Rise and Fall Read Online Free PDF Page B

coming and they’re ready for us.” Tobin paused. “As ready as they can be anyway.”
    “What?” said Walor.
    “I told you I followed a hunch. Structurally, the village is exactly as reported. The huts, the oasis, the animal pen, the fire pits are all laid out as described. But if you look closer, there’s more. They wanted us to see families around the fire pits oblivious to what was going on, an easy prey. However, those families are incomplete. There weren’t any men around the fires.”
    Walor interjected, “Are you telling me you saw the faces of those people from that distance?”
    “Of course not. I didn’t need to see their faces. I watched them move. It was a clever thing to disguise their women in men’s clothing but they couldn’t disguise their mannerisms or their gait. I can’t be sure, but I think only two pits were lit simply because there weren’t enough women to light all the pits and still convince us of the deception. So instead, they hoped we would reason the other pits were out because those clusters were already asleep.”
    “Do you know where the men are?” asked Kaz.
    “Hiding. Waiting for us to take the bait. I’m sure that many of them are dispersed throughout the village, but from what I could tell, the animal pen is the primary location. They probably hope to take advantage of the few mounts they have.”
    “How can you be so sure?”
    “They made the mistake of lighting the fires nearest the pen. After watching the horses long enough I saw several glints near their heads from the flames bouncing off the bridles still in their mouths. There were also several shadows moving about nearby that did not belong to any animal.”
    “And the oasis?”
    “I would guess several stationed there as well, given the location. However, the huts were blocking my line of sight.”
    Kaz grunted, a disgusted look on his face. He turned his back on Tobin. “We leave in ten minutes and will make do with the incomplete information.”
    Never enough is it, Kaz? Without my warning it is likely we’d lose more men. My report also made your point against Durahn as well. Yet, you give me nothing. Tobin sighed and looked over to Walor who gave a small shrug.
    * * *
    A short while later the Kifzo split into three groups. The first group would approach the settlement along the coast. They would search the fishing vessels docked ashore before making their way up the beach.
    The second group waited near the rock formation Tobin and Walor used earlier for scouting. When the time came, they would veer to the right of the village, capturing the hut clusters presumed to be least occupied. Afterward, they would push forward toward the oasis, gaining control of the village’s central position. Once the first group charged, the second group would attack and signal the third group into action.
    The third group sat above the village on a series of ragged hills, overlooking the animal pens. Jutting rocks and dark shadows provided more than adequate cover for the group. Their task was to release a volley of arrows at the animal pen where Tobin suspected many of the male villagers hid. After the initial volley, most of the warriors from the third position would charge down the rock-strewn terrain toward the pens while the villagers were distracted. Tobin and several other handpicked warriors of his choosing would continue the arrow fire until the second and third groups engaged. Only then would they move down into the fray. If all went as planned, the three groups would strike as one in three different areas of the settlement, causing confusion and chaos.
    Tobin directed the third company into position, not satisfied until he found the optimal formation for the warriors. He ignored the aggravated looks on their faces as he shuffled them about. He was used to such disdain after all these years. But they have no choice but to take orders from me on this matter.
    Even Kaz, who rarely relinquished command, especially to