They must have worked their way at night northward through the wilderness and only now broken cover.'
'Soldiers?'
'Outlanders. Wearing red sashes or some such garb.'
'The Red Hounds? Riding in such numbers?' He swore, such an ugly word that Mai flinched away and he did not even notice.
Tuvi said, 'We did not expect a show of force, captain.'
'Where are the agents we suspect?'
'All under observation. But they would have heard the plans for the wedding festival and could easily have passed out a message.'
'And I arrived only yesterday, with no prior warning.' Anji shook his head. 'We should have expected them to strike today. Tuvi.'
'Anji-hosh.'
'Now the soldiers you've trained will prove their worth. We'll call a general alert, and proceed as we discussed.'
'They'll know you're on to them,' said Joss.
'It is a game of hounds and wolves, Joss. We knew the agents of the Red Hounds would penetrate this settlement, despite all our precautions, so the Hieros lent us certain of her agents to keep track of their agents.'
'Aui! You never told me!'
'The fewer who know, the less can be spoken. Now they strike, seeing an opening, hoping and perhaps believing we do not suspect. They're taking a risk with an open attack knowing we have eagles who can spot them-' Abruptly, he grasped Mai's arm, harder than she expected, pinching her skin. 'It's a feint, Tuvi. To make us careless. Joss, can you take Mai out of here? If I know she is safe, then I do not fear them.'
'Anji?'
No fears, Mai. We are prepared for them.'
'For poisoned knives? Why not poisoned arrows?'
'Even so, Mai. Therefore, you must go immediately.'
'I'll take her myself,' said Joss.
'Too bad about the marriages!' she said, really angry now. 'How unfair to interrupt the festival! Now it will have to be done all over again.'
'If they've placed all the offerings, verea,' said Joss, 'then the ceremony is complete. The feast can be celebrated later. Will you come with me?'
She burst into tears and, hating herself for the weakness, sucked them down. 'Yes. Of course. I'll do whatever is necessary.'
Anji had never told her! He and Tuvi had kept secret from her all along the troubles they foresaw!
'Take her to the Ri Amarah,' said Anji.
'I would attend the mistress as well,' said Priya.
Joss nodded. 'I'll assign a second reeve to convey you, verea.'
'Mai, be strong.' Anji released her, turned away and, with the chief and his guardsmen around him, took off at a run.
Sheyshi began to weep noisily. 'Do you leave me behind, Mistress? Do you leave me?'
'Hush,' snapped Priya.
Mai was shaking, but she began walking up into town, Joss beside her.
'Easier to make a quick break,' he said, 'than drag out the parting. And if it makes it any easier, he didn't tell me either about this secondary arrangement he made with the Hieros. A secretive man, your husband.'
She wanted to defend Anji, or agree with Joss, but she was already out of breath. A second reeve landed in the market square. A woman ran to them.
'Marshal! Did you hear the news? There's a party of about two hundred men spotted two mey south on the track.'
'Saw it myself. Miyara, you'll be transporting Priya to Olossi. Hitch her in now, but make a detour to the camp and give Arda these directions.'
Pain gripped her midsection so tightly that she did not hear as Joss continued.
Then it faded. -just make sure she coordinates the hall's actions with Captain Anji. Are you well, verea?' He took Mai's arm.
'Yes,' she said, shaking him off. She had lost all that hard-won equilibrium, her market face burning away in the face of trouble.
Sheyshi trailed behind, irritating everyone with her wails. 'Mistress, let me help you.'
'No! I'm fine.'
They reached the market square. Mai panted and puffed as the marshal hooked into his harness. To walk under the shadow of the huge eagle took courage, but Anji had done it, so she could, too. Then the harness had to be adjusted to fit over her distended belly, but at least the sling under her hips supported her weight comfortably. Priya was being hooked in by the female reeve. Sheyshi slunk away, still bawling, a Qin soldier in awkward pursuit.
'Are you ready?' asked Joss.
'Yes.'
He blew a tone on his whistle: Up!
Mai laughed first as fear squeezed her heart, and then she laughed because, as the ground dropped away and they picked up and up, the entire settlement fell into her view in the most astonishing manner. She could see everything! The mountains striped with late afternoon shadows. Sheep pouring over a slope as they moved to pasture. The skin of water gleaming in the irrigation ponds and the net of canals moving water into greening fields. The racks of drying fish. The sky, so blue above, and the mirror of the sea so wide below, fading in the east to dusk.
No wonder reeves left their families behind and never looked back.
She spotted the procession returning from the Ladytree, everyone chanting and dancing, but as she watched, twisting because the view was falling away behind them, a pair of figures reached the crowd and a trickle of tiny figures spun out of the celebratory mass as oil separates from water. Anji was already spreading the word, putting his plan in motion.
Then they were over the water, and she lost sight of the settlement. Why did Anji not trust her? Or was it those around her he did not trust? Agents of the Red Hounds might infiltrate in many guises. As for the Hieros, that knife could cut both ways: her agents could spy on foreign agents, but they could also spy on him.
With mighty wings outstretched, the eagle glided. The land
receded behind them. She had never ever imagined anyone could travel so fast. The wind rumbled in her ears, and carved scallops in the glittering surface of the water far below.
On and on they flew. The sea darkened in the east, promising night. Joss had his arms around her shoulders in a discreet lover's embrace and, abruptly, he relaxed his grip and withdrew his hands.
She gasped, gripping the harness because she felt suddenly how fragile were the straps holding her in.
'How are you doing?' He was very close, accustomed to embracing women, no doubt, while she had never been this intimately close to any man except Anji.
'Hu! I have to pee, but I should have known that would happen! No, don't worry.' She giggled, so giddy she thought her spirit must be flying even higher than her body. 'I'm joking.'
Her abdomen clenched so hard her next words were choked off, a fist clenched to squeeze her breath right out of her lungs. Warm liquid gushed down her thighs.
'The hells!' cried Joss. 'I thought you said you were joking.'
Eldest daughter, she had attended at every birth in the Mei clan since she was old enough to run errands in and out of the birthing room. 'That was my water breaking. I'm going to give birth.'
'Now? Right now? The hells you are!'
A spark of panic surged to a flame. She shut her eyes and let it run, as a pure, wild fire might rage along her skin. Let it fall away, like clothes shed from the body. Her fear died. She would live, or she would die. She must accept what was, in order to think and to act.
