The Dragonprince's Heir by Aaron Pogue Page A

headed back north. His companions followed close on his heels.
    Caleb shook his head. "Shameful." He strained up in his stirrups for a moment, his gaze fixed hard on the north horizon, as though he could see Mother's carriage across the miles. After a long time he sighed and swung smoothly down out of his saddle.
    "Well, come on," he said. "Might as well get some food in us."
    Jen and Toman both jumped to obey, but I stayed where I was, mind racing. "Perhaps," I started, but Caleb's gaze hit me like a hammer. I had to swallow hard. "Perhaps I should try to find an officer. Let him know we're here."
    Caleb snorted. "He'll be off among the seamstresses, mark my words. Or drunk in the shade of a tree anywhere between here and the Tower. No, we're on our own."
    "Still," I said, searching for another excuse, but he caught my shoulder and pulled me hard enough off balance that I slipped from my saddle. I had to scramble for a grip to keep from crashing to the ground.
    As soon as I was stable, Caleb thrust a heavy bag against my chest. "Pass out some food, Taryn. Jen, go make some friends and scare up some water. Or beer, if that's all they've got. Toman, see to the horses."
    I glared up at him. "You are terribly comfortable with all this."
    He turned a flat gaze to me. And then, for just a moment, the control seemed to vanish. I saw the fury in his eyes. I saw the mad violence, barely restrained. His lips peeled back, his nostrils flared, and the great angry muscles across his shoulders and down his arms strained against the seams of his armor. I fought to hide it, but a shiver chased down my spine. After a heartbeat, I had to look away.
    "We have our orders, and we will obey them." Caleb's breath burned hot and loud. "Do not mistake obedience for comfort. We go along quietly. For now. And we will make our plans."
    My heart sped up a bit at that. I glanced left and right, then took a short step closer. I lowered my voice. "What are our plans?"
    He took a breath and let it go, and in an instant the fire was gone from his eyes. "You're going to get our lunch ready. Then you're going to clean up after us. Then you're going to walk your horse to Cara."
    "But—"
    "We have our orders," he said. "You have yours. Get to work."

5. In the King's Camp
     
    Jen was only gone a moment, but still somehow she came back with clean, cold water, a skin of beer, and a bottle of wine. Caleb tucked the wine away for later and let the knights share the beer. With all my chores, I had barely found a chance to gnaw a crust and slake my thirst before the supply wagons north of us and the farriers to our east began moving again. We heard no orders passed, and still saw no signs of an officer, but the foot soldiers in our formation began climbing to their feet and dusting themselves off with many a grumble and complaint.
    "Time to move," Caleb said.
    I groaned. "Give us some time yet. We can catch up with them."
    Caleb gave me a half-hearted kick. "On your feet. Our highest priority now is to be forgotten. We move with the formation." He turned in place and ran an appraising gaze over our traveling companions.
    He was thinking. I watched him for a moment, then I shook my head in disbelief. "You're ready to start taking over, aren't you?"
    "Someone should put some order in this lot. They're a disgrace."
    "A good thing, too!" He frowned at me, and I lowered my voice. "Disgraceful soldiers make lousy wardens."
    He gave a chuckle that shook his heavy shoulders, then clapped a hand on my shoulder. "You've got a tactical mind, don't you? But now is not the time. Pack our things. You can finish your bread while we're walking."
    I scowled as I put away the relics of our lunch. While I was still securing the straps on my saddlebag, the men around us began moving. Again, no order was sounded, but four hundred men seemed to decide simultaneously that it was a good time to get moving again. They didn't march. There was no coordination at all from one man to another.