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"So did you"

"We took them with Rosethorn’s life," Briar told Evvy sternly "You know I don’t like doing that"

"She’s tougher than either of us"

"No, she isn’t" This wasn’t the first tiued the point Briar was positive it wouldn’t be the last "She died I was there I don’t want her dying anymore It’s bad for her It’s why she talks slow, soets sick so easy"

"You tell me so all the ti you till I’ot careless and that’s e couldn’t bring Rosethorn ho of carelessness, what did he say to you that was so private?"

Evvy flinched Then she said, "I swear, I’ll tell you once we’re away from the palace It’s important, but I don’t want to talk about it anymore until we’re on the road Please, Briar?"

She hardly ever begged these days except in play He could tell she "

"I won’t I swear"

In silence they returned to their beds They saw and heard no one else on the way No one stirred as they let themselves back into their pavilion Silent at last, they walked into their rooht

Evvy hadn’t even thought she was asleep when she heard Rosethorn say, "Evuht A maid knelt beside her with a cup of tea in her hands

"Thank you," Evvy said She always thanked the servants She knew it hurt their pride to wait on someone so much lower in rank than they were To Rosethorn she said, "It won’t taketo clean up and dress"

The dedicate was dressed in her wool traveling habit and wide-brimmed hat "See that it doesn’t We still have to load Briar’s shakkans and your cats" She left the room

"I know," Evvy muttered, and drank her tea The ain while Evvy cleaned her teeth She left Evvy to dress, having learned the girl didn’t like help if she didn’t need it In happy solitude, Evvy pulled on the light cotton tunic and leggings she had laid out the afternoon before On went her stockings and her coer It had nothing to do with her tea and everything to do earing siain Onceto be nobility in the imperial court!

There was a bowl of rice with bits of this and that on a table by theKnowing it would be a long tiain, Evvyand belched when she was done She even ran her fingers around the inside of the bowl and licked the With that seen to, she grabbed her pack and slung it over her shoulders Others found it heavy, but not her She had carried it for two years, since Briar had begun her studies when she refused all other teachers The pack held both her proper emstones for each letter in its own special pocket When she traveled, she did not like to bethat her things were under the strongest protection spells Rosethorn and Briar could weave had h to leave therounds

As she entered her sitting rooe cat noises Briar had freed the cats froain into their special carry-baskets with his very excellent catnip Outside she saw Briar carefully stowing the emperor’s rosebush and his shakkans on the backs of his packhorses He had given one of the miniature trees to the e their er present it in case the eretted the gift now, since he loved his shakkans like she loved her cats He had not liked the way that Weishu treated his people and would not like one of his trees in Weishu’s hands

Rosethorn’s twin packhorses waited outside patiently, their burdens already tucked away in cushioned leather satchels Evvy found her riding horse, which whickered on seeing her She swung up into the saddle and made herself co her horse

"Yes, Mother," he replied To his obvious surprise, and to Evvy’s, the norht-faced servants tittered behind their hands at his joke They sobered iuide and escorts set off on the road to the Gate of Ihed happily They were on their way out of the palace

That illusion lasted as long as their ride to the gate Two groups waited for them there One was led by the Mistress of Protocol Behind her stood two hostlers Each held the reins of a string of three horses, all carrying a full burden of packs sealed with the six-toed dragon of the Long Dynasty The headstall of each horse bore the sauard These soldiers stood across the front of the gate, blocking it, spears planted firoose bumps They knew! They knew about Parahan!

Rosethorn kneed her horse past their guide "What is this?" she deed his horse closer to hers He offered her a flask In a normally loud voice he said, "I bet you didn’t even eat breakfast" Softly he added, "Drink souilty"