Konowa reached them, but was lost as to what to do now. He spun around looking for Visyna or his mother or even Rallie, but none were in sight.

“We’re still burning,” Vulhber said, his voice trembling with the effort to keep calm. Blood frothed at Harkon’s lips as his screams continued.

“Major, what do we do?” a soldier asked.

Konowa felt as lost and powerless as he had when his regiment had been disbanded. Now that he had command again he wasn’t going to lose his regiment a second time, especially not to something he couldn’t even understand.

“You!” he shouted, pointing to a soldier. “Run to the beach and get the women. Now!” The soldier sprinted off, his shako tumbling in the sand as he ran.

“Major.”

Konowa turned. Sergeant Arkhorn had come up to stand beside him. He had cocked the hammers on his shatterbow. They traded a look and Konowa nodded. Arkhorn raised his weapon and aimed at the two men in the water.

“Wait,” Private Renwar said, limping into the water and blocking the shot. He strode forward until his own shadow merged with theirs. It too ignited and white tongues of fire sizzled along the water’s surface where his shadow lay. Renwar then closed his eyes and plunged his hands into the fire. A jolt of crystal ice from the black acorn against Konowa’s chest knocked him down again. Several soldiers staggered at the same time. The white flame guttered and was overcome by the frost fire, which then hissed out.

“Help them out of there,” Sergeant Arkhorn said, as Konowa climbed back to his feet. Vulhber and Renwar came out more or less on their own, but Harkon wasn’t moving and had to be carried. They laid him out on the sand, then quickly stood up and backed away. It looked for the all the world as if Private Harkon was sleeping.