Anji had never told her! He and Tuvi had kept secret from her all along the troubles they foresaw!

“Take her to the Ri Amarah,” said Anji.

“I would attend the mistress as well,” said Priya.

Joss nodded. “I’ll assign a second reeve to convey you, verea.”

“Mai, be strong.” Anji released her, turned away and, with the chief and his guardsmen around him, took off at a run.

Sheyshi began to weep noisily. “Do you leave me behind, Mistress? Do you leave me?”

“Hush,” snapped Priya.

Mai was shaking, but she began walking up into town, Joss beside her.

“Easier to make a quick break,” he said, “than drag out the parting. And if it makes it any easier, he didn’t tell me either about this secondary arrangement he made with the Hieros. A secretive man, your husband.”

She wanted to defend Anji, or agree with Joss, but she was already out of breath. A second reeve landed in the market square. A woman ran to them.

“Marshal! Did you hear the news? There’s a party of about two hundred men spotted two mey south on the track.”

“Saw it myself. Miyara, you’ll be transporting Priya to Olossi. Hitch her in now, but make a detour to the camp and give Arda these directions.”

Pain gripped her midsection so tightly that she did not hear as Joss continued.

Then it faded.

“—just make sure she coordinates the hall’s actions with Captain Anji. Are you well, verea?” He took Mai’s arm.

“Yes,” she said, shaking him off. She had lost all that hard-won equilibrium, her market face burning away in the face of trouble.

Sheyshi trailed behind, irritating everyone with her wails. “Mistress, let me help you.”

“No! I’m fine.”

They reached the market square. Mai panted and puffed as the marshal hooked into his harness. To walk under the shadow of the huge eagle took courage, but Anji had done it, so she could, too. Then the harness had to be adjusted to fit over her distended belly, but at least the sling under her hips supported her weight comfortably. Priya was being hooked in by the female reeve. Sheyshi slunk away, still bawling, a Qin soldier in awkward pursuit.

“Are you ready?” asked Joss.

“Yes.”

He blew a tone on his whistle: Up!

Mai laughed first as fear squeezed her heart, and then she laughed because, as the ground dropped away and they picked up and up, the entire settlement fell into her view in the most astonishing manner. She could see everything! The mountains striped with late afternoon shadows. Sheep pouring over a slope as they moved to pasture. The skin of water gleaming in the irrigation ponds and the net of canals moving water into greening fields. The racks of drying fish. The sky, so blue above, and the mirror of the sea so wide below, fading in the east to dusk.