. “It isss brilliant,” he said. “Why has Asssh not consssidered this?”

Gavin looked off to the east. “Maybe he has. Geography is a harsh reality. He needed to defeat us at Cornfields; maybe that’s why the wardens took such a foolish risk.” He shrugged. “Mayhap Tamsin and Gabriel are taking up all his time.” He turned his horse. “Listen, I don’t know why he’s missed it; but unless he has some terrible trick under his black wings, we can buy our people four days free of death, unless he comes against us directly.”

The grammarian nodded. “I can make that cost him,” he said. “And I can reach the queen, or perhaps Harmodius, if Ash leaves us space to breathe.”

Tamsin showed her fangs.

“Predators like their prey to be much smaller than they are,” she said. “Predators do not like to be hurt. He is like a giant cat. He will want us divided, fearful, and weak, before he pounces.”

Gavin pointed across the fords. “Whereas if we retreat across Cohocton, we will be well rested and strong,” he said.

Tapio allowed himself a smile. “You give me a little hope,” he said.

Arles—The Red Knight