First to recover, Eridit raised both hands and sang. “ ‘Heaven-born, elegant in line, it rises above the mountains to where the stars burn.’ ”

“I feel sick,” said Bai, straightening as slowly if she were an old woman afflicted with joint fever. “The hells! That cursed demon looked straight into my heart!”

Hooves thumped on earth. At a gallop, Ladon and Veras burst into the clearing from the path.

“They’re all dead!” cried Ladon.

Another rider appeared, reining to a halt beside the two militiamen. Tohon’s expression was pulled with shock, eyes white and almost rolling, but when he saw Shai and identified the others, he pressed the back of a hand against his chest and with several controlled breaths calmed himself.

“They’re dead,” the Qin scout said. “I counted thirty-four soldiers, these two the last. A demon killed them.”

“That was a Guardian,” said Eridit. “As it says in the chant. A Guardian saved us!”

“It was a demon, like the other cloak,” said Vali hoarsely. “I’m glad the soldiers are dead. I’m glad! I wish I could have cut their throats myself! And then cut the lord cloak’s throat, too, and made him bleed!”

“Hush, Vali.”

Zubaidit looked at Shai. “You recognized her.”

“The demon took on the appearance of a woman who was once a slave in the Mei clan. We called her Cornflower, for her eyes. But she died in the desert last year.”

“What did she mean, that your heart is veiled?”

“I don’t know.”

Tohon said, “These children are a burden to our mission. Also, in this large a group, they will attract attention. They should be scattered.”

“ ‘Your heart is veiled,’ ” muttered Bai. She swung down from her horse to pick up her fallen weapon. With the arrow, she tapped Tohon on the arm. “I have a better idea. These children are our gate into Lord Radas’s army, don’t you see? If we walk into the army with prisoners in tow, we’ll look like we belong.”

“How can you even say so?” cried Shai.

“Not into slavery,” she said briskly. “Not to be abused. Shai, do you believe I would chain any person to what these have already suffered? But you know what we’re facing. The children can help us, if they can be brave.”

Hand closed around the shaft of the arrow, she raised it as a talisman. She stamped three times, marking the entry, and sang in a voice not as silky and prettified as Eridit’s but more powerful. This was no guise or mask, meant to entertain, but a call to arms.

“ ‘Oliara-the-Bold raised the silk banners, all their color made bright in the sun. She cried out, “Forward! Forward!” and so they marched.’ ”

A few mouthed the words or, like Eridit, sketched the gestures with their hands.

“Can you be brave?” Bai asked them, echoing the tale. “Do you want to defeat those who harmed you and killed your comrades and kinfolk?”

“I want to go home,” said Eska in a small voice.