“Yes, I suppose he is. I’m sorry to hear it. Where are you from?”

“I’m born and raised in the Soha Hills. But the village where we lived lies along West Track, or it did, anyway, before it was burned down and half the folk murdered.”

None of these words surprised him. “I’ve heard this tale too often.”

“Best we be moving.” Tohon sheathed his sword and gave Nallo a wink. “These are good young men. They have discipline. They will treat you in the proper manner, with respect.” He fastened his helmet on his head, mounted, and called the advance. The young man with the pretty eyes raised a hand, in a parting gesture to Avisha, then followed the others up the path on the trail of the fleeing army.

“What do you mean to do?” asked the reeve.

“I would marry,” said Avisha suddenly. “If they meant it. If they would take the little ones in, and raise them as their own. What other hope do I have?”

“Eiya! Don’t go leaping before you’ve looked.”

“Are you saying they’re not looking for wives?” asked Avisha desperately. “Maybe they need a marriage portion. No matter what Nallo says, we have nothing and no hope for anything except to walk until we’re starving and willing to sell ourselves into slavery. Or until we’re caught on the road and raped and cut open and left like refuse in the brush.”

“It doesn’t have to end that way. They’re as good men as any others. Tohon meant what he said. There’s two hundred or more, all looking for wives. They’re far from home and hoping to make new homes here in the Hundred. Just . . . you’re a pretty girl, and you’re still young. If you’ll trust me, and wait in the shelter I’ve promised, I’ll see you get escorted to Olossi. There, you can see what the Qin will offer you to make a marriage with one of them. Just don’t go making a bargain before you’ve seen the goods.”

Avisha began to cry. Nallo fumed, thinking of how the girl had boxed them in with her thoughtless words. To say differently now would sound heartless, not that she didn’t have a lot of experience with being called heartless. The hells! Avisha was right. They had no better prospects in Sohayil or Sund, if they could even walk that far with outlaws everywhere.

“How long have you been on the road?” the reeve asked Nallo.

“I don’t know. Fifteen or twenty days.”

He sighed. “We’re not just hunting outlaw soldiers. We also have a commission from the temple of Ushara by Olossi. We’re looking for a man and a woman, a brother and sister as it happens, who cheated the temple. We’re hoping to bring them back to face the Hieros.”

She examined her dirty feet, caked with wet slop over dried mud over dirt, layers on layers, like deceit. She owed those two nothing. Then she happened to look over to see Avisha staring at her, lips pressed together to urge her to keep her mouth shut.