How long will it take them to reach the village?” The lines of soldiers and vehicles stretched on and on into the dark.
“Five hours, perhaps. A force that large will have to circle the hills and approach from the south.” Raúl peered through a spyglass pulled from his satchel. “That is El Toro’s army. I recognize the banners.” He handed the spyglass to her with trembling hands.
She put the brass piece to her eye. There were at least a thousand soldiers, but it wasn’t their numbers that made Hettie’s throat tighten. A machine as big as a house lumbered forward on metal treads. It was made of two distinct upper and lower segments, like a squat soldier in plate armor crab-walking across the desert. Smaller armored vehicles and horses wearing magic-proof helms surrounded the machine like shin
