Groverman opened his hands wide, as if stunned. “Refuse him aid? Refuse aid? What more can I do? I’ve sent the best knights I could, having them ride as soon as they were able—over two thousand men. I’ve sent word to Cowforth and Emmit and Donyeis and Jonnick—and they’ll converge here before noon. As I wrote in my message, I can promise another five thousand men by nightfall!”

“But . . .” Iome said, “Orden told us you refused aid.”

“On my honor, he is mistaken! I never!” Groverman shouted. “If women were squires and beeves were mounted knights, I’d march within the hour with an army of a quarter million. But I never denied him aid!”

Then she wondered. There had been too many knights on Longmot’s walls. She’d thought they’d come from Dreis, or that Orden had gathered them in his travels.

Gaborn touched Iome’s elbow. “My father has played us for fools. I see it now. I should have recognized what I felt. My father has always said that even the wisest man’s plots are only as good as his information. He’s fooled us, just as he seeks to fool Raj Ahten. He knew we wouldn’t leave Longmot, so long as we trusted in reinforcements. For our own protection, he schemed a way to get us out of danger.”

Iome’s head spun. Orden had lied with such seeming sincerity, had made her so furious with Groverman, it took her a moment to reassess the situation.

By now, if her estimates were right, Raj Ahten’s troops should be reaching Longmot. Even if she and Gaborn turned now, they’d never make it back inside Longmot’s gates. And a hundred thousand men should join Raj Ahten this day.

If Groverman waited until tonight to ride, he’d ride too late. Yet Iome could not bear to sit here while her allies fought in Longmot. There had to be something she could do. Iome tensed in her saddle as a plan took shape.

“Duke Groverman,” she asked, “how many shields do you have, at this very moment?”

“Ten thousand fighting men,” Groverman said. “But they are only commoners. My finest knights are in Longmot.”

“Not men—shields. How many shields do you have?”

“I—maybe I could scrounge twelve thousand, if we raided the armories of nearby estates.”

“Do so,” Iome said, “and get all the lances and armor and mounts you can—and all the women and men and children above the age of nine who can ride—and all the cattle and horses from their corrals. We’ll make every blanket from your refugees into a pennant, and they shall fly hoisted on rails from your corrals. Bring all the war horns you can find. And do so quickly. We must depart no later than two hours from now.