Read Online Darknesses by L. E. Modesitt - Free Book Online Page B

and shops.”
    “Yes,
sir.”
    “Waris…Squad
Leader Faisyn will tell you where he wants you to go. Third squad will be
circling north of Tuuler. Check with him.”
    “Yes,
sir.”
    Alucius
turned Wildebeast and headed back toward the main column, swinging back in
ahead of the two squad leaders. After Faisyn passed his instructions to Waris,
and the scout headed out, Faisyn and Anslym and their squads rode silently
behind Alucius, the only sounds those of hoofs on stone or frozen clay, and the
occasional whuff of a mount.
    Another
quarter glass passed before second squad reached the first holding on the
western side of Tuuler. Alucius turned. “Faisyn…the lane heading north around
Tuuler is just ahead. Swing off from the rear when we pass.”
    “Yes,
sir.” With a raised hand, the older squad leader turned his mount back toward
third squad.
    After
he passed the lane, Alucius looked back several times, as if to make sure of
the squad’s movements, although he Talent-sensed the departure of third squad
as clearly as if he had seen it in broad daylight.
    “Anslym.”
Alucius motioned for the squad leader to join him.
    “Sir.”
    “You
remember the drills on single targeting? We’re going to do that here. Your
men—you’ll take the right file, and I’ll take the left one—will be lined up in
a partly concealed position on the southwest side of the road. Your troopers
are each to take aim at a different raider, the northernmost trooper to the
northernmost raider. If they’re in a double column, they’re to fire at both men
in that rank, the nearer one first. We’ll be firing from more of an angle, but
we’ll be doing the same thing. Pass the word, then report back. Make it clear.
We won’t have time to go over this later.”
    “Yes,
sir.”
    Second
squad was nearing the crossroads that served as a square and center of Tuuler
before Anslym rejoined Alucius.
    “All
set, sir.”
    “Good.”
    Karstyn
appeared out of the dimness, riding toward the two at the head of the column.
“Sir…all quiet, except at the shop on the left ahead. They’re up awful early.”
    Even
more than a glass before dawn, Alucius could see glimmers of light through the
shutters of the small shop that served Tuuler as a dry goods store, factorum,
and chandlery, glimmers that indicated lamps had been lit. He could also sense
that at least two people were awake in the shop. “Too early for honest work.
Anyone out? Any riders?”
    “No,
sir.”
    “Good…and
thank you. Fall in behind us, for now.” Through his Talent, with second squad
far closer to the raiders, Alucius could discern that the strangers were riding
in a double column, with even files and ranks, trooper-style. That alone told
him that they weren’t common raiders, if they were raiders at all.
    Past
the center of Tuuler, the scattered dwellings were dark, and Alucius could
smell only the faintest hint of woodsmoke or coal smoke, a good sign that those
in the houses had not yet risen.
    On
the eastern side of the hamlet, the road followed the river, curving slightly
south, rising ever so sightly, just enough to conceal riders on either side.
The oncoming raiders were less than two vingts away.
    Alucius
leaned toward Anslym. “You see that orchard there on the right? Station a
trooper beside each tree, as close to it as he can get while mounted. They
won’t be able to see the orchard because of the rise to the south, not until
they get within about a quarter of a vingt. But don’t have your troopers fire until
I give the order.”
    “Yes,
sir.”
    “Rifles
ready, Anslym. Pass the word.”
    “Rifles
ready…”
    “Now…right
file with you, left with me.”
    “Second
squad, left file, to the captain. Right file to me,” Anslym ordered.
    “Second
squad, left file, follow me,” Alucius commanded.
    The
nine troopers followed Alucius off the road and toward a low shed. He reined up
behind the shed and went down the line, explaining.
    “We’ll
wait behind the shed