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Briar dismounted and walked over to them, the horse’s reins in one hand He pushed two aside, uncovering Evvy She stared up at hiic between them Then she whipped around and clawed at the baskets behind her, trying to escape

Briar was in no mood to be kind He called to the reeds woven into the baskets, waking therowth He also called to the round under Evvy Thefroround; reeds unwove theroith theirl’s liht Evvy shuddered and went still, closing teary eyes

"It’s justto speak in Chaic, didn’t you?"

Her eyes flew open: she gave hilare The bundle of food she’d stashed in her tunic leaked, painting grease stains in the cloth across her chest and belly

"I won’t hurt you," Briar continued patiently "I’o," she snapped

"So you can scraain?" he asked, not unreasonably, in hisyou out any ?"

"Let o," she insisted

"No," he said, his voice flat He waited

At last Evvy growled, "I threw rocks at the to break free The ropes only tightened their grip "It h to burn, and now I’ ic, so there I hate you You ruined ic ruined it," Briar pointed out sympathetically "It ruined mine, too, for a while You’ll survive" He went to his horse and drew hisLike his clothes, the cloth of his kit had been woven, sewn, and treated by his foster-sister Sandry, which meant that when he touched the knot that closed it, the knot cah it until he found the sic touch you at all?" he asked

She squinted, trying to see hilobes that covered her vision "No," she said, unhappy with the situation and his question "I threw it at theled up in your ed at her bonds, but the reeds andto wrap still more stems around her "My nose itches"

"That’s nice" Briar opened the eyebright jar and dabbed the tip of his index finger in the salve "So ere they? How many were there? Hold still and close your eyes"