"And were any steps taken to overcome this?"
"None that I am aware of, Commander."
"Did you or Commander Nina ever spend time at court?"
"I believe the commander was in the king"s presence at the Midwinter Feast last year."
"Do any patrols go outside the city limits?"
"No, and even within the city, we follow prescribed routes."
"You can expect that to change."
"And in the meantime?"
"Cancel any further plans for today," said Charlaine. "I shall be evaluating the sisters’ fighting abilities."
The captain stiffened. "My knights are more than capable of holding their own in battle, Commander."
"I"m sure they are, but if I’m to lead them, I want a full understanding of their skill levels."
"Are we expecting battle?"
"We are a fighting order. We must always be prepared for it."
"Yo
