Is the story true? Thats whats on my mind. Sindhu has people babysitting Dejagore. They shouldve had a messenger moving the minute the dust-up started. Another shouldve brought a complete report when it was over. One might not have gotten through but two wouldnt have failed. We made that road safe. We enlisted most of the bandits and feistier peasants.

You think the prisoners are plants?

Blade paced. I dont know. If they are, why on you? Mather?

Cordy thought. If theyre a plant we shouldnt have been the captors. Unless their purpose is to cause confusion. Or they dont know the difference. It could be theyre telling the truth but were not supposed to believe it because you havent heard from your scouts. It could be a device to buy time.

Illusion, Swan said. You remember what Croaker used to say? That his favorite weapon was illusion?

Thats not quite what he said, Willow, Mather corrected. But close enough. Somebody wants us to see something that isnt there. Or to ignore something that is.

Blade said, Im moving.

Swan squawked. What do you mean, moving?

Im heading down there.

Hey! Man! What are you, crazy? Youre getting a little carried away, chasing that tail.

Blade walked out.

Willow spun on Mather. What do we do, Cordy?

Mather shook his head. I dont know about friend Blade anymore. Hes looking to get killed. Maybe we shouldnt have taken him away from those crocs.

Yeah. Maybe. But what do we do now?

Send a message north. Then go with him.

But...

Were in charge. We can do whatever we want. Mather hustled out.

Theyre both crazy, Swan muttered. He looked at the map a minute, went to the window, watched the excitement in Blades camp, eyed the ford and the swarming engineers setting wooden pylons for Ladys temporary bridge. Everybodys gone crazy. He laid a finger between his lips and wiggled it furiously while saying, Why the hell should I be any different?

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Five

Thats it, I said. Ive had it. Id just gotten word that a Vehdna priest, Iman ul Habn Adr, had ordered Vehdna construction workers to abandon my camp and report for work on that absurd city wall. It was the second defection of the day. The Gunni contingent had walked an hour after starting time. The Shadar wont show tomorrow. Theyve finally decided to test me, Narayan. Assemble the archers. Ram, send those messages I had the scribes prepare.

Narayans eyes got big. He could not get himself moving. He did not believe I would do it. Mistress?

Move.

They went.

I prowled, trying to walk off my anger. I had no reason to be mad. This was no surprise. The cults had given me no grief since I had taken care of Tal. That meant they were working things out between them before they tested me again.