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She glanced at Ji as an archer He had two quivers full of crossbow bolts attached to his saddle before his shins and a crossbow across his lap

Beyond hies They were atheir tribes and in the perfor statues out of cliffs Today they wore cloth jackets embroidered with symbols and pictures of powerful aniold, jade, and ivory jewelry that was useful to their work They carried ss, bells, drums, and a variety of rattles Riverdancer ith them, as was her translator Evvy didn’t think Riverdancer needed the other woman when she worked with the shamans Perhaps she kept the translator close in case she had to join the healers later

Tired of waiting, Evvy nudged her horse up to the nearby hilltop General Sayrugo’s troops were spread across the open ground below Evvy recognized the general’s battle flags at the head of the arether with the vivid colors worn by the eastern shao and her soldiers

"Evvy," Briar called "Back here"

As she rejoined her friends, Souda and Parahan rode through the ranks of es, follow us," Parahan shouted "We’re right behind the general The rest of you es, your leaders will tell you where to join the order of ive you orders in battle May the gods give us victory this day!"

As those around the with their flag bearers, their personal guard, and their roup of western shamans Rosethorn told Evvy, Briar, and Jimut, "You come with me We’re to stay close to Souda"

"Why aren’t ith the other es?" Briar asked

Rosethorn looked at hio doesn’t knohat to do with us We’ll have to figure out how to fight, ask permission to do it if we can, and then do it"

Evvy and Briar looked at each other Evvy wasn’t sure -- was this the way ht wars?

Briar answered that question when he asked, "Sayrugo is joking, right?"

"No," Rosethorn said, and sighed "Souda and Parahan say to just do e think is useful and try not to let the Yanjingyi es kill us"

"Well, that’s better, anyway," Briar muttered