I stared at the plain, mouth open. Only, what plain? Dejagore was surrounded by a shallow lake that featured the tops of burial mounds as small islands. Each mound boasted its handful of disconsolate animals. How deep is it? I asked. And, There any chance we can catch some of those critters for the pot? With all that water down there no southerner would be guarding against sorties.

Right now, five feet, Goblin said. I had men go down and measure.

Is it still coming up? Where is it coming from? Where is Shadowspinner?

Goblin pointed. I dont know about Spinner, but theres the water. Still coming in.

I have good eyes. I made out the water boiling and foaming as it roared out of the hills. The old aqueduct came down there, didnt it? Two major canals had irrigated the hill farms and fed aqueducts to Dejagore before the fighting started. The Company cut those when the southerners were on the inside. Now the city survived on rainwater and the contents of large, deep, very stagnant cisterns we knew nothing about back then.

Exactly. Clete and his brothers figure they diverted the entire river into the canal. Same thing south of town.

Dejagore sits on a plain below the level of the country beyond the hills. Modest rivers run both west and southeast of the hills.

I presume the boys are studying the engineering aspects? I asked.

Them and three dozen Taglians who had some skills the guys could use.

Any conclusions yet?

Like?

Like how high will the water get? Are we going to drown? If that was Shadowspinners plan it indicated major changes in his thinking. Before, he wanted Dejagore recovered intact. This seemed a more practical and final answer to his problems, though more destructive of property which, of course, was more valuable than any number of lives.

Theyre trying to figure that out right now.

I grunted. I take it Spinner pulled out after Lady left.

No, One-Eye responded. They hung around to swim. They dont get to a lot of beach parties where they come from.

Mans not as stupid as we thought, I mused.

Huh?

He floods the plain, even if he dont drown us he locks us up so tight he dont have to use hardly any men to keep us under control. He can chase Lady all he wants. We cant help her and she cant help us. For him its better than getting reinforcements out of the Shadowlands. Longshadows soldiers couldnt be trusted behind his back.

Thai Dei showed up. He always turned up soon after I came out, which indicated how closely we were being watched.

Thai Dei was a waste of manpower. He didnt carry many messages. He didnt understand any of our languages well enough to be a good spy for the Speaker. But he was always, always just a few steps away.