Eleanon had left, together with those Lealfast who could fly. Axis had no way of numbering them, but they had made a vast cloud as they lifted into the air and flew slowly northward.
But however vast that cloud had been, there were still many thousands left on the ground.
Axis had finished stitching Inardle’s wound, and now helped her to her feet.
“There is no chance you can fly?” he said, desperately wanting her to get to safety somehow.
He knew the answer before she spoke. Inardle was so weak she could barely stand, and Axis had to support her to keep her upright.
“My wing is too stiff,” she said. “Axis, you should go.”
“I am going to be the only thing that might keep you alive,” he said.
“The woman is right, Axis,” said Zeboath, walking out of the night. “You should go. I’ve heard that Armat is close. There’s no reason for you to stay.”
“And you?” said Axis.
“There are wounded who need my attention,” said Zeboath, “and—”
“Then I am staying,” Axis said. He began to say something else, but then everyone stiffened at the sound of a horse’s hooves. They relaxed, if only slightly, when Georgdi rode his horse into their range of vision.
“Oh, for the gods’ sakes,” Axis said. “What are you doing back?”
“I won’t leave you,” said Georgdi. “My men are riding for Serpent’s Nest, and have orders to gather there along with those other of my men who can leave their families. But you thought that I would just ride away?”
“You’re dead if you stay,” Axis said.
Georgdi dismounted, patting his horse on the neck once he’d jumped to the ground. “I’m as dead as you are, Axis,” he said, “which is to say not very much. We’re both too valuable to Armat, as is Zeboath. No general, even in his most maddened moments, ever killed a physician.”
Axis noted that Georgdi had left Inardle out of the list of those sure to be spared. He wasted a moment wondering if he’d ever felt this useless before. There were thousands upon thousands of Lealfast left, desperately wounded, and no means to protect them.
“You did the right thing, Axis,” Georgdi said softly, watching the emotions play about Axis’ face. “There was no point keeping soldiers here to fight. They would have died uselessly.”
“Armat hates me,” said Axis. “He will take it out on—” He couldn’t finish.
“Listen,” said Georgdi.
They stood, listening to the sounds around them: the soft voices of some Lealfast; someone crying in pain, very quietly; the footfalls of one of Zeboath’s assistants as he moved from one Lealfast to another.
The sound, very low, of horses’ bits.
Axis glanced at Georgdi’s horse, now wandered away a few paces to graze.
The sound hadn’t come from him, and the next moment Axis heard the sound again, louder this time.
Many horses.
“Armat,” he said.