In the chaos, it took some time and some stern talking to convince the guards at the gatehouse that Aubrey should be allowed to see Major Saltin. George stayed with the still-agitated horses just inside the gates, attended by an equally agitated guard who actually seemed glad at having a specific duty.
Inside the walls, the compound was thick with smoke and dust, and with Gallian servicemen running about, singly and in squads. Shouting echoed from the buildings and the guard towers. No-one knew where Major Saltin was, either, and resented being stopped and asked such a thing when there were more important matters at hand.
Aubrey did wonder how running about and shouting was more important, but he decided not to press the issue.
The friends rounded the fortress chapel and then stood, stunned, looking at what had been the parade ground before it had become the site for the magic neutralising tower. Now, it was the site of a ruin. The tower lay smashed across the gravel, crushing a flagpole that had been on one corner of the parade ground. Several vehicles were on fire at the edge, near the barracks, and the rear section of a lorry was in very small pieces near the stub of one leg of the tower. A large section of one of the arms had fallen awry and had caved in the roof of a service building. Flames flickered from it; soldiers were cursing and uncoiling hoses that had lain unused for years. The greasy smoke added to the hellish atmosphere.
Aubrey was pressing toward the infirmary as a possible location for Major Saltin when the man himself emerged from the officers’ mess.
Aubrey waved. ‘Saltin!’
The Gallian put up a hand and peered through the smoke. Before making his way in their direction, he grabbed a hurrying corporal by the collar and spoke sharply to him.
‘It was sabotage,’ Major Saltin announced when he’d marched close enough. His face was blackened with smoke or soot. He waved an arm at the wreckage. ‘A baker’s lorry parked near the base of the tower exploded. The driver has been identified as leaving the fortress on foot just before the explosion.’
‘Casualties?’ Aubrey asked.
‘No-one killed, which is entirely fortuitous. Recruits were training at the far end of the field only half an hour ago.’
‘Infiltrators,’ Caroline suggested. ‘Holmland has had time to send teams into Divodorum for something like this.’
‘I know.’ Saltin grimaced, then wiped his cheek with the back of his hand, which only smeared the soot, leaving a long black streak. ‘We have had new people coming in every day, changing over, heading to the front… It has been difficult.’
‘Heading to the front,’ Aubrey said, ‘that’s what we’re about to do. We have a delivery to make to the Albion forces.’
Sophie was suddenly the cadet journalist again, notepad in hand. ‘Major Saltin, this leaves you open to magical attack. What are you going to do about it?’
Major Saltin straightened. ‘Our best, m’mselle. Reinforcements are starting to get through now, and we have some magical personnel among them. You can tell your readers that Divodorum will never fall.’
He saluted, then marched toward the burning building.
Sophie smiled, a little bitterly. ‘By the time my readers hear from me, they will know whether Divodorum has fallen or not. I ask because I hope to write about events after this war has finished.’
‘You do? George said something about doing the same thing,’ Aubrey said.
Caroline rolled her eyes. ‘Aubrey, Sophie and George have a plan to work on this together, after the war.’
‘So we gather what we can,’ Sophie said, ‘while we go about our duties.’
‘Aubrey and I shall help,’ Caroline said.
‘As long as we’re clear about what we don’t mention.’ Aubrey faltered at the stern looks from both young women. ‘I’m sorry?’
‘Secrets, Aubrey?’ Sophie said. ‘What reason can there be for keeping secrets after the war?’
‘Why, I’m sure there must be… Military knowledge… Intelligence
…’
‘Be careful,’ Caroline said. ‘Just because we’re working for them, we don’t want to end up like them.’
‘Who?’
‘The hoarders of secrets. Those who know best. The ones who feel that they’re entitled to know things that the rest of us can’t be trusted with.’
‘You’ve just described most of the intelligence community. And most politicians.’
‘Exactly.’