The past few weeks had been the busiest of Revin’s life. They traveled from city to city, gathering the troops hidden within each, loading them up into the stolen transport. With Omrai as Revin’s Life-Lord, their connection had grown stronger, and Revin’s abilities to connect with saurians had multiplied. Revin’s range had expanded to miles, and even though he controlled close to a hundred saurians, he didn’t feel overburdened.

Shifra and Kaiato seemed distant, but they were all so busy. Shifra checked on saurians (especially the giganotos, who took an instant liking to her); Kaiato worked on the weapons and studied with the pilot of the transport—he’d even flown the ship on more than one occasion—and Revin was so busy mastering saurians he’d hardly had time to speak with them anyway.

He continued to do his own rituals, and Omrai had relented on letting him do them alone. The military priests were upset, but Omrai made it clear no one was to give Revin any religious pressure. Revin had an army to build.

First, he mastered the crushjaws, knobby-backed ankylos, and the ceratops. Then, he’d mastered many gallimais and sent them to the other soldiers in the other cities, rallying them to battle. Each of the groups converging on a single point.

The trail the walking fortress had left behind.

The giganotos and crushjaws ate their fill of corpses Jebuthar left behind. He was increasing his rate of automaton production. The saurians and the men raged at what Jebuthar was doing to their land, and such carnage only increased the zeal of man and beast alike. Jebuthar had attempted a few counterattacks. His weapons, which had once caused such horror in the men, were now almost useless. Revin had seen through the giganotos’ eyes how short those skirmishes were.

Revin’s face and ribs were mostly healed, but his knee still struggled. The pain was lessened thanks to Ateyan medicine but moving fast was difficult.

The armor smiths forged great armor to protect the giganotos. They would serve as the core of their fighting force, their gravitonium spines making the battle even remotely possible.

He also needed formidable saurians who could fit inside the command ship. So, with giganotos and sleep-dart-armed soldiers, they found and mastered several packs of yutaraptors. The wild saurians resisted hard at first, but when he finally convinced them Jebuthar would kill them and take their food, they agreed to fight.

The more saurians he connected with, the more and more disenchanted with the term Mastery he became. That word was all wrong. He was their friend, not their master. It wasn’t dominion.

It was communion.

Revin leaned on his walking stick in front of his tent at the edge of a cliff, looking down at the army they’d gathered. Hundreds of saurians were arrayed before him. Rexes, giganotos, ankylos, gallimais, and the wild yutaraptors. Revin kept them separated, the carnivores eating the bodies Jebuthar left behind, and the herbivores scouring the fields on the way.

Thousands of soldiers practiced drills. There was a palpable tension. An excitement. These were men who’d been forced to retreat from a supernatural enemy more than once. But now, with the giganotos, they could get revenge for their fallen.

Omrai had said it was a smaller army than he preferred, but the saurians’ strength and the ineffectiveness of Jebuthar’s gravitonium weapons made it a strong army.

Revin smiled. They stood a real chance now.

“I’ve seen few forces so intimidating,” Omrai approached, Kaiato following close behind.

Kaiato looked down the cliff and nodded. “Giganotos, working with men.” Kaiato laughed. “Nobody will believe it.”

“As long as we win, it doesn’t matter,” Revin said, leaning on his walking stick a little more, shifting to relieve a sharp pain in his leg.

“General!” a voice a man in the greens and browns of espionage shouted as he rode up on a gallimai, its feathers ruffled and dirty.

The man jumped down and gave a deep bow.

“May my service lift you.”

“And you also. What is it, corporal?” Omrai said.

The man stood straight. “Koyeji marches with an army from the south. Armed with… well, they’re hard to describe. They look like cannons… like eight or nine rifles strapped together… and a crank or something.”

Kaiato gasped. Everyone turned to him.

“It’s the Kerinku,” Kaiato said, his eyes wide, “I thought it was months away distribution. They must have rushed it.”

“What does it do?” Omrai said.

“It works on a rotating crank. Each rifle fires in quick succession. It can fire five hundred shots a minute.”

Revin laughed, “I’m sorry, did you say five hundred?”

Kaiato ignored Revin’s question and turned to the spy. “How many did they have?”

“Dozens, they were mounted on wheels.”

“They can fire about two hundred shots before they need to reload.” Kaiato looked down at the army below. “Not even your heavy shields will be enough.”

Kaiato turned back to the spies.

“Do you know if the high lord’s son was there?”

“Yes, as was Lord Staiwaki.”

Kaiato shook his head. “He must have something to do with this. Prince Siroki would never join Jebuthar on purpose. I have to see if I can stop them,” Kaiato said. “Give me a mount and I’ll go.”

“That sounds dangerous,” Omrai said.

“Perhaps I can convince the prince that Staiwaki is a traitor, get him to fight on our side. Staiwaki murdered my High Lord Siriyog, if I can convince my people of that, they’ll turn against him. Besides, Prince Siroki would never side with a man like Jebuthar willingly. If I can convince him we can beat Jebuthar, with the Ateyans and with the Saurians… maybe I can change his mind.”

“I agree with Omrai,” Revin said, “This is crazy! They’ll kill you! Unless you’ve forgotten you ran away because you were framed for killing their high lord in the first place!”

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Kaiato shook his head, “Regardless, talking to them before they get here is our best chance.”

