"It's not a story," said Joss. "Many people's grandparents remembered seeing a Guardian when they were children."
"A little lad may see all manner of things in shadows and in wishful dreams," retorted Kesta. "What do you think, Volias?"
Yet Volias, who never on any account liked to agree with Joss, remained thoughtful. "I think the testimony of this man's soldiers must be taken into account. They aren't the only rumors I've heard in recent months."
"When folk are frightened, they'll see and say anything," objected Kesta. "Not that I blame them. But that doesn't mean what they say and see are true things. Only that they're frightened."
Joss shook his head. "Zubaidit saw winged horses, too, when she was in the enemy's camp. So she reported to me, when we met in Olossi. But she saw no Guardians."
"Could you recognize a Guardian if you saw one?" Kesta asked with a sharp laugh.
"Excuse me, if you will." Anji shifted to look down the road, back the way he had come. The front rank of his company rode into view. "We have little enough time. What do I need to know about winged horses, and these creatures you call 'guardians'?"
Joss nodded. "Kesta is right. According to our tales, the nine Guardians served as judges at the assizes for many generations. Then, they vanished. No one alive today has met a Guardian. We have good reason to believe they're all dead. Remains have been found. Bones. I think they're gone. But, according to the tale, among the gifts given them by the gods were winged horses,'formed out of the elements so that they could travel swiftly and across the rivers and mountains without obstacle.' "
"A useful skill," said Anji, indicating the resting eagles. "As we have seen."
"We've got a flag," said Volias suddenly.
Joss looked over his shoulder to see all three eagles staring at the sky, but not at the two reeves circling overhead. After a moment, he saw a speck in the southern sky that quickly grew until he could make out an eagle and reeve moving in fast.
Joss turned to Anji. "Remember that no eagle can descend on you if you and your men and horses take cover in woods. And at night, eagles are blind."
Pari and Killer landed at a prudent distance, and the reeve unhooked and ran over to them. He was panting as he came up.
"The eagles are flaring," he said. "There's at least two flights approaching out of the north. It must be Argent Hall."
Joss looked at Volias, and Volias looked at Captain Anji. The Qin troop had halted on the road behind him. They waited in neat ranks, with their remounts and grooms in the center of the marching order.
"If we draw them off," said Volias, "these have a hope of getting to Olossi before the army catches up. Or of scattering, without the Argent reeves marking their movement."
"What will you do?" asked Joss. "What meeting place will we arrange?"
Anji looked toward Pari. "This man wears different markings than the others. What does that mean?"
Volias said, "Pari, back aloft. Alert Ulon that we'll be drawing the Argent Hall reeves off toward the escarpment. We'll meet up with you shortly."
"Don't you trust me?" demanded Pari. In the distance, Killer gave a twitter of anger, seeing a change in Pari's stance. The feathers were rising on the back of Scar's neck as he swiveled his head to stare at the smaller eagle.
"Best go," said Joss. "I don't want a confrontation between those two eagles."
Pari gave way.
As the young reeve walked off, Anji, rather like the fierce-eyed eagles, watched him go. "Can you explain that?" he asked.
"He came to us from Argent Hall," said Joss, "with troubling stories of their marshal and their activities. He claims to be on our side, and I believe him. But I think it best not to discuss our plans in front of him."
Anji nodded. "Best move quickly, then. If you can, let Argent Hall's reeves see us riding for Olossi. Afterward, draw them off and keep them busy. We'll resupply in Olossi this afternoon and scatter at nightfall. By tomorrow, the army will come. It's most likely they will trample the countryside and invest a siege. Were they hauling the makings of siegeworks?"
Joss shrugged. "How could I tell? There are accounts of sieges in the old tales, but I've never seen such a thing. They had wagons carting supplies."
"If they believe the gates will be opened from within by their allies within the Greater Houses, they won't be prepared for a drawn-out ordeal. That is what we must hope for."
Kesta and Volias walked away toward their eagles, but Joss lingered. "What happened to Zubaidit? I don't see her with you."
"She took her brother and went her way at dawn. She said she had fulfilled her obligations, and meant to walk her own path." Anji grinned at Chief Tuvi, and around the group of seven they shared smiles. "Nor did I think to stop her, fearing she might take her revenge on me someday when I least expect it."
"If these eagles are come in their numbers from Argent Hall," said Chief Tuvi, "then it seems she set free the pig and he went running to his mire!"
Their laughter annoyed Joss, and he did not even know why. As the other eagles took off, Scar called to him, an eager chirp. The raptor knew something was afoot. He didn't want to miss the action. As Joss hustled back to the eagle and hooked in, he worked through what was bothering him so much: that Zubaidit had just run away like that, when he had some things left to say to her. Yet she was free to go and come as she wished. She had no bond to him, no obligation. He might wish otherwise, but he knew when to give up the dance.
There was more to his irritation, hard to point to, subtle but rankling.
The Qin were not demonstrative men. In truth, they had about them a fastidious air of superiority; it was well hidden for the most part, but so pervasive was this quality to the fabric of their personalities that it seemed woven into them. Their laughter had shown no scorn. By any measure, it was clear they admired the Devouring woman, as if they thought her worthy in a way no one else they had met in the Hundred was. Not even Joss.
48
The worst came just after dawn when he heard thrashing in the trees. By then, he could not feel either hands or feet. He could not protect himself. And he looked like such a damned fool idiot. Sometimes death was better than shame.
But, after all, the impulse to live was stronger.
A man beat a path through the woods. He had a knife out, and the remains of a soldier's kit, leather scale coat, empty sword sheath, sturdy boots, baggy trousers sewn of stiff cloth, all torn and bloodied. Seeing Horas, he stopped dead, and like an eagle he gaped, showing his tongue.
"What are you?" he asked.
"A reeve from Argent Hall. Cut me loose."
The man looked at the trussing, and the clothes, and he scratched his chin in a puzzled way, trying to work it out. He had worn a helm once; a leather strap, sliced clean, dangled where one end had gotten caught in the neck of his coat.
"Cut me loose!"
He shrugged, and cut him down.
Horas collapsed.
The man pawed through the pile. "No offense, reeve, but I'll be taking this string in exchange for my trouble." He tucked the string of vey into his sleeve. "And this knife."
Horas groaned. Hands and feet came alive with a flaming agony that made him weep. He could do nothing to stop the other man, who finished his theft with a satisfied smile. Back within the trees, a branch snapped, and the man's eyes flared with fear. He cursed under his breath and took a step.
"Wait," Horas said, his voice a croak. "Before you run-what happened?"
"We were attacked at dawn. They weren't taking prisoners, I can tell you. I haven't an eagle to fly away like you do, just my own two feet." He spat on the ground, the old country tradition of expelling bad fortune. Without a spare glance, he took off into the woods.
Horas soon lost track of the crash and rustle of the man's flight. He lay there, teeth gritted and eyes watering. In the end, he crawled to his clothing, and he dressed. In the end, he staggered to a clearing, and set the whistle to his lips. In the end, Tumna came for him. Together they circled until they found the carnage left on the road and saw the company-the very mercenary company that had marched away yesterday!-marching double-time on West Track back toward Olossi. The council had lied to him! They had betrayed their own allies!