As the day wore on, the march began to drag. They’d begun at first light, with only a short break around noon for lunch, and by the time the sun touched the horizon they still hadn’t reached the place the scouts had designated as a campsite, twenty-five miles from where they’d started. It was well into dusk before the head of the column got there, and mounted officers roamed the road by torchlight rounding up stragglers for hours afterward.

Winter stood on the edge of the grassy hillock that was their campsite and watched the horsemen come and go, lights moving in the dark like windblown sparks. Captain Sevran, standing beside her, twisted his lip in concern.

“Something wrong?” Winter said.

“Just imagining what would happen if we got hit by a cavalry raid,” Sevran said. “They couldn’t ask for a better target.”

“It’s a risk we’re going to have to run. If we take the time to be cautious, we’ll never make it.” Winter shook her head. “As it is, we’ll have to start well before dawn tomorrow. We can’t keep fumbling around in the dark like this. Get them on the road as soon as you can see your hand in front of your face.”

“Yes, sir,” Sevran said, saluting. “After today, we’ve got a lot of sore feet and sprained ankles. Some of them are going to have to be left behind.”

Winter winced, but there was nothing for it. Marching wore down men just as surely as it broke down wagons and animals, and abandoned casualties were one of the prices of fast movement. “Make sure they have enough food and water to last until the wagon teams catch up.” The lamed soldiers wouldn’t arrive in time for the battle, assuming Janus’ timetable was accurate, but at least they wouldn’t be on their own in enemy country. “And get me a report of how many men we’re talking about.”

“Yes, sir.” The captain saluted again. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get a little sleep myself.”

Winter waved him away. She herself was sore—she hadn’t been riding long enough that twelve hours in the saddle was something she could shrug off—and the day had been a long one. But there was one more thing to attend to, and once again she’d been putting it off. She turned her back on the stragglers and went looking for Jane.