“Rat!” Geth hissed. He scanned the faces of the few ogres that marched behind them at the very rear of the column, but there was no indication that they had seen anything. Their big ugly faces were slack, eyes glazed with the monotony of a long march. Geth gestured for Singe to join him.
The wizard, as well as Natrac and Orshok, listened to him and Ashi describe what they had seen. His eyes narrowed. “Following the column-or following us?”
“Geth,” asked Orshok, “when you say the figure had a smooth head could it have been shaved bald?”
“I suppose so,” said the shifter. “But I don’t see-”
“It’s Chain,” Orshok said tightly.
Geth-as well as the others-stared at him. “Chain’s in the hold of Lightning on Water on his way to Sharn,” Geth said after a moment.
“What if he’s not?” asked Orshok. The young orc’s face was flushed. “I know I saw something fall off Lightning on Water yesterday. What if Chain escaped? Singe says he swore he’d be coming for us!”
Geth looked at Singe. The wizard shook his head. “It can’t be him. I checked his chains before we left the ship.”
“Chain or not, someone is back there,” said Geth. “I don’t like it.” He pulled his horse around and out of the line of march, trotting up the column toward Chuut. He called the ogre’s name and Chuut swung around. Rage crossed his face.
“The General said hold your position!”
“I know,” Geth said. “But there’s something you should know.”
Chuut pulled a massive mace from his belt and raised it threateningly. “Return to your place.”
Geth paused in the act of pointing to the woods behind the column. His eyes narrowed. “Chuut, we’re being-” he began, but the ogre just stepped forward and bellowed in his face.
“I said you gets back to your spot now!”
His breath stank. Saliva spattered Geth’s face-and anger surged in his belly. The last time anyone had yelled in his face like that, he had been a recruit to the Frostbrand company and a trainer had been drilling orders into him. If that was how Chuut was going to think, he needed a taste of real Blademarks command! Geth’s lips peeled back, baring his teeth. He sat tall in his saddle and roared right back at the ogre. “Master Chuut, stand respect!”
The ogre’s face went from rage to shock in an instant, but his body responded to the command even faster, taking two fast steps back and standing rigid, head up, weapon at his side. The nearest ogres stared in shock, stumbling as they tried to watch the confrontation and keep marching at the same time.
Swept up in his anger, Geth turned on them. “Tzaryan company, about and alert!”
The sudden order was more than the ogre troops could handle. Some stopped and turned out away from the column, hands on their weapons, ready for trouble. More tripped over their own feet. A few kept marching until they ran into-or stepped on-their comrades. In only moments, Tzaryan Rrac’s troops were in complete disarray.
Geth rounded on Chuut once more. “Go to the General and tell him the column is being trailed by one enemy scout on the north side of the road. Bring back his reply.” He leaned close and growled in Chuut’s face. “I’ll be waiting in my position.”
Chuut trembled but didn’t move. “Go!” Geth barked at him.
The ogre’s head snapped down in acknowledgement and he raced off toward the front of the collapsed column. Geth dug his heels into his horse’s side and trotted back to the others. Ashi, Natrac, and Orshok looked at him in amazement, but Singe wore a troubled expression.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Geth said. “I had to make him listen and I didn’t feel like fighting him.”
“It’s not that,” said Singe. His eyebrows drew down into a knot. “Those were Blademarks commands you used.”
“I know.” Geth bared his teeth again, this time in a smile. “Did you see those ogres jump?”
“Geth-Blademarks commands.”
The shifter stared at him for a moment before the words sank in. Tzaryan Rrac’s troops had been trained with Blademarks commands-by the General. “Oh,” he said. “Oh, Boar’s whiskers.”
Ashi looked from him to Singe and back. “I don’t understand.”
“The General is selling House Deneith training to Tzaryan Rrac,” Singe said grimly. “The Blademarks and House Deneith use their own commands in training. The commands aren’t anything special, but if the General is using them, it means he’s also using Deneith techniques to train Tzaryan’s ogres.”
“Maybe Tzaryan hired House Deneith,” Natrac suggested.
Singe shook his head. “Then why is the General concealing his identity? I’m not even talking about the scarves-a member of House Deneith conducting legitimate business would use his name openly.” He frowned. “And I’m reasonably certain the lords of Deneith wouldn’t consent to training ogres. When they took on hobgoblin mercenaries during the Last War, the hobgoblins rebelled and carved Darguun out of Cyre.”
A stirring among the ogres brought Geth’s attention back to them-Tzaryan’s troops were shifting into new positions as their leaders moved among them, quietly issuing new orders. Chuut was heading back along the column as well. Geth slapped Singe’s arm and jerked his head toward the approaching ogre. Singe fell silent and turned to meet him.
Chuut carried a piece of folded paper. He stopped before Geth and Singe as if momentarily uncertain who was supposed to be in charge, then extended the parchment to Singe. “The General has orders,” he said.
Singe took the parchment and unfolded it, quickly scanning the writing on it. His eyes narrowed. Geth stretched his neck and read over his shoulder.
Master Timin, send the shifter and the savage to locate our pursuer. Capture if possible. Tzaryan company will provide a distraction when you’re ready. Move quickly.
“That sounds like a good plan,” said Geth. He could see the General’s intention immediately. If they were going to turn the tables on whoever was following the column, swift and stealthy action was needed. Ogres would crash through the woods like a herd of cattle, but the General had clearly recognized his and Ashi’s wilderness experience. Geth swung a leg over his saddle and jumped down to the ground. “Ashi, we’re going hunting.”
Ashi’s lips spread in a thin smile and she dismounted as well. Singe grabbed Geth’s arm, though. “A good plan,” he agreed, but held the paper down in front of Geth, “except that this is Dandra’s writing.”
“Maybe he had her write it for him.” Geth held a hand up in imitation of the General’s clenched fingers. “He probably can’t do it very well himself.”
“Then why is he carrying paper and ink at all? Something’s not right.”
Geth growled. The hours of riding through the haunted landscape of Droaam dragged on him. He wanted to be off after their stalking enemy. “Save your conspiracies, Singe. The General isn’t the one sneaking through the woods behind us.” He slipped free of the wizard’s grasp and glanced at Ashi. The hunter slid the bright blade of her sword from its sheath. Geth turned back to Chuut. “We’re ready.”
The possibility of action clearly appealed to the ogre as well. His troubled face lit up and he spun to face the waiting troops. “Red squad, move!” he shouted, raising his mace and pointing back along the road. “Search south!”
About a third off the column split away and-with an enthusiastic roar-thundered back the way they had come, plunging off the road and into the woods with no attempt at stealth. A number of smaller trees came crashing down as ogres blundered into them. A blind and deaf man couldn’t have missed the commotion.
Whoever had been following the column was guaranteed to be watching the ogres. Geth gestured for Ashi to take to the woods on the north of the road. Singe, however, drew a sharp breath. “Geth-”