Rhydian Arkwright spent the first six hours replacing patrol riders.
He spent the next four pretending the work required his full attention.
By the eleventh hour, three revised maps covered the table in the northern watch lodge. Every settlement had patrol coverage. The supply convoy remained short four guards, two drivers, and one uncontaminated grain shipment.
None of the numbers required him to look toward the road whenever an engine passed.
Orren Arkwright sat across from him with one boot removed. His wet sock hung from the heating pipe.
“You have assigned the same patrol to two roads,” Orren said.
Rhydian checked the map.
He had.
He moved the marker.
Orren ate from a bowl of cold stew. “This is less entertaining than I expected.”
“What is?”
“Watching you discover that rest
