Evvy yelped and reined up, almost forcing her mount to rear. Briar instantly reached for her horse’s bridle, though he was trying to keep from pulling too hard on his own animal’s reins.
“Wait! Wait!” Captain Rana called, raising a hand. “It’s all right! They are allies, and welcome ones at that!”
Kanbab rested a hand on Evvy’s elbow. “If you’re this jumpy now, what will you do when you get to the war?” she asked. “We’re just getting ready for it. Garmashing is where you’ll find the real danger!”
Parahan rode up beside Evvy. “These — these are Kombanpur flags, but not my uncle’s or my father’s. What is going on here?” He dismounted and walked into the tent village.
“He’ll catch up with us,” Rana said. “Come on. The general’s waiting for you.”
Once inside the fort, they barely got a chance to wash up and release the cats in the rooms to be shared by Rosethorn and Evvy. Rana shooed the three travelers along the halls of the fortress to General Sayrugo’s audience chamber. There the notables were seated on one side of a long, worn table behind pots of the ever-present tea and teacups. Rosethorn, Briar, and Evvy watched as Rana marched up to an imposing bronze-skinned woman in a fire-orange tunic jacket. He presented her with the reports he had written each night on the road.
Then they saw the older man on the general’s right and forgot all about her and Rana. Evvy squeaked and threw herself around the corner of the table to hug First Dedicate Dokyi. Rosethorn and Briar were more restrained, but every bit as glad to see the older mage.
“Evumeimei, where is your dignity?” her most recent teacher asked as he patted her on the back.
“I don’t have any,” Evvy said, her voice muffled by the cloth of his habit.
Dokyi looked up at Rosethorn and Briar. “General Sayrugo has been good enough to allow me to read the reports she received from Captain Rana,” he said. “I understand you had a difficult time. Evumeimei, did you bring your cats?”
She straightened up, indignant. “Of course I did!” Then she saw his smile and realized that he was teasing. “Sorry, Honored Dedicate. You can visit them whenever you like.”
“Perhaps a little later. I should very much like to hear Monster purr again. Now.” Dokyi looked up at Rosethorn. “Captain Rana wrote that you came to warn us, but as he has told you, your warning was not needed. Weishu made secret treaties with both Inxia and Qayan, which freed his armies so he could launch an invasion here. He is a greedy fellow, is he not?”
Rosethorn smiled wryly and told Dokyi, “That is one way of looking at it, Honored Dedicate.”
“Is it true, then, that you are also determined to fight here?” the older man wanted to know.
Rosethorn nodded. “More than ever after our time at the Winter Palace,” she said. Her belly griped. Her heart cried out for Lark, but her answer had to be the one she had given Dokyi and the reason she had taken her two children and brought them back to Gyongxe. After what they had seen of Weishu and his court, she had to do all she could to stop him. The emperor of Yanjing was a monster in human skin.
“Good,” Dokyi said. “I have an errand of utmost importance. You are the best person I know of our faith who can carry it out.” He came out from behind the table and gripped Rosethorn gently by the shoulder. “Forgive me. I did not let you walk into peril on purpose. I did not know that war was inside our borders until the God-King did, and I did not let this errand wait until you were the only one who could do it for me. At first I undertook it. A week ago I set out from Garmashing. For each step I tried to take due south on this errand, there were Yanjingyi troops to drive me south and east. To here, in fact, where I would find you.” He turned to Briar. “They are bringing food for you and Evvy, if you will sit over there.” He nodded to a bench against the wall. “I must speak with Rosethorn privately. And then all of us can have a proper midday.”
“She’s tired,” Briar said flatly. “Her breathing —”
“I understand,” Dokyi replied. “She will sit, and I will have tea brought.”
Rosethorn caught Briar’s gaze with hers. When she was certain that she had it, she raised an eyebrow. It was a warning, and her boy knew it. He was not to push any further. He stared back at her, hard, and then guided Evvy to the bench Dokyi had indicated.
“He is a faithful son,” the First Dedicate said as he led the way to a side door out of the general’s meeting room. “You have been unstinting with your own love, that he is so unstinting with his love for you.”
She ducked her head and hoped he didn’t notice she was blushing. She and Briar only rarely talked about affection. Both of them had learned the hard way when they were children that many people would take any affection they offered and use it to get everything they had.
The older man brought her into a room next door that also seemed to be laid out for meetings. He sat on a bench on the nearest side of the long table and indicated that she should sit beside him. There were no windows here and only two doors. The only thing on the table was a leather pack.
Dokyi gestured, deep black fire trailing from his fingers. He and Rosethorn were instantly enclosed in a shadowy globe that almost touched the room’s ceiling. Suddenly Rosethorn, who had been cold since they left Kushi, felt warm. She drew her own power within her skin, not wanting her plant sensitivity to be entangled with the great man’s stone magic.