Volias said nothing, not to scold, not to praise. He was mumbling under his breath as he let go of her arm, but she was pretty sure it was nothing to do with her or that gods-rotted whining fool behind them. Toskala’s Assizes Tower rose higher than any structure she had ever seen, with its thick stone base and wooden tiers floating above. They ascended the wide ramp, lit by lamps hanging from tripods. Militia guards huddled in groups, talking as they glanced nervously into the night.

“What’s that?” said Pil, gaze lifting.

Lights dipped in the sky. Folk scattered, and with their shrieks ringing close beside and the steady rumbling clamor from below, Nallo could not hear the clap of horses’ hooves when the animals dropped down out of the sky and trotted to the ramp. A light steadier than a burning oil lamp gleamed from the hand of each Guardian, two men and two women.

She couldn’t move. She couldn’t even breathe, but when the four riders hit the base of the ramp, she grabbed a stunned Volias and yanked him to one side as the winged horses paced up the stone walkway and the militiamen leaped out of their way.

Guardians!

Everyone knew the tales. She wept to see them, so bright and beautiful, come to save the city. Guardians of justice. The servants of the gods.

Men cowered, or dropped to their knees. Some wept, while others covered their faces.

A ghost rode in their midst.

“The demon,” said Pil, quite clearly, if not very loud.

A pallid face turned in their direction, and its gaze caught Nallo. Sheh! For shame! The rice she had stolen from a neighbor’s storehouse before she was married, and how she let her cousin take the blame and the whipping. That time she had slapped Jerad until he cried, and then bullied him into keeping quiet about it. How much she had resented her husband, although he’d only ever been kind, smiling gently sometimes as if he knew what a bad bargain he’d gotten but was determined to accept his fate gracefully. That was the worst of it, hating yourself and never being brave enough to change.

The demon released her, and she swayed, a sob convulsing her. The demon’s gaze snapped to Pil, fierce with challenge.

Yet he faced her. “I will not fear demons!”

She considered him with her flat demon gaze held over a shoulder until, passing upward and riding actually into the tower in the wake of the others, she vanished from sight.

“The hells!” said Volias. “Are those Guardians?”

Away across the square, an eagle shrieked in fury. A man screamed, the pitch ripping high, then cut off.

Volias heaved, staggered, and retched, although nothing came up. “Trouble,” he said hoarsely. “Aui!” He collapsed, sprawling limp on the ground.