Omrai pursed his lips, pondering.

“The worst that could happen is they kill me for treason and attack you all the same,” Kaiato said.

Omrai was quiet for a second, then nodded. “Go, but if they’re going to kill you, you get out of there.”

“I will do my best,” Kaiato said with a bow, “I have hope Prince Siroke will see reason.”

Kaiato gave a respectful Ateyan salute and then turned and ran off.

“Do you think he can do it?” Revin said.

Omrai frowned, “I don’t know, Revin. But just in case he fails… we need Jebuthar out of the picture before Staiwaki and his men show up, looking for a fight. He’ll be much more terrified to fight us if Jebuthar is gone.”

“And Jebuthar will be worse off if we can get the Koyejians to fight on our side,” Revin said. He smiled and uttered a silent prayer that Kaiato would find success.

✦✦✦

Kaiato saddled his gallimai and tied a travel sack onto the carrying straps. He had his rifle, his powder horn, his wadding, two spare ramrods, some food, and a bedroll. Everything a soldier might need.

“Were you going to leave without talking to me?” Shifra’s voice said.

He looked; he hadn’t even noticed her approach. His throat caught. She stared at him with that fierce, intelligent gaze. Piercing. She knew how he felt. He almost didn’t need to say it. Whether her gift was on or not.

But a man of Koyeji didn’t hide from words because they scared him.

“I didn’t know how to say goodbye.”

They had been meeting in secret, or… at least somewhat in secret. He was sure many soldiers knew of their… relationship. They’d spent more and more time together. The only ones who still seemed oblivious were Omrai and Revin. Luckily for Kaiato, Omrai could read feelings, not thoughts. So Kaiato had focused on the war, and how he felt about it. He’d always been great at focusing. Omrai had more than once noticed something odd but had been so busy he’d never pressed further.

“I wish I could go with you,” Shifra said.

Kaiato opened his mouth to speak but she put up her hand, “I know what you’re going to say. And you’d be right. I could get killed. But you, heading straight for a people who’ve written you off as a traitor? That’s dangerous, and stupid.”

“I have to save them from getting involved with Jebuthar, and…” He looked into her eyes. “I’d rather not have them destroy Ateya… with someone that I care about still living there.”

She blushed. He loved how her light skin made it so obvious.

She grabbed his hand. “Do me a favor,” she said, getting closer to him.

“Yes?” he said.

She leaned in and whispered in his ear “Come back in one piece.”

She backed up a little. Staring into his eyes. Out behind her, other spies got their mounts ready. They stole rare and concealed glances, trying to pretend they didn’t see what was going on.

He leaned in and whispered, “I swear I will do all I can, once my people are safe.”

He leaned back. She nodded. He had a mission, and his people needed him.

But by Kalt, he didn’t want to go.

He kissed her. This was longer than their first kiss, deeper. He breathed her in, and she pressed herself up against him, grabbing his neck. After a long time that seemed far too short, he let her go and jumped onto his gallimai.

“Shifra,” he said, looking down from the gallimai’s back. “I want to talk to your father about us.”

She laughed nervously. “Now might be the best time, since you can leave before he gets too upset.” Her smile disappeared and she shook her head. “But there are more urgent things to worry about, like winning this war.”

“Doesn’t mean we can’t live in the meantime,” he said, smiling down at her. Imagining spending every waking moment with her, holding her into the night.

He shook his head out of the fantasy. This was not the time. He turned away.

He jumped as someone shouted his name. Revin stepped into the stables from the main entrance. His heart jumped as Kaiato he realized he sat on the back of a saurian Revin had mastered.

✦✦✦

Shifra noticed the look of panic on Kaiato’s face. He looked from the saurian to Revin. Her eyes widened in understanding. Had Revin seen them through the saurian’s eyes? She investigated Revin’s emotions. He was worried and rushed. But there was little else. No surprise.

“Yes, Revin?” Kaiato said.

Revin gave an earnest smile, “Be careful out there. Don’t get yourself killed.”

Kaiato nodded. “Thank you, Revin. It’s been a pleasure knowing you. Take care of yourself.”

Kaiato looked at Shifra.

“And don’t let anything happen to her, either,” Kaiato said.

“Of course not,” Revin said, “If you don’t go too far, I’ll be able to stay connected to your saurian. Hopefully, I’ll know when you get back.”

Kaiato smiled, “Revin, you are a remarkable man. Stay honest.”

Kaiato looked at Shifra, and she felt a twinge of nervousness. Kaiato hid it well, but she knew he wished she would speak up.

Well… she would try once Kaiato had gone.

Kaiato nodded to Revin and gave a slightly longer nod to Shifra. From what her Gift told her, he wanted to do more than just nod. But beyond the attraction, she felt even more, an intense sense of love and duty, but not for her.

For his nation.

He turned and rode away, the other spies following close behind.

She looked at Revin. Worry and sadness filled him. “I hope he comes back alright.”

“Me too,” Shifra said.

Revin turned toward her. “Shifra, do you want to help me with the baby giganotos? I have some questions about how to best continue caring for them.”

She nodded. “Sure, you go on ahead. I’ll catch up in a few.”

Revin nodded and left. Once she was sure he wasn’t looking her way, she returned her gaze to Kaiato and his squad of spies, riding away on tall gallimais.

She watched until he disappeared in the distance.