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Briar waited until the soldiers who had ridden after the eneate, then followed theer a pat Evvy would expect it of hio greeted him as they dismounted from their horses, but they seemed preoccupied They withdrew to Souda’s tent and sent for a handful of their own people while the te afterward he returned with the te tiger They all entered Souda’s tent; guards were placed to keep anyone fro parties had brought wounded Briar swapped his e kit for his healer’s kit and offered his assistance to the temple workers With the addition of those who had been hurt on the patrol, the telad to have Briar’s assistance as well as his ," Atori, one of Souda’s archers, told Briar as he cleaned her arroound "Those Yanjingyi seps can ride!"

Briar grinned at her use of a Banpuri curse word he’d heard Parahan usepotion he had applied bubbled deep into the wound He , now I’ve yet to lose sooddess’s blessing," she gasped "Aiiiii!"

"Done," Briar said, and began to bandage the wound "When you take this off toot shot Give it a week, and it won’t even be sore"

"I’ll be able to shoot with it?" Atori wanted to know Her face was anxious "That was a big cans of an army in the area"

"You’ll be able to shoot," Briar assured her "Get so that"

She had been sitting on a stool so he could work on her arrabbed him by the ears, and kissed him well "Oh, if only I weren’t betrothed," she saidfor a moment She enty or so, definitely too old for hi so rowled the next patient in line, an older Gyongxin warrior, "if you don’t wantyou, would you have a look at this?"

Startled out of his happy state, Briar apologized and beckoned the soldier forward

It was aled froiven his slu patients a last check, and then cared for those ere awake and asking for help of some kind He had just seen his bedroll and furs, set up beside a shed where they wouldn’t be in anyone’s way -- thank you, Jiratefully -- when he heard noise outside the gate It was a horn: not the great horns on the te several notes It halted, then sounded the sauards hurried to open one half of the gates, which had been cleared after the battle A rider in Gyongxin ar a weary horse Attached to his saddle was a long baer froenerals

A teer’s horse Another came to lead him to those he needed to see For a ht word of Rosethorn or Evvy, but he knew better He would not hear froain, so secret was her task, and no one would send a warti else, Briar was exhausted more than he was curious He washed his face and hands at the courtyard well, then stripped off his boots and crawled into his bedroll

As so often happened, he found hi at the stars for a time, he sat up and pulled his boots back on Perhaps the healers could spare some ordinary tea and maybe some food He had not eaten supper No doubt the temple kitchens were closed He went back to the well for a drink of water and to clean his teeth

It was there that Parahan and Soudamini found him The twins looked as weary as he felt He noticed they had taken tie into coy breeches Parahan carried so bulky in his hands

"Why aren’t you abed?" Briar asked, his voice froggy from weariness

"We could ask you the sae of the well

"Oh, no," Briar said, giddy froirl today I couldn’t take it if I got kissed by another"

Souda laughed quietly and put her ar my brother," she said "Briar, listen We have news"

He looked at her, then up at Parahan

"We chased so in tieneral left sos" With shock, Briar realized that Parahan eeping "Briar, Fort Sayi eneates They wrote to their general that they killed the refugees and the animals"

Briar clenched his fists "Evvy?"

Souda took up the story Parahan iping his eyes on his sleeve "They had orders to send Evvy to the emperor’s camp once she told them where ere, and where you and Rosethorn were But -- she died, as they questioned her They had one of the ees with them, just for that"