"A great risk, for uncertain gain," said Anji.

Priya's soft voice startled Mai, although the Qin did not seem surprised to hear her speak. "The Merciful One teaches that where a river cannot breach hard rock, it will find a softer path to go around."

"True enough," agreed Anji. "This may be the softer path." He gazed into the darkness toward the distant watch lights burning along the city wall, barely visible from their campfire. "But a dangerous one, despite that." He looked at each face illuminated in the circle of light thrown off by the fire before settling on Mai. "I cannot bring myself to allow you to ride out on such a perilous expedition."

Calon made a noise, a soft grunt of surprise and pleased assent.

Anji nodded at Calon. " Should we agree to your offer, that is. Such a plan would not only put my wife at risk, but her presence on military maneuvers put the rest of us at additional risk because we will need to take additional measures to protect her. Therefore, Master Eliar, I ask you, would you on your honor as a servant of the Hidden One give shelter to my wife? I will pay for her lodging at fair market value-"

"Impossible!" cried Eliar.

Mai stepped back, startled by his vehemence.

Even Anji looked surprised.

"Cub, what are you saying?" demanded Master Calon.

"I mean only-I pray you-" He was flustered. "She would bide with my family as our guest. We cannot take payment. It goes against the law of hospitality."

"Then you will have my undying gratitude," said Anji as smoothly as if these were the very words he had expected to hear. He turned to Mai. "Sending you with them is a risk we must take if we mean this venture to succeed. For one, you will seek to free Reeve Joss. Also, the coin will go with you. If something happens to me, you will have the resources to set up a business for yourself."

Eliar nodded. "My people will shelter her as one of our own. And do what is necessary to aid her, no matter what comes. I do make my oath on the heart of the Hidden One that she will suffer no harm nor will she be sold into bondage while in the shelter of our house, and that she will leave that shelter only upon your return, or of her own choice if she is widowed."

"So taken," said Anji.

"So taken," said Mai, but the words came roughly, and her eyes filled with tears. She had talked him into this, and now he would run the campaign according to his understanding of war even if it meant she was to be separated from him in this foreign land and sent to live with strangers. Yet it must be done. If you do it, don't be afraid.

Priya took her hand in her own.

"A shrewd bargain," said Master Calon. "So, Captain. Verea. Do we have a deal?"

Anji indicated Mai. It went against everything she had learned and lived in the marketplace to agree to any deal without negotiating for a better offer.

"Double the price. The balance to be paid if we succeed."

Eliar whistled.

Calon took the bait. "Impossible. We've already given you everything we have with us."

"Impossible, indeed, to ask our company to risk so much. Life cannot be bought by gold. Death cannot be bribed by gold. Double the price."

"A third again as much."

She glanced at Anji. He had his head tipped slightly and appeared to be looking not at her but at Toughid's boots, with his mouth pulled tight as if he were trying not to smile. He flicked a finger against his chin as he sometimes did, to her chin, when they were alone, and she sucked in a breath to give her a volley of courage.

"Two-thirds again as much."

"You'd do better to ride back to the place you came."

"Master Calon, surely you do not expect me to believe you offered us everything you and your consortium possess in your warehouses and stock? No merchant of your undoubted prosperity offers his best price first. Something must always be held in reserve. Yet we are as you see us. We have no reserves, except what this payment will bring us. We are at the mercy of fate. Two-thirds again as much."

"Half again as much."

She nodded. "Agreed."

Eliar laughed. "She has bested you, Calon. Take that!"

The merchant shook his head, giving a slow smile. "I am impressed. And I am also desperate, although it appears to me that while your desperation is equal to my own, you are not undone by it, as I am. I agree, as spokesmen for this consortium, as you term it. The rest of the payment to be delivered upon completion of the tasks."

Anji stepped forward to shake hands with Master Calon in the traders' manner, each man's right hand grasping the elbow of the other as a seal to their agreement. After a hesitation, Mai stepped forward as well. In Kartu, only widows without husband or son to act for them dealt in public legal contracts. Master Calon grasped her elbow, squeezed, and let go without any surprise or answering hesitation; it seemed he considered her presence perfectly natural in a transaction of this kind.

"Let Sapanasu, the Lantern of the Gods, give Her blessing," he said in the cadence of a ritual utterance, "and Her curse to any who turn their back on what they have sworn in Her name. Let it be marked and sealed."

"Let it be sealed," repeated Anji.

"Let it be sealed," said Mai.

Lights scattered and flared along the outer wall as a swarm of torches moved out from the gates to engulf the singleton and escort it toward the walls.

"An irrevocable step for all of us," said Master Calon. He blew out his breath. "I need a drink!" He gestured toward the darkened city and the distant torchlight. "I wonder what that is all about."

40

He was dreaming, walking along the shore near Haya that he knew from his childhood. The strand ran for mey ahead in a curve that faded at length into distant hills whose heads were shrouded in rain clouds, although here where he walked the sun shone, its light winking on smooth waters. His feet crunched on coarse sand. The rhythmic shush and suck of waves along the shore and the shrill cries of seabirds overhead kept him company.

A mist rose off the surface of the wide bay. It boiled into a silver fog that rolled toward the land like a watery beast shouldering up out of the depths. On the crest of this fog, as on a wave, lifted a rider mounted on a winged horse, and it surely was Marit riding that horse because even at this distance he would know her anywhere. He ran toward the water, to meet her. The foam of the cresting wave broke over the form of rider and horse, obliterating it; he was left behind with wavelets lapping his toes and his hands grasping air.

"Reeve! Reeve Joss!"

The low voice woke him, or possibly he woke himself, moaning aloud. He stirred and sat, and found that he could sit. The bit of rice and water taken earlier had strengthened him. His head ached, but he could blink without wanting to pass out.

After all, he was only hearing things. He could see nothing in the blackness. The air smelled of rotting things and sickness and worse, a foul smell lightened only because it was rather dry, not at all fresh. Thank the gods.

"Reeve Joss!"

The hatch scraped open to reveal a light lowered through to dangle, swaying back and forth on a line. A hand appeared, fingers slender and strong. It fastened the lantern's looped handle to a hook set in the ceiling off to one side, too high for him to reach. He blinked back tears as his eyes adjusted, and when he was able to look up past the light, he saw a face looking down at him through the hatch as hands lowered a rope until its end curled on the floor.

"Hurry up," she said. "Are you strong enough to climb?"

The rope had been knotted at intervals to provide footholds and handholds.

"Very thoughtful," he said, for it took him a moment-he was thinking slowly- to recognize her. "But I'll take my chances with someone who hasn't already tried to kill me."