‘But I must go back to fighting,’ Temeraire said hurriedly, trying to escape; but to no avail, and he put his head down, ruff flattened back, and muttered unhappily as Dorset went after the other balls, which were at least less deep.

‘It will be done soon,’ Laurence said, stroking his head. Demane came out of the woods carrying a small deer, slung over his shoulders, which Temeraire picked and nibbled on for consolation.

Excidium set down beside them with a rustling like heavy silk, as his great wings folded shut. His crew swarmed down in a rush to treat his wounds: only a few scattered claw-marks and one musket-ball, whose removal he bore with perfect stoicism. Temeraire's complaints – as Dorset seared his cleaned wounds – promptly fell silent.

‘Here you are, then,’ Jane said, coming over and spying Emily, who looked a little hangdog as she was caught literally red-handed: holding the blood-wet instruments for Dorset as he worked. ‘And has Sanderson given you leave from your post?’

‘Artemisia can only fly an hour at a time, anyhow,’ Emily said, but there was rather a mulish gleam in her eye. Laurence did not imagine she had liked her mother's previous demotion, nor serving with her usurper.

‘Admiral,’ Temeraire said, ‘have you any more orders for us? I am sure we could be of great use aloft with you; and it is not much fun poking at the infantry,’ he added, his studied formality failing him.

‘You do very well where you are,’ Jane said. ‘This is no time to be going off half-cocked, old fellow. I will even go so far as to say I think we are very nicely placed. He is making us work for every inch, but we are getting them, and soon we will have them up against the trees. Closer run than I would like, but Dalrymple was right after all, and I was wrong; it was a good chance to take.’

‘I was sure it would go well,’ Temeraire said, ‘but I would like at least one more eagle before we make him run away again.’

‘If we take him,’ Jane said, and reached to scratch Temeraire's harness, against such tempting of fate, ‘I hope to get more than his eagles; we will get him. Yes, he is here,’ she added, when Laurence could not help but ask. ‘He is beyond the curve with his Old Guard and his pet Celestial; a splendid creature, from what I have been able to see of her.’

‘I knew she would be hiding from the battle,’ Temeraire said, darkly.

‘Keeping them in reserve, and her, too,’ Jane said, ‘but that will not be enough. We have our own reserve: Iskierka will be waking up any moment now, and the others who were out tonight.’

‘She fought last night?’ Laurence said.