We did that. Horsemen moved past, talking softly, wearily, in good spirits. They had made a big mess out there. They were pleased with themselves.

Narayans friends gathered, one now, one then. By the time the infantry started out, there were eighty of them. Mainly men of my band, he explained. They came to Ghoja in answer to my summons. What do you plan now?

Down. Shadowspinner was pasting the hills with random sorceries, hurling his darts blind. From beside Narayan, with stones grinding into my belly and breasts, I murmured, Were going to infiltrate their camp and try for the Shadowmaster.

I could not see his face. Just as well, probably. The idea did not thrill him. But...

Never have a better chance. Longshadow knows everything that happens as soon as it happens. His resources havent been tapped. He sees Shadowspinner in bad trouble, hell do something. Send the Howler, probably. Wed better get what we can while we can get it.

He did not want to try. Damn him. If he refused, his Stranglers would, too.

But he had sewn himself into a sack. I was his Daughter of Night. For his own sake he dared not argue. He grunted, whispered, I dont like it. If it has to be done, please dont you go. The risk is too great.

I have to. Im the messiah, remember? Its still that time when I have to win support by demonstration.

I did not want to go. I just wanted to lie down and sleep. But my role demanded I play it totally.

He selected twenty-five men whose abilities he knew. The rest he dismissed. They joined the soldiers headed for camp. Lucky bastards.

Sindhu. Take four men and scout ahead. As carefully as you can. Dont take anybody out without checking. Unless you have to. He chose the men to accompany Sindhu. We followed in a tighter crowd, with flankers out. Narayan knew his small-unit tactics.

Shadows fluttered around us, still blind to our presence. But I did not trust their blindness. Had I been Shadowspinner I would have had them pretend.

Chaos still reigned. Spinner kept pounding the hills. Maybe his shadows did not know where we were, only that we had not all departed.

Sindhu drifted back from the point. Grounds wet ahead.

That made no sense. It had been dry before sundown. It had not rained. Water? I asked.

Yes.

Strange. But no way to see what it meant before morning. Be careful. He went forward again. We resumed moving. Soon I was in water an inch deep. The earth beneath was not waterlogged.

The reason for part of the confusion became apparent. The Shadowlanders were trying to stay away from the hills. When they got too close to the city archers sniped at them. But the disorder was sorting itself out.

Sindhu had to eliminate several sentries.

Shadowspinner stopped hammering the hills. Narayan guessed, His shadows were watching his sentries.