him from the saddle with less than half a dozen blows.
Seizing the banner, Garshab’s men rode toward the grove at the other end of the field—presumably to try something smarter than charging straight into the men Merahb had posted to protect his goal.
“…a level head,” the commander finished grimly. “This is what I’m talking about. They’re playing to impress me instead of playing as a team, to win. If you were out there, you wouldn’t do that.”
Jiaan bit his lip. He wasn’t so certain.
“You’re the steadiest of my aides.” The commander turned Rakesh to the pavilion, where wash water and refreshment awaited him. “The most reliable.”
I’m also your son. His commander had never said the word. Do you think I don’t know? That my mother wouldn’t have told me? But his father knew that he knew. It was why he had lifted Jiaan so high above his normal station. So why not say it?
“Tomorrow I’m sending every one of my aides off on some errand or other,” the commander continued. “Garshab hasn’t half enough servants to follow you all. I’ll claim I’m sending you to the Sendar border, to pick up a report on the Hrum’s movements. But that report is actually locked in my traveling desk right now, and I’ll give it to you later, so you can return with it after the proper amount of time.” The commander was speaking softer and faster. The pavilion was nearer now. “But your real job will be to join Soraya after we’ve left her and then get her to the refuge you know of, without being followed. That’s the important part, lad. They’ll know what we’re doing, but as long as I can keep Soraya hidden, as long as they can’t produce her, along with evidence that I preserved her, they’ll have nothing but smoke and suspicions. And I’ll be in command while we prepare for the Hrum.”
Jiaan swallowed. His father had entrusted him with important errands before, but this…this was a deghan’s mission! A chance to finally prove himself. To everyone. But still…
“Do we have time for this, sir? If the Hrum are coming in the spring—”
“Don’t worry about the Hrum,” said the commander.
Why not? You are.
“Your job is to get Soraya into hiding, unseen. And you can do it. I have confidence in you, Jiaan.”
The note in his father’s voice as he said Jiaan’s name transformed the words. My son. He didn’t have to say it aloud.
Chapter Six
Kavi
K AVI WAS ONE HARD DAY ’S travel out of Setesafon, and the prickling uneasiness that had dogged him for the last week was beginning to fade. He’d walked for several candlemarks beyond the town at which most people stopped on the first night of their journey, and not just because he was too short of coin to put up at an inn. He wanted to put more than a day’s distance between him and the city where he’d created such a stir by selling fifteen gold pieces in just eight days.
During the last few days he thought he’d seen several of his customers looking for him. They might only have wanted to purchase another piece. On the other hand…
No, Kavi was delighted to be out of the rich, teeming city. He’d left Hama and her family, and even the pathetically grateful guard, safe behind him, and he had three remaining gold pieces buried deep in his pack. To repay him for his trouble, Nadi had said. He’d offered to leave them with Nadi, for Hama could have sold them in seven or eight months with no danger—or, at least, no additional danger. But Nadi had refused, with a firmness that led him to suspect that a profitable partnership had come to an end. Ah, well. At least he was back on the road.
When he first became a peddler he’d hated making camp like this, in the rustling darkness of the open country, even though the blackened, stone ring and trampled earth told him that many had camped here before. Now the fire’s crackle and the ripping sound of Duckie’s teeth in the grass spelled home to him. Even the wind, rattling the
Seizing the banner, Garshab’s men rode toward the grove at the other end of the field—presumably to try something smarter than charging straight into the men Merahb had posted to protect his goal.
“…a level head,” the commander finished grimly. “This is what I’m talking about. They’re playing to impress me instead of playing as a team, to win. If you were out there, you wouldn’t do that.”
Jiaan bit his lip. He wasn’t so certain.
“You’re the steadiest of my aides.” The commander turned Rakesh to the pavilion, where wash water and refreshment awaited him. “The most reliable.”
I’m also your son. His commander had never said the word. Do you think I don’t know? That my mother wouldn’t have told me? But his father knew that he knew. It was why he had lifted Jiaan so high above his normal station. So why not say it?
“Tomorrow I’m sending every one of my aides off on some errand or other,” the commander continued. “Garshab hasn’t half enough servants to follow you all. I’ll claim I’m sending you to the Sendar border, to pick up a report on the Hrum’s movements. But that report is actually locked in my traveling desk right now, and I’ll give it to you later, so you can return with it after the proper amount of time.” The commander was speaking softer and faster. The pavilion was nearer now. “But your real job will be to join Soraya after we’ve left her and then get her to the refuge you know of, without being followed. That’s the important part, lad. They’ll know what we’re doing, but as long as I can keep Soraya hidden, as long as they can’t produce her, along with evidence that I preserved her, they’ll have nothing but smoke and suspicions. And I’ll be in command while we prepare for the Hrum.”
Jiaan swallowed. His father had entrusted him with important errands before, but this…this was a deghan’s mission! A chance to finally prove himself. To everyone. But still…
“Do we have time for this, sir? If the Hrum are coming in the spring—”
“Don’t worry about the Hrum,” said the commander.
Why not? You are.
“Your job is to get Soraya into hiding, unseen. And you can do it. I have confidence in you, Jiaan.”
The note in his father’s voice as he said Jiaan’s name transformed the words. My son. He didn’t have to say it aloud.
Chapter Six
Kavi
K AVI WAS ONE HARD DAY ’S travel out of Setesafon, and the prickling uneasiness that had dogged him for the last week was beginning to fade. He’d walked for several candlemarks beyond the town at which most people stopped on the first night of their journey, and not just because he was too short of coin to put up at an inn. He wanted to put more than a day’s distance between him and the city where he’d created such a stir by selling fifteen gold pieces in just eight days.
During the last few days he thought he’d seen several of his customers looking for him. They might only have wanted to purchase another piece. On the other hand…
No, Kavi was delighted to be out of the rich, teeming city. He’d left Hama and her family, and even the pathetically grateful guard, safe behind him, and he had three remaining gold pieces buried deep in his pack. To repay him for his trouble, Nadi had said. He’d offered to leave them with Nadi, for Hama could have sold them in seven or eight months with no danger—or, at least, no additional danger. But Nadi had refused, with a firmness that led him to suspect that a profitable partnership had come to an end. Ah, well. At least he was back on the road.
When he first became a peddler he’d hated making camp like this, in the rustling darkness of the open country, even though the blackened, stone ring and trampled earth told him that many had camped here before. Now the fire’s crackle and the ripping sound of Duckie’s teeth in the grass spelled home to him. Even the wind, rattling the
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