The agreement with the Prahbrindrah had been that the Company would train and lead a Taglian army. Once the war had been won that army would support the Company's quest for Khatovar.
"Interesting," I told Blade. "But not a surprise. Sindhu!" He was back. He'd moved fast. Whatever he was, he could do a job. I told him, "I want you to stick to our guests." I indicated Swan, Mather, and Smoke. "Show the little one your rumel if they abuse our hospitality." He nodded.
"They're to walk like everyone else." He nodded again, went back to mounting skulls on poles.
Blade watched for a moment but said nothing, though I'm sure he had thoughts.
We marched out an hour after I decided to move. I was pleased.
Chapter Fifteen
We didn't reach Ghoja in ten hours but I hadn't expected to make four miles an hour in the dark. We did get in before dawn and, with Blade's connivance, we chose a campsite which both shouldered the road and almost nudged Jahamaraj Jah's encampment. We were there an hour before anyone noticed. Sloppy. Deadly sloppy. If we'd been the Shadowmasters' cavalry we could have cleaned the area.
We used the skulls and poles to mark the bounds of the camp. I had the interior laid out in a checkerboard cross with the center square for the headquarters group, the four squares on its points for four battalions with the squares between as drill grounds. The men grumbled about having to set up for twice their number-especially since certain favored individuals, who had been performing well, only had to stand around holding poles with skulls atop them.