Cursor's Fury (Codex Alera #3)(176)

"I hardly recognized you with a tan," Tavi replied. "I'm sorry we haven't been able to talk yet, but..."

"We're working," Ehren said. "I get it."

Tavi had slept in his trousers and with his boots on. He rose, slipped on a tunic, and turned to greet Ehren with a rough hug.

"Good to see you, " Tavi said.

"Likewise," Ehren replied. He drew back and looked suspiciously at Tavi, up and down. "Crows, you've gotten taller. You're supposed to stop growing after age twenty or so, Ta-" He shook his head. "Ahem. Scipio. At the Academy, we started off the same height. Now you're as tall as Max."

"Making up for lost time, I suppose," Tavi said. "How are you?"

"Glad to be rid of the islands," Ehren said. He frowned and glanced away. "Though I wish I'd come back with better news. And given it to someone else."

"Did you speak to the prisoners?"

Ehren nodded. "They cooperated. I'm fairly sure that the dead man was Kalarus' agent, and was the brains of the operation. The rest were just... well. There's always shady business for a legionare to involve himself in."

"Especially troublemakers."

"Especially troublemaking veterans," Ehren agreed.

"Fine," Tavi said. "Release them and send them back to their century."

Ehren blinked. "What?"

"That's an entire spear of veteran legionares, Ehren. I need them."

"But... Captain..."

Tavi met the Cursor's eyes, and said, quietly, "This is my decision. Do it."

Ehren nodded. "All right," he said quietly. "The First Spear asked me to tell you that the Canim are moving through the second picket]ine now, and they're making no effort to conceal their presence. He estimates that they'll be here in an hour or so."

Tavi scowled. "I told him to wake me when the first pickets reported contact."

"He said you'd need your sleep more than he in the next day or two. Tribune Antillus agreed."

Tavi scowled. Max, of course, could rely upon his furycrafting to go for days and days without sleeping. Odds were excellent that Valiar Marcus could do it as well, but Tavi had no such resource-and though he'd needed less sleep and less time to rest in the past two or three years, he had no idea exactly to what extent he could rely upon the nebulous endurance.

Max and the First Spear had probably been correct to let him get as much rest as possible. Great furies knew, he'd need his wits about him today.

"All right," he said quietly. "Ehren, I know I don't have any authority to give you a command, but..."

Ehren quirked an eyebrow. "Since when have you let niceties like the law slow you down?"

Tavi grinned. "I don't mind law. Provided it doesn't get in the way."

Ehren snorted. "Seems like yesterday we were dodging bullies in the Academy courtyard. Now it's an army of Canim." He gave Tavi a long-suffering look and sighed. "All right. I'm in."

Tavi nodded. "Thank you."

Ehren nodded back.

"Tell Magnus to get you a courier's horse," Tavi said. "Armor, too. I want you close to me. I may need a messenger today, and I want it to be someone I trust."

"Of course," Ehren said.

"And..." Tavi frowned. "If things don't go well here, Ehren, I want you to go. Take word back to Gaius, yourself. "

Ehren was silent for a minute. Then he said, in a whisper, "You're a Cursor, Tavi. It's your duty to go yourself, if it comes to that."