Resurrected Soldiers: The Tyrus Chronicle - Book Three Read Online Free Page B

with at least half a mind who I can teach to fetch and mix potions and poultices. Others with not so much of a mind, but a strong back to keep the infirmary and equipment clean.”
    “How many?”
    “A dozen would be a good start.”
    “Done.”
    The man raised an eyebrow. “Really? Can you do that?”
    In truth, I didn’t know how much power Balak had planned on giving me. As far as I knew, I was to act as a consultant of sorts. However, I also knew that if I attributed any order I made as coming from Balak, he’d likely not go against what I had said so long as I didn’t overstep myself.
    “Of course I can. Now what else can I get you?”
    * * *
    I left Noam a few minutes later after going over what else the man might need. Unfortunately, some of his needs were more desires. In the new world of gray, some plants were practically impossible to obtain. I’d have men looking for them as we marched, but I was doubtful we’d find much.
    With the infirmary off my list and Boaz, Zev, and Caleb safe, I decided to move on to bigger things.
    Balak.
    I wasn’t sure how long it would take for him to call me but I knew he held the most information.
    The outside of Balak’s tent was guarded by six men, all of which I recognized immediately. Each had once been part of the elite units. Though theirs varied in strength, all had a resistance to sorcery like me.
    “State your business,” said one in a harsh tone.
    It was Etan, a man who had served six years as a special units leader. He and I weren’t close, but we had gotten along well enough. Mostly that was because I never had to worry about his unit and he in turn never had to worry about mine.
    The ability to get a job done and stay out of each other’s way increased anyone’s likeability.
    I gave him a nod. “Hello, Etan.”
    “State your business.”
    I raised an eyebrow at the lack of acknowledgement. “I’m here to see the general.”
    He grunted, poked his head inside, and announced me. There was a low response I couldn’t quite hear. Etan stepped aside after it and opened the tent wordlessly.
    I gave him a questioning look, but he paid me no mind. Maybe we hadn’t gotten along as well as I had thought. There definitely wasn’t going to be any nostalgic conversations about the good old days.
    That might not be a bad thing. I couldn’t really recall any good old days.
    I stepped inside and bit down a snort as Balak examined maps spread over a simple table in the center of the tent. The size and condition of the army had changed, as had apparently past relationships, but Balak’s tent looked exactly like the last time I was inside. Besides the table, there were a few piles of clothes in the corner, a bedroll, and a single oil lamp hanging on the center support pole. In less than two breaths, I could smell nothing else but the odor of that burning oil.
    We had just won a war the last time I was inside his tent, ready to go home. Not even a year later, I had no home.
    But I sure had another war.
    My mind wandered to the men I lost on top that high hill when taking out the Geneshan post and capturing their cursed artifact. They gave their lives and in the grand scheme of things, it hadn’t done a bit of good.
    Such thoughts did little for my mood which grew worse by the moment as I waited for Balak to acknowledge me. He hadn’t even looked up from his map yet.
    I hoped whatever attitude Etan had outside wasn’t spreading like the runs I noticed earlier.
    “You going to just stand there all day, Tyrus?” asked Balak, head still down.
    “I guess not,” I said, walking over.
    I stopped beside him and stared down.
    Much like Dekar and I had begun making adjustments and notes to the map we had used after the eruptions, Balak had done the same to his. However, Balak’s changes were far more extensive, and made with much greater care. Considering the clean lines, and careful notes about them, I easily imagined him standing over his table for hours.
    No wonder