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"Let’s assume", Lan said softly, carefully, "that one were in a position to sabotage the entire arreat subtlety, as to not be suspected What would you do?"

"Put our back to the river", Baldhere said slowly "Claier of being surrounded Co in our defenses and let us be split Make each step seem rational"

"And your next step?" Lan said

Baldhere considered, looking troubled "You’d need to pull the archers off the hills to the east The land is rough over there, and so Shadon could come around our scouts--particularly with everyone’s eyes up toward the front lines--and draw close

"Archers would see them and raise the alarh for the other reserves to arrive But if the archers were moved, and the eastern reserves co around our eastern flank and attack our back linesour whole arainst the river Frooran", Prince Kaisel said, nudging his horse forward He looked about, as if asha this Surely you don’t suspect Lord Agel us!"

"We can’t afford to leave anyone above suspicion", Lan said grimly "A caution I should have listened to with a keener ear Perhaps it is nothing Perhaps"

"We’re going to have enough difficulty getting out of this position as it is", Andere said, frowning "If we get pinned against the river"

"The plan originally was to use the reserve light cavalry to cover the retreat", Lan said "The infantry could retreat first, crossing the river on foot, then we could bring the heavy cavalry through gateways The river is not swift, and the horses of the light cavalry could ford it, while Trollocs wouldn’t dare Not until they were forced It was a good enough plan" Unless they got pressed too hard for the foot to disengage Everything would fall apart then And if they were surrounded, there was no way Lan would get his arh channelers to move the entire ar half of his arhter No, he’d die before he let that happen

"Everything Lord Agelh plan", Baldhere said intensely "Good enough to avoid suspicion, but not good enough to win Lanso with him I’ve known him for years Please I still believe that he’s ht, I know I am"

Lan nodded He left Lord Baldhere at his post and rode, with his guard, toward the back lines and the command tent

The sense of dread that Lan felt was like a stone stuck in his throat Those clouds seemed lower than before They rumbled The drums of the Dark One, come to claim the lives of men

By the tioodShienaranbehind hi for his horse

At Lan’s wave, Andere dashed over and caught the er frowned "Dai Shan?" he asked, saluting as Lan rode up

"You are delivering orders for Lord Agel "Yes, my Lord"