“No,” Winter said. “She was not. I didn’t just leave you orders, I left you in command. That means making decisions. You saw a threat, and you acted to forestall it. It was the correct decision. Whether or not Captain Verity agreed with you, you were within your rights to order her to support you.”

Sevran deflated slightly. “Thank you, sir. I recognize that it’s put you in a difficult position.”

“My personal life is my own problem,” Winter said with more confidence than she felt. “It’s not your responsibility, Captain.”

The ranker returned with a glass carafe, still cold from the well. He poured a cup, which Winter took gratefully.

The keep reminded her a little of the barracks of the Heavenly Guard in Ashe-Katarion. It was richly furnished, with solid furniture, wall hangings, and rugs, but there was no concealing the fact that it had originally been intended as a fortress. The ceilings were low, the walls stone, and the windows were narrow slits that let in hardly any sun. Captain Sevran had taken an old common room on the second floor for a planning room, laying a map of the city out on the big polished table and surrounding it with scraps of notepaper carrying various details. A desk bore stacks of paper, both flimsy army foolscap and thicker pages that must have come from civilians in the city.

“I’ve made a start on getting the supply lines organized,” he said, following Winter’s gaze. “Janus left us several wagonloads full of people from the quartermaster’s office, and they’re working on securing what we need. Our biggest problem is upriver transport. Goods move north from here mostly by barge, and a lot of the bargemen are Hamveltai. So far they haven’t been very cooperative.”

“If that’s our biggest problem,” Winter said, “we’re having an easy time of it. We haven’t had any riots, protests, that sort of thing?”

“No, sir. Not so far. The Vordanai community here has been very accommodating, and the Hamveltai are keeping their heads down. We’re eating better than we have in weeks.”

“That’s something to look forward to. How are your men holding up since the battle?’

He pursed his lips. “I’d say they’re doing well, sir. The . . . uh . . . story of your altercation with Captain Verity spread pretty quickly, and it seems to have done a lot for their respect for you.” He smiled. “I haven’t had a single formal complaint, not even from the noble-born lieutenants. Although Lieutenant Novus’ dismissal may have something to do with that.”

“People heard what I said to Jane?” Winter winced. She’d hoped to keep that between them. “The Girls’ Own can’t be happy about it.”

“You’d have to ask Captain Verity or Lieutenant Giforte about that, sir, but my impression is that a lot of them think you were right. There may be . . . pockets of grumbling, though.”