Later, while his surviving forces ran southward, he would not have said that he had been routed. He would have called his flight a strategic retreat, an attempt to preserve his forces while he searched for terrain that he could use.

But in his heart, he felt routed.

TWENTY-SEVEN

BAD WEATHER

When Queen Estie had learned what the Farsighted could tell her about King Bifalt’s encounter with the horde, she sank to the floor and sat there, absorbing the news. She did not know where she was. The chamber where Crayn had found Magister Bleak and the others was unfamiliar. But she did not care. She needed to gather herself until she felt steady enough to stand.

Somehow, implausibly, her husband had survived. Again. Jaspid and Elgart were still with him. He had his bodyguards. Whatever happened next, he would not have to face the catastrophe of his attack on the horde alone.

Apparently, he had chosen well when he had picked his two Magisters. They had kept him and many of his people alive. He had lost only a handful of riflemen. The losses among the el-Algreb were worse, but hundreds of them remained.

Still, the image of helpless men blown apart by sorcery troubled her deeply. She turned from it to other concerns.

Magister Rummage had described Shields to her, but he could not have prepared her for the power of that particular theurgy in the priests’ hands. Working together, they had raised a barrier that protected Rile’s slaves from bullets and lightning. And yet the fanged men had been able to pass through it. She had not known that such feats were possible.

When she trusted herself to speak, she addressed that query to Magister Avail.

His reply sounded bitter. We have all the knowledge in the library, Queen. We do not have all the knowledge in the world. The Great God has secrets that remain hidden from us.

Gradually, she became aware that the Farsighted and her Commander were still standing, waiting for her. Their presence made the simple indignity of sitting on the floor among them uncomfortable. Raising one hand, she let Crayn lift her to her feet.

Magister Bleak seemed to study her. His humming held notes of sympathy, but he did not speak. The other Farsighted turned away as if to avoid embarrassing her.

With a tremor in her voice, Queen Estie thanked them. Then she followed Crayn back to her quarters.

She relied on her Commander. If she had unburdened all of her turmoil for him, he would have borne it. Now she wanted something more from him.

She wanted him to think and speak as a soldier.

In her sitting room, she insisted that he take a chair and a goblet of wine. She poured wine for herself. Sitting opposite him, she told him what was on her mind.