“Mmmm,” he agreed, kissing her hair.

“Anyway, it will take months, perhaps years, to find fitting wives for all the men. Once children are born, then a transformation begins, the children become woven into the land, so it is less easy if the locals decide we have served our useful purpose.”

“What do you mean?”

“To start agitating for us to leave, to feel we are not a part of the land, that they can’t eat with us, to fear us or want to drive us out . . .” She pushed back, so by looking into her face he could see how serious the matter was.

Unlike every male in her family, he nodded to show he had heard her, that he considered her opinion worthwhile. “I do not think peace will come quickly, but you are of course correct in your assessment of the situation. You are in charge of the strongbox in any case. Do what you need to do, and I will do what I need to do.”

“I want a house, a compound, of our own. A place Miravia can come visit me. An altar to the Merciful One where Priya and I can pray. I want—”

“Mai,” he said softly. “Can this wait?”

There is a moment in every one of the thrilling story-songs she had grown up with and loved when the bandit prince clasps the young maid close against him, and devours her with his brooding gaze because he, never caught by those who pursue him, has fallen captive to her innocent charm. How foolish and naive are those who believe in such tales, none of which are true. That’s what everyone always told her.

“Anji,” she murmured, leaning forward to kiss him. “I missed you so badly.”

He swept her up in his arms, carried her past the vestibule, and brought her to bed.

8

According to Siras, one hundred and two people hoping to be chosen as reeves had checked in at the gate over the last twelve days. Eighty-three remained when Joss called them to silence. Most sat cross-legged on the dirt of the parade ground; a few stood, apparently too anxious to sit. The majority were young men, a number of whom he recognized from Olossi’s militia. A few young women and older men had made the trek as well, and he was surprised to see one stocky woman not much younger than he was standing in the back with arms folded and chin up. In the cloud-patched sky, eagles circled. That they appeared so tiny to the naked eye meant they were sailing very high indeed.

“I don’t know why any one of you came to Argent Hall,” he said. “Maybe you’ve always watched the reeves and wanted to be one of us. Maybe you want to know what it’s like to fly. Maybe you’re angry about what you see around you: injustice, crime gone unpunished, corruption in your village council or temple conclave with no other authority to appeal to. Maybe you watched that army march down on Olossi, burn villages and homes along West Track, and do worse besides, and you want to do something, anything, about it. Maybe you just want a baton of your own—” He brandished his baton. “—to whack people with.”