Page 60 of Of Scale and Blood

“Well clear, and there’s no indication that enemy ground forces remain in the vicinity.”

“They don’t,” came the response. “We had our earth mages checking before we resurfaced.”

A tall, broad, middle-aged man with a thick thatch of silver hair and a rather impressive moustache strode through the ruins of two pillars. With him were six fully armed men and a tall thin woman with a nest of red hair tied back at the nape of her neck. She wore the brown robe and loose pants of a field healer and had a sizeable medical kit on her back. After ordering the soldiers to form a defensive circle, the commander added, “I’m told there’s been an injury?”

“I took an arrow through the calf,” I said. “You’ve come up through one of the tunnels?”

He nodded. “This whole area is littered with them—it’s how we were able to evacuate so quickly. Once Teagin stabilizes your wound, we’ll take you both underground to our field hosp?—”

“We’ve a drakkon still out on patrol,” I cut in, “so I can’t go anywhere until she returns.”

“And how long is that likely to be?” the commander said. “Night approaches, and it’s not likely to be safe above ground until we can get our protections up and running.”

How long is a piece of string?I wanted to retort, but kept it to myself. The commander had the look of a no-nonsense sort of fellow who wouldn’t take kindly to that sort of backchat. “She’ll be here before nightfall.”

The commander didn’t look particularly happy at the delay, but motioned the healer forward rather than reply.

She hurried toward me, her movements sharp and quick, reminding me somewhat of the fragile spur wings that played around the peaks in spring.

“Please sit on the half wall behind you,” she ordered.

Once I had, Teagin dropped to her knees and began unwinding the bandage. The numbing effects of the salve and the painkiller I’d taken remained in force, so even though I could feel the small movements of the arrow in my flesh, I wasn’t in any sort of pain.

“I have to say,” she said, “there is a rather odious smell emanating from both you and your companion.”

“That would be the scent of drakkons,” Kele said cheerfully. “You get used to it after a while.”

“If they smell that bad, then perhaps it is a good thing they do not enter populated areas too often. It could wipe out entire towns.”

“If drakkon scentdidhave that effect,” Kele replied, “we’d already be using it as a deterrent against the riders.”

“Given how badtheirbirds smell, I’m thinking it won’t be an effective ploy.” I twitched in pain as she tugged the final bit of bloody bandage off my leg.

Teagin tossed the bandage to one side, then swung the field kit from her back. “Glad to see you’ve sense enough to immobilize the foreign body rather than try to pull it out like most do.”

“It’s something we’re all taught in basic field medicine,” I said.

“Yeah, but you’d be surprised how many fools don’t actually remember their training in the heat of battle.”

“Teagin,” the commander snapped, “please do remember who you’re talking to.”

She glanced up sharply. “No offense meant, Captain.”

As far as apologies went,thatwas as insincere as they came. I returned my attention to the commander. “What are the plans for sentry positions? I’m aware an air cell will be created, but it won’t be enough.”

“They’re working on extending the Sinopa’s toes to create a temporary barrier into the port as we speak. We’ve four earth witches, and they’re working in rotation to ensure no one burns out completely. It should be done within a day.”

“And sentry positions?”

“Will be placed either side of the new barrier. Even if they drop anchor in deeper waters, we will see them.”

Seeing them wasn’t the problem. Fighting them—beating them—was. “If you don’t mind a suggestion, it would be prudent to have additional sentry positions farther down the coast. A fit army could march back to Hopetown within a day from either Lowcliffe Beach or Gore Bay.”

And while neither had docks, both were naturally deep-water harbors that had often provided shelter for trade boats in fierce storms. Lowcliffe also had a sweeping sandy beach that made it very easy for rowboats heavily laden with men to land.

“I will approach the council with your recommendation.”

“It is a recommendation that would be wise to accept,” Kele muttered. “Our captain is one of the few who has witnessed the multiple levels of destruction these bastards are capable of.”

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