Chapter 45

Retreating after Goltay, the army marches through relentless rain, hunger, and mud as raiders harass the rear with war boars. The weather slows goblin chariots but sickness returns as a cough, threatening older soldiers. Galva befriends Simón, a sharp‑witted Petoneru veteran, sharing gallows humor and hard truths about past wars and how Manreach learned to fight on foot.

Logistics falter as carts mire and break, making engineers crucial. They repair wagons and reinforce a swollen Arve River bridge, then dismantle it after the crossing. Galva worries for Larmette and the Espalle children, and seeks spiritual solace with Inocenta, who counsels that the Bride understands love. Meanwhile, Galva’s corvids grow hungry and fractious, hinting at trouble.

At a raised road through marshland, the Pragmatist unveils the “Butchered Man” strategy: units are assigned body parts and lots are drawn to determine successive sacrificial rearguards. The “left ring finger” is chosen first. A mixed battalion—including Brayçish greatbows, Untherian pillow knights, and Ispanthian sword‑and‑shield—stays to hold the choke point with food, horns, and drum, singing an Unthern song as the army withdraws. Inocenta weeps, calling the sacrifice worthy of the Bride’s favor.

That night, seeking the latrine, Galva stumbles upon Migaéd and his depleted officers. He meets her gaze with shifting rage and shame, then handcants a hateful rejection. Galva turns away in pain, recognizing any chance at reconciliation is gone. The next day, the corvids, driven by hunger and bickering, revolt.