Sleep wasn’t enough for Emerahl. She needed it to render her unconscious.

The knot in her stomach tightened as she considered the risk she was taking. If this didn’t work—if the priest who could read minds was watching at the city gates, noticed that he couldn’t read the mind of one of the whores, decided to investigate, thought it suspicious that she had drugged herself into unconsciousness, and held them back until she woke up—then her unnaturally long life was about to end.

To make her taking of the drug less suspicious, she had prepared several nuggets of formtane. These she would give to the other girls. They were a weaker dose, so they would only experience the delicious calming effects. A tarn full of unconscious women was bound to raise suspicion rather than avoid it.

Emerahl was the last to climb into the tarn. They were all dressed in heavy tawls and carrying blankets. The tarn covers would protect them from rain, but not from cold. Winter was far from over, and would grow harsher as they travelled northward.

It was cramped inside, with six women squeezed onto the hard bench seats.

“They looked roomier from the outside,” Brand muttered. “Watch where you put your shoes, Star.”

“It smells like smoked ner,” Charity complained.

“I doubt Rozea bought them new.” Bird kicked her heels backward, making a solid thud. “There’s something under the seat.”

Emerahl peered under the seat opposite. “Boxes. I think some of our supplies are in here. Our seats are closer together than they need to be. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are compartments behind them.”

“Why would there be?” Tide asked. “Is Rozea too stingy to buy enough tarns?”

“No,” Brand said. “I bet they’re secret compartments to store things, just in case we get robbed.”

The others stilled and looked at her.

“Anyone who robs us will think the supply carts are all we have,” Brand explained. “If they look in here they’ll see us, and nothing else.”

“Nobody’s going to rob us,” Star declared. “We’ll be with the army.”

“But we might fall behind,” Bird said in a small voice. “Or even be separated.”

“We won’t,” Star assured her. “Rozea won’t let us.”

A high-pitched whistle sounded outside. The girls exchanged nervous glances, and all remained silent until the tarn jerked into movement.

“Too late to change your minds now,” Tide murmured.

“We could all jump out and run back inside,” Charity suggested half-heartedly.

Emerahl snorted. “Rozea would send someone in to drag you back. I thought everyone but me was eager to set out on this glorious adventure.”

The other girls shrugged.

“You don’t want to go, Jade?” Star asked. “Why not?”