Kahlan turned her attention back to the general. "We'll also need to secretly trickle another force out of camp to wait at the opposite side of the valley from Captain Abernathy, so that when the Order comes up the valley in the middle, we can drive into their ribs from both sides at once.

They won't want to let us cut off and trap part of their force, so they'll turn tail. Then our main force can drive steel into their vulnerable backs."

The three officers considered her plan in silence, while outside the confusion of noise went on. Horses galloped past, wagons creaked and bounced along, snow underfoot crunched as soldiers shuffled past, and men called out orders.

Lieutenant Leiden's eyes turned up toward Kahlan. "Mother Confessor, my Keltans could be that other force. They've all served together a long time, and work well in our own units under my command. We could begin slipping out of camp at once and gather down there to wait for the attack. You could send a Sister with us to verify a prearranged signal, and then I could take my men in when Captain Abernathy attacks from the opposite side."

Kahlan knew the man wanted to redeem himself in her eyes. He was also looking to establish for Kelton a measure of autonomy within the D'Haran Empire.

"That will be a dangerous spot, Lieutenant. If anything goes wrong, we can't come to your aid."

He nodded. "But my men are familiar with the area and we're used to traversing mountainous country in the winter. The Imperial Order is from a warmer land. We have the advantage of weather and terrain. We can do the job, Mother Confessor."

Kahlan straightened, letting out a breath as she appraised the man.

General Meiffert, she knew, would like the idea. Captain Abernathy would, too; Galea and Kelton were traditional rivals, so the two would just as soon fight their own way, and separately.

Richard had brought the lands together, so that they would all come to feel they were one, now. That was vital if they were to survive. She supposed that they were fighting for the same goal, so in that way they were working together-they would have to coordinate their attacks. Lieutenant Leiden did make sense, too; his troops were mountain fighters.

"All right, Lieutenant."

"Thank you, Mother Confessor."

Kahlan thought to add some insurance. "If you acquit yourself well in this, Lieutenant, it could move you up in command."

Lieutenant Leiden clapped a fist to his heart in salute. "My men will make their queen proud."

Kahlan acknowledged his pledge with the nod of the Mother Confessor.

She addressed them all. "We had better get under way."

General Meiffert grunted his agreement. "This will be a good opportunity to knock down their numbers. If it goes even half right, this time we'll bleed them good." He turned to the other two officers. "Let's get started. We need to have your men moving at once to give them enough time to be in position by morning. There's no telling how long they might wait to attack, but if it comes as soon as dawn, I want you in position and ready."

"The Order favors attacking at dawn," Captain Abernathy said. "We can be on our way within the hour. We'll be in place and ready by dawn, should they come in early."

"As can we," Lieutenant Leiden agreed.

The two officers bowed and started to leave.

"Captain," Kahlan called. The men turned back.

"Mother Confessor?"

"Do you have any idea what could be keeping Prince Harold and the rest of your army? He should have been here long ago. We could really use the rest of your men."

Captain Abernathy's thumb twiddled a bone button on the front of his dark coat. "I'm sorry, Mother Confessor. I, too, thought they should have been here by now. I can't imagine what could be keeping the prince."

"He should have been here by now," she repeated under her breath to herself. She looked up at the captain. "Weather?"

"Perhaps, Mother Confessor. If there are storms, that could have delayed him. That is probably the reason, and in that case I don't imagine he should be much longer. Our men train in the mountains in such conditions."

Kahlan sighed. "Let's hope he's here soon, then."

Captain Abernathy confidently met her gaze. "I know for a fact that the prince was eager to collect his men and get down here to help. Galea spans the Callisidrin Valley. The prince personally told me that it was to our own best interest to halt the Imperial Order down here, rather than letting them advance further up into the Midlands, where our lands and our families would come under the terror of the enemy."

Kahlan could see in Lieutenant Leiden's eyes that he was thinking that if Prince Harold instead decided to make a stand in the Callisidrin Valley, in order to selfishly protect his homeland of Galea, such an obstacle very well could force the Order to instead bear toward the northeast in their advance, around the intervening mountains, and over into the Kern Plain-right toward Leiden's homeland of Kelton. If Lieutenant Leiden was imagining such treachery, he had the wisdom not to voice it.

"I know the weather was bad when I came down," Kahlan said. "It is winter, after all. I'm sure Prince Harold will soon be here to help his queen and the fellow people of the D'Haran Empire."

Kahlan offered them a smile to soften the subtle threat. "Thank you, gentlemen. You'd best get to your tasks. May the good spirits watch your backs."

After the men had saluted and horned off to their work, Adie put her hands to her knees and levered herself to her feet.

"If you do not need me, I must see to informing the Sisters, Zedd, and Warren of our plans."

Kahlan nodded wearily. "Thank you, Adie."

Adie, her eyes completely white, saw with the aid of her gift. Kahlan could feel that gifted gaze on her.

"You have used your power," the old sorceress said. "I be able to see it in your face. You must rest."

"I know," Kahlan said. "But there are things needing to be done."

"They will not get done if you fall ill, or worse-which could happen."

Adie's thin fingers gripped Cara's arm. "See to it that the Mother Confessor be left alone for a while, so she can at least rest her head on the table, if nothing else."

Cara swung the folding chair around and set it behind the table. She pointed at it while leveling a stern look at Kahlan.

"Sit. I will stand watch."

Kahlan was exhausted. Using her Confessor's ability sapped her strength. She needed time to recover. The hard ride back had only made matters worse. She went around the table and sat down heavily in the folding chair. She opened her fur mantle and set it back on her shoulders. Richard's sword was still strapped to her back, its hilt jutting up above her shoulder. She didn't bother to remove the sword.

Adie, at seeing Kahlan comply without complaint, smiled to herself and went on her way. Cara took up guard at the entrance as Kahlan's head sank down into her pillowed arms. Trying not to let the terrible events of the day overwhelm her, she instead thought of Richard, remembering his handsome smile, his penetrating gray eyes, his gentle touch. Her own eyes closed. In her weariness, the chair and table felt as if they were spinning her around.

In moments, though, as she held her thoughts of Richard in her mind's eye, she felt herself sliding into sleep.