“Perhaps a third,” admitted Erepos. “In the whole city”—his tone hardened—“too many insist that the war will not come here. They know of our defeat in the Bay of Lights, but they believe that the army will protect them.”

None of this surprised the King. After a moment, he ventured his real question. “Is Prince Lome drinking?”

Erepos sighed again. “He is, Majesty. Sometimes he does not. At others, he drinks an astonishing amount.” Then he added, “But drunk or sober, you cannot fault his diligence. He goes everywhere. He speaks to everyone. And even when he staggers with drink, he speaks clearly. He could sway a stone—if it were not Bellegerin.”

“I have seen it, Majesty,” remarked Elgart. “I would not have believed it otherwise. When he fails, it is not because he holds back from the attempt.”

To himself, King Bifalt thought sourly that Lome kept trying because his failures fed his self-disgust. Like his treasonous attempt to arrange Estie’s death, they justified his drinking.

At the same time, Bifalt felt strangely proud of his brother. Drunk or sober, the Prince was King Abbator’s son.

As Belleger’s King, Bifalt thanked the Land-Captain. As Lome’s brother, he asked Erepos to stay with the Prince when the enemy arrived; to make sure that he and Lome left the Open Hand together. Then he turned to other matters.

“It is time, Land-Captain, to empty the Fist. I want nothing left behind that the enemy can use. Add the staples to the army’s supply-wagons. Send everything else to Amika.

“When the army departs, I will keep two hundred men. Klamath has left supplies for us. We will not go hungry.”

That startled Erepos. He must have expected Bifalt to go with the General. He showed the King his anxious smile. “If what I have heard is true, Majesty, two hundred is a paltry number. Do you mean to fight yourself? You will be overrun in an hour. The whole city—”

He left the rest of that sentence hanging.

King Bifalt’s face tightened. “Cities can be rebuilt. The dead are gone forever.” He had never discussed his plans for battle with the Land-Captain. Erepos already had enough burdens. “I must save as many of our people as I can. That is your task. Leave the Open Hand to me. If it burns, it burns. I will not waste my riflemen.”

The Land-Captain wanted to protest. He had a smile for that as well. It resembled the one he had used while he argued with Chancellor Postern. But the King’s tone kept him silent.

“Do I understand, Majesty,” drawled Elgart, “that you mean to keep me with you?”

Bifalt nodded. “Yes.”

“And Prince Jaspid?”

The King nodded again.