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wander them a bit through some rougher terrain than just outside Krondor.” With his chin he indicated the distant smoke. “Your fires, Captain?”
    The man nodded, then said, “Well, take your men north if you want, but don’t come this way, Sergeant Major.”
    “Why not, Captain?”
    The man paused and said, “That wasn’t a request, Sergeant Major. That was an order.”
    Erik wasn’t inclined to argue the chain of command. This wasn’t some noble’s hired mercenary but a Knight-Captain of the Prince’s army, a man with rank equal to Calis’s. Erik thought Bobby de Loungville might have a clever rejoinder in this situation, but all Erik could think to say was “Yes, sir.”
    Subai said, “Your scouts are over there. They need some work.”
    Erik crossed the road and found another pair of soldiers standing guard over Wil, Mark, and Jenks. His men were tied up, but not uncomfortable. Erik glanced at the two guards and saw that one was a Pathfinder and the second another of Prince Patrick’s Household Guards.
    “Cut them loose,” said Erik, and the two guards complied. The three rose slowly, obviously stiff from their confinement, and flexed a bit as the two guards handed them back their weapons.
    Wil began to speak, and Erik held up his hand. A faint noise came to him and he recognized it, then another, and a third. “Come along,” he ordered his men.
    After they were well away from the Pathfinders, Erik asked, “They jumped you from the trees?”
    Mark said, “Yes, Sergeant Major.”
    Erik sighed. He had almost been taken that way as well. “Well, look up more often.”
    The men waited for an outburst, or some other form of recrimination for allowing themselves to be captured, but Erik’s mind was elsewhere.
    He mused on the presence of Prince Patrick’s select guard along that distant ridge, working hand in glove with the Pathfinders and their odd Captain. More odd yet was the presence of many soldiers on a distant ridge where every map said there were no trails, and oddest of all was the faint sounds that had carried to Erik. The second had taken him longer to recognize, but he knew it had been the sound of axes felling trees. That and the sound of picks on rock had not come to him as quickly as the first sound, one he knew well from his childhood: the sound of hammers striking iron on an anvil.
    As they cleared the ridge to where the remaining scout waited, Jenks made bold to ask, “What are those blokes doing over there, Sergeant Major?”
    Without thought, Erik said, “They’re building a road.”
    “Over there?” asked Wil. “Why?”
    Erik said, “I don’t know, but I intend to find out.”
    The problem was, Erik had a good idea why they were building a road along that distant ridge, and he didn’t like the answer.

3
Queg
    Roo scowled.
    Karli stood aside, obvious awe on her features, as the Duke of Krondor entered their home. She had met Lord James once before, at a gala Roo had thrown to mark the advent of his success with the founding of the Bitter Sea Company. Outside the door a carriage waited. Four mounted guards, one carrying a spear from which hung the ducal banner, stood holding their horses’ bridles.
    “Good evening, Mrs. Avery,” said the Duke. “I’m sorry for the unexpected intrusion, but I need to borrow your husband for a bit.”
    Karli was nearly speechless, but she managed to say, “Borrow?”
    Duke James smiled and took her hand, squeezing it slightly. “I’ll return him to you undamaged. I promise.”
    Roo said, “Shall we talk?” He indicated his study.
    The Duke said, “I think so.”
    He removed his cape and handed it to the astonished serving girl who had come to see who was at the door, and swept past her and Karli.
    In his study, Roo closed the door. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asked.
    James sat in a chair opposite Roo’s desk. “From the expression on your face when I appeared at the door, pleasure isn’t what I think you feel.”
    Roo