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Styke pulled on the reins and turned to look down at Willen. “Pleasure is mine,” he said slowly. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t place the face. “Mind telling me what’s going on here?”

“What do you mean?” Willen seemed genuinely perplexed by the question.

“I mean that five days ago, I rode past New Starlight and saw Dynize flags. I come back this way and the city is held by our side, without any sign of a struggle.”

“Ah!” Willen’s grin widened. “Well, sir, oddest bit of luck. I’ll tell you, we weren’t all that far behind – we arrived just yesterday morning to find the citadel completely abandoned. No ships in harbor, no spies hiding in the walls. Just an empty husk of a place stripped of supplies.”

Styke leaned on his saddle horn. “You’re joking.” No ships. That would make it damned hard to get to Dynize.

“Not at all! I’ll tell you, it’s the damnedest thing. We had orders to take the city as quickly as possible, but it was empty.”

“Do you know why?”

“I’m not one to question fortune, but …” Willen searched his jacket, produced a tin of tobacco, and tucked a wad into the corner of his mouth before continuing. “We came across half a brigade of Dynize cavalry slaughtered in the Hock – I’m guessing now that it was your doing – and our best guess is that the Dynize holding the city were spooked and decided to flee.”

Styke bit his tongue, holding back a dozen reasons why the Dynize wouldn’t have fled just because of some dead cuirassiers. He looked up at the nearby curtain wall and the high towers of New Starlight beyond it, then glanced to the eastern horizon. “Perhaps,” he said. “Perhaps not. Maybe they got wind of a field army on the way and decided they couldn’t hold the fortress against it.” It seemed like the only probable reason for abandoning New Starlight. Perhaps Styke was just being paranoid. “Tell me, did the Dynize spike the fortress guns when they left?”

“I’m not sure,” Willen replied. “I can ask.”

“Do so. Where is Dvory?”

“Ah. The general is in the citadel. His personal company is holding it.”

“Taking the choice beds for himself, I suppose.”

“A general’s prerogative,” Willen said demurely. “If you’d like, I’ll take you to him.”

“No need, I …” Styke hesitated, exchanging a glance with Jackal. “Actually, that would be wonderful.”

“Hold on, I’ll fetch my horse.”

Within a few minutes, Colonel Willen was riding beside them as they headed toward the fortress. They passed beneath the curtain wall, which was staffed with guards from one of the brigades but not policed. The city-fortress within had been taken over by the army.

“All the buildings were empty when we arrived,” Colonel Willen explained. “As far as we’ve been able to piece together, the city was abandoned by the garrison the very day that word came that Landfall had been taken. The people fled soon after, leaving it abandoned to be picked up by the Dynize.”

“That’s a shame,” Styke said, watching a company of soldiers march past in the street.

Willen spat out a wad of tobacco. “Agreed. New Starlight isn’t protected by sorcery, but the walls are strong and the guns powerful. They could have made a damned good stand against any sized fleet in the area. Pity, I say, but that’s what we’re here to remedy.”

“What, exactly, are your orders?” Styke glanced sharply at Willen.

“They were secret until we actually arrived,” Willen said. “But we were to march across the Hammer and take New Starlight as quickly as possible. Now, I believe, we’ll garrison the city and use it as a staging point to cleanse the Hammer.” Willen nodded toward the citadel. “General Dvory is meeting with all the brigadiers and about half the colonels right now. I imagine we’ll have our next set of orders by tomorrow.”

Styke debated his next options. If there were no ships here, then the citadel was useless to the Mad Lancers. His best bet might be to ride back to Belltower and use the good graces he’d earned with the city to commandeer a small fleet. In which case, he should turn around right now and ride back to camp. He didn’t need Dvory getting overly curious about his goals.

“Why the urgency?” he asked Willen.

“Hmm?”

“You were told to march across the Hammer and take Starlight as quickly as possible. Why? Did you even bring enough artillery to take the citadel?”

“Only just – about the artillery, that is. We have a battery of twelve-pounders and six batteries of six-pounders. As far as the speed?” Willen shrugged. “The orders came directly from Lindet herself. One does not question Lindet’s orders.”

They reached the main door of the citadel only to find it closed. Styke rode Amrec right up to the door and gave it a shove. It was locked. He craned his neck, looking up to the murder holes for some sign of a guard detail.

“I say there!” Willen called, cupping his hands around his mouth. “I say there! Colonel Willen to see General Dvory. Open the doors!”

They were greeted by silence. Jackal rode back fifty yards, looking toward the top of the walls. “I don’t see anyone,” he shouted.

Willen scowled at the door as if he might open it by annoyance alone. “Everyone must be at the general’s meeting.”

“Strange,” Styke muttered, feeling his uneasiness deepen.

They waited for a sign of life from within the citadel for nearly fifteen minutes until Willen finally shook his head. “I’ll send men around to the other gates to find a way in,” he assured him. “Dvory’s damned bodyguard are too good to open the door, and they’ll hear it from me. Can I escort you back to your men?”

“We’re camped down the coast,” Styke said. “To the east. I can find my own way back.”

“Of course.”

Styke raised one finger, turning Amrec this way and that as he examined the city-fortress. “How many scouts do you have out right now?”

“You’d have to ask a dragoon company.”

“Do you have any dragoons attached to your brigade?”

“We do. My sister is their commanding officer.”

“Do me a favor. Get them out into the countryside. The Dynize might have sailed away, but they might also be lurking out there somewhere.”

Willen sucked on his teeth, obviously reluctant. “General Dvory gave the men an informal leave while we wait for our new orders. My sister won’t be eager to send her boys out too early.” He paused, looking up at the citadel. “I’ll convince her,” he added.

“Good.”

Styke nodded good-bye and turned Amrec back toward the mainland. They were out of earshot when Jackal said in a low voice, “You told him we were camped to the east. You don’t trust him?”

“I don’t want Dvory to know where we are,” Styke replied.

Ibana met them about a mile outside the curtain wall. “I was just about to come looking for you. Is everything all right?”

“I’m not sure,” Styke said with the shake of his head. “I want you and Gustar to send out our best scouts. Scour the area.”

“What are we looking for?”

“Dynize.”

“A lot? A few?”

Styke glanced back toward the citadel one more time. He thought he spotted someone in a yellow jacket on the walls of the citadel, but by the time he found his looking glass the person had disappeared. “I don’t know. Look for anything suspicious. No fires tonight. Tell the men to be ready to fight or flee at a moment’s notice.”

Chapter 60

Vlora sat on horseback, watching as rows of Riflejacks marched past her along the winding, treacherous foothills of the Ironhook Mountains. Less than fifty hours had passed since Flerring had cracked the godstone, and even with a swift departure from Yellow Creek they were only thirty miles or so east of the town. Supply wagons – and the big oxcart carrying the capstone – slowed them down, as did the rough terrain itself. Their only saving grace was that the men themselves were relatively fresh from days loitering outside of Yellow Creek.