Silvie covered for them. “The library in the temple is full of books, which the Horde seem obsessed with. If we could take them, it might give us an advantage over them. But no one can know this. And you’re right: if we go in, it’s for Johnis only.”

Rosa looked at Billos. “You said there was a power in the books. What is that?”

“That’s the power to manipulate, because the Horde is so taken by them,” Billos said. “Of course, it’s all about Johnis, but if we had the books, we might even be able to exchange them for Johnis. You don’t think that’s power?”

She seemed satisfied by his convoluted explanation.

Billos took a step closer to Silvie, pressing his point. “We entered hell and lived; I say we enter it again and bring our boy out!”

His enthusiasm was infectious. “If we had fire—”

“We do!” he cried, rushing for his saddlebag. He pulled out the fire sticks and held them up. “You think I’m a fool?” He grinned.

Now this was the Billos she knew, screaming for a fight when he wanted one, and he most certainly wanted this one.

Silvie looked at the Horde city. “You can’t burn the city; it’s made of mud. Besides, Johnis would likely have a fit.”

“What does he care, as long as we get him out?”

She hadn’t told them about the Horde girl, Karas, only that Johnis had been trapped after setting them free.

“He’s taken a liking to the Horde,” she said.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Billos snapped.

“You can’t burn the city anyway. But the temple has enough books in it to make a nice bonfire.”

“Books?” Billos said, lowering his sticks. “They’ll burn?”

“Of course.”

“Then we can’t burn the temple,” Darsal said. “We’ll have to burn something else to get at the Shataiki.”

“Carts,” Silvie said. “They have thousands of carts made of wood and straw. And I know where there are enough to put a sun in the middle of this city.”

“That’s it!” Billos jumped into his saddle. “It’ll work.”

“Then let’s go,” Rosa said. She and Silvie had already taken a spit bath in some of the extra lake water Darsal had brought. “Leave the rest of the water here; we can’t risk losing it.”

Darsal considered the suggestion, then nodded.

“Hold up. Going now is suicide,” Silvie said. “They’re waiting for us. Johnis is their bait, dead or alive. Fire might protect us for a while, but I’m telling you, there’s no way out of the temple. We have to think this through carefully.”

Darsal lifted a hand. “She’s right. Slow down, Billos, or you’ll get us all killed. We wait till the city’s asleep before we go, but then we do go with our best plan.”

“It’s our vow,” Billos said.