stammered as the soldiers

asked her business.

Bowing low to the soldiers,

she stumbled and dropped her basket,

bundles of herbs scattering.

The soldiers shouted at her

as she scrabbled for her herbs,

and Atun jumped down from his horse,

helped her pick them up.

Not the soldiers’ shouts

that shook Atun,

but rather the indifference

with which they then waved him through,

as if he, a warrior of the horse tribes,

scarcely mattered.

For seven years he had worked toward this day.

Now he wondered if King Xau

would deem his service

of little consequence.

MISTAKEN

The soldier on the left

of the palace entrance

eyed Atun dubiously.

“Name and business?”

“Atun, son of Anikha.

I’ve come to serve King Xau.”

“Is the king expecting you?”

“No.” Atun’s cheeks flushed,

but he didn’t look down.

“How do you plan to serve the king?”

“To be his guard, his oathsworn.”

“You mean, join the army?”

“No. To protect the king himself.”

“The king,” said the soldier slowly,

“has eight personal guards. Handpicked.

From the best men in the army.

I don’t think he’s looking for more.”

Atun’s cheeks now afire.

Among the horse lords,

it was a mark of honor

to have as many oathsworn as possible.

Not an army, not soldiers paid

to fight at your command,

but men who freely chose

to protect you.

He had thought—

he had assumed—

he had been mistaken.

A second soldier, an older man,

spoke for the first time.

“You’re from the horse tribes?”

Atun nodded stiffly.

“Then you might try the royal stables.

Might be they could use another groom.”

“Thank you.” Atun bowed deeply,

aware that the man meant to help.

But it didn’t help.

Seven years and seven hundred miles

for nothing.

HUANG

Not much startled Huang anymore,

but he was taken aback

when he first saw Atun—

his silver armbands catching the sun,

his long hair braided,

nervous as a yearling colt—

No weapons, the guards had taken those,

yet the young man unquestionably

a warrior from the horse tribes.

“I’m Huang, the stablemaster.

They told me you’re looking for work.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Hmmm.” Pointless wasting time

quizzing him about horses.

He’d know as much as Huang.

But why had he left the horse lords?

Huang had never heard of such a thing.

Unless the man treated horses cruelly—

“Did you bring your horses to Lipoh?”

Atun nodded. “They’re stabled at an inn.”

“May I see them?”

“Yes, but it’s two miles away.”

Which would be a hot and sticky walk,

even this early, but Huang said only,

“That’s fine. We’ll go there now.”

Huang saw the worry on Atun’s face,

would have liked to reassure him,

but he couldn’t make promises.

Not until he’d seen the horses.

“Is this your first time in Lipoh?”

“Yes, sir.”

“There’s a bridle path by the river.

You could take your horses there later.”

Huang talked of this and that,

not pressing the young man

with any further questions.

At the inn, Atun’s horses