The man was one of the Second Captain’s riflemen. He reported that Rile’s host from the bay had quickened its pace. In response, Hegels had abandoned his efforts to slow the enemy. His losses were unacceptable: a dozen riflemen and two Magisters. At his best speed, he was on his way back to the city.

Retreating, Hegels had left scouts behind to watch the enemy. They were in no danger from the host itself, but they had to be wary of Rile’s skirmishers. Those small, feral creatures—men?—ranged widely, and any rifleman they managed to catch was lost.

The messenger concluded with the Second Captain’s most recent estimate of the Great God’s forces. He judged that they numbered around thirteen thousand. Five thousand were heavy infantry clad in iron breastplates and armed with broadswords. Five thousand were light infantry wearing leather armor and carrying an assortment of sabers, scimitars, and cutlasses. After the foot soldiers came the many wagons of the enemy’s supply-train accompanied by a multitude of servants. Among them rode a large force of men in the black garb of priests. And with them were Rile’s cavalry, three thousand lightly armored men riding beasts that looked like deformed boars, long-backed enough to hold saddles, tusked for rending. The cavalrymen carried longswords. They guarded the supply-train and servants.

Despite Bifalt’s years of preparation, the numbers shocked him. He had expected overwhelming force. He had not expected thirteen thousand foemen supported by priests.

Suddenly, he had too much to consider. Rile’s host would reach the Open Hand too soon. Its attack might begin a full day sooner than he had anticipated. And General Klamath was not ready. Prince Lome and the Land-Captain were not. There were still too many people lagging in the city. The el-Algreb would not be enough to stop the Cleckin. Suti al-Suri’s warriors were likely to be savaged.

As for the tunnel out of the Fist’s foundations—

King Bifalt forced himself to think.

The Second Captain’s messenger he sent to Klamath. Then he dispatched Prince Jaspid with Boy and Spliner to the army hospital. Set Ungabwey would be needed in Belleger’s Fist. He would require care, and the King could not spare Jaspid. Next, he asked Jeck to rouse Elgart. Malder he ordered to wander the Hand with Prince Lome as long as possible. There was nothing else that Bifalt could do for his struggling brother.

After that—

Fortunately, Crawl and his fellow Magisters of fire were in place, waiting. They would be crucial. But the King had only one other advantage that he could see. An overwhelming force would expect an easy victory. Its commanders might not stop to reconsider their tactics.

Perhaps. Bifalt’s assumption might not be accurate. He had to act on it anyway.