The others nodded.

“We must tread carefully,” Galad said. “In the past, the boldness—and perhaps overeagerness—of the Children has alienated those who should have been our allies. My mother always said that a victory of diplomacy did not come when everyone got what they wanted—that made everyone assume they’d gotten the better of her, which encouraged more extravagant demands. The trick is not to satisfy everyone, but to leave everyone feeling they reached the best possible result. They must be satisfied enough to do as you wish, yet dissatisfied enough to know that you bested them.”

“And what does this have to do with us?” Golever said from behind. “We follow no queen or king.”

“Yes,” Galad said, “and that frightens monarchs. I grew up in the court of Andor. I know how my mother regarded the Children. In every dealing with them, she either grew frustrated or decided that she had to suppress them absolutely. We cannot afford either reaction! The monarchs of these lands must respect us, not hate us.”

“Darkfriends,” Harnesh muttered.

“My mother was no Darkfriend,” Galad said quietly.

Harnesh flushed. “Excepting her, of course.”

“You speak like a Questioner,” Galad said. “Suspecting everyone who opposes us of being a Darkfriend. Many of them are influenced by the Shadow, but I doubt that it is conscious. That is where the Hand of the Light went wrong. The Questioners often could not tell the difference between a hardened Darkfriend, a person who was being influenced by Darkfriends, and a person who simply disagreed with the Children.”

“So what do we do?” Vordarian asked. “We bow to the whims of monarchs?”

“I don’t yet know what to do,” Galad confessed. “I will think on it. The right course will come to me. We cannot become lapdogs to kings and queens. And yet, think of what we could achieve inside of a nation’s boundaries if we could act without needing an entire legion to intimidate that nation’s ruler.”

The others nodded at this, thoughtful.

“My Lord Captain Commander!” a voice called.

Galad turned to see Byar on his white stallion cantering toward them. The horse had belonged to Asunawa; Galad had refused it, preferring his own bay. Galad pulled his group to a halt as the gaunt-faced Byar neared, his white tabard pristine. Byar wasn’t the most likable of men in the camp, but he had proven to be loyal.

Byar was not, however, supposed to be in the camp.

“I set you watching Jehannah Road, Child Byar,” Galad said firmly. “That duty was not to end for a good four hours yet.”

Byar saluted as he pulled up. “My Lord Captain Commander. We captured a suspicious group of travelers on the road. What would you have us do with them?”

“You captured them?” Galad asked. “I sent you to watch the road, not take prisoners.”

“My Lord Captain Commander,” Byar said. “How are we to know the character of those passing unless we speak with them? You wanted us to watch for Darkfriends.”