The dry heat clung to our skin like a second layer of armor. The Split Spine spat its red dust at every step, seeping into the mouth, the nostrils, even into the folds of our cuirasses. The warriors of the vanguard ran behind me, breath short, faces set. Some wore their breastplates open to breathe more easily, revealing the sweat running along their collarbones, disappearing between their breasts or sliding into the small of their backs, tracing dark lines over the dust.
Kaelira, on my right, ran as if she didn't feel the slope. Her yellow eyes locked on me.
— Are you sure it's a good idea to split our troops? she asked between breaths.
I didn't slow down.
— Yes. A small, fast force will surprise them more easily. If they have scouts, a whole army would alert them before we're even in sight. Nyss is holding the encirclement behind. The enemy will be trapped from both sides.
