It had been four days since the witches and the First Army departed. According to the plan, they should arrive at the Silver City suburb the following afternoon.
Since they were equipped with Honey's carrier pigeons, Iron Axe, Anna, and Nightingale sent Roland letters every day. Though they were not as fast as mobile phones, they were not slower than newspaper messengers. If there were more carrier pigeons, with birds flying between them all the time, maybe they could achieve the effect of texting.
With Nightingale away, the chief knight had taken over the task of defending the castle. Roland was puzzled to see that Carter had been especially cheerful these days; it seemed that he had encountered something pleasing. Was being Roland's personal bodyguard the cause of this extra cheerfulness?
Roland shook his head and focused on the report from Karl Van Bate, the Minister of Construction.