Free Demontech: Gulf Run by David Sherman Page A

two Eikby maids away, then knelt next to Spinner, facing the giant nomad. She either didn’t see Maid Marigold and Maid Primrose come to kneel behind her or she ignored them. No one had called for Veduci, but he mirrored Silent at the opposite end of the log.
    “We went fast,” Silent began, keeping an eye on the stew pot, “all the way to where we could see into the valley that was our rally point after the Jokaps attacked Eikby. I went straight, paralleling the road. Wolf ranged the flanks. We saw no one. When I investigated the road for sign, all I could find was our own tracks and those of the Jokap troop that caught up with you yesterday. The tracks of the advance party that Haft’s rear point ambushed were covered by the lancer troop’s, but I saw where the ambush was—it was impossible to miss. The bodies were still there. It looked like when the survivors of your fight got back to them, they killed the wounded who weren’t able to make it back on their own.” He spat to the side in disgust at people who would kill their own wounded.
    “No one is following us, at least not now.” He looked away from the stew pot to the wagons. “Our wounded need rest. We can stay here for two days, maybe longer, and give them the rest they need to begin healing.”
    “Doli,” Alyline snapped, “go to the healers, get the pavilion set back up for the wounded. You two,” she added to Maid Marigold and Maid Primrose, “help her.”
    Doli shot her a resentful look, but got up to do as the Golden Girl said.
    “Yes, ma’am!” the other two replied as they jumped to their feet and scurried to do her bidding. “Immediately, ma’am!” They had long been servants, and reacted automatically to the Golden Girl’s commanding voice.
    “But—” Spinner cut off his protest when Haft gripped his shoulder.
    Zweepee saw the stew was now simmering and ladled it into a bowl that she handed to Silent. He gratefully took it and began spooning the savory stew into his mouth. Wolf looked up as though to say,
What about me?
Silent ignored him.
    “I’ll get men started on defensive works,” Fletcher said, rising.
    “I’ll put out sentries,” Haft said, and went to do so.
    Around a mouthful of stew and bread, Silent said, “After I eat I’ll get patrols out to our rear and flanks. They won’t catch us by surprise.”
    “But—” Spinner started to object.
    Alyline gave him a level look. “We have to do this, Spinner,” was all she said before she got up and left.
    Spinner turned to Zweepee, his last remaining hope for support. But before he could say anything, she said, “I’ll see to the siting of new latrines. And I’ll talk to Jatke about getting hunters out to find game for us.”
    Veduci, who had said nothing during the meeting, barely hid a smile as he left to find his own people. It was obvious to him the leadership here wasn’t as firm as it might be. He needed to think about that; there could be advantage for him.
    Silent had another bowl of stew, but when he was finished he left something in the bottom of the bowl for Wolf to lap up.
    The defensive works weren’t elaborate, little more than barricades to protect small teams of archers from opposing missiles, and limited fencing to channel attackers into better killing zones. Xundoe took the hodekin to the front of the defensive works to dig small pits to trip charging horses. He didn’t set any Phoenix Egg traps, as he had during the final battle at Eikby; he doubted he’d be able to safely retrieve any unused eggs, and they were too precious to leave behind. He considered using the mezzullas to make a storm south of the encampment, but knew he didn’t have the training to make a mezzulla do exactly what he wanted—it could just as well dump a storm on them and leave the weather clear for the Jokapcul.
    Game was plentiful enough as the animals in the vicinity of Eikby moved north, away from the Jokapcul. But they were wary, and the hunters had trouble