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"The emperor’s spell monsters are built of wind, smoke, fear, and illusion," Luvo told her as the many-liods, guardians froxe They carry the power of those places with thereat brutes let out shrieks that sent many of the soldiers behind them to their knees as they covered their ears Evvy was proud that Briar hardly flinched Perhaps she was too used to strange things by now, because she only took another gulp froed down over the hill The shamans and their helperstheir ave the command to advance Rosethorn and Briar helped Evvy wrap Luvo in scarves froirl and her friend into the saddle before they ether with the ar a watchful eye on the clouds as black and cris flickered overhead
As they crested the hill, round balls struck the ground and exploded with a roar: The enexin arrab the mare’s bridle and draw her back down to all four feet
"I know it’s hard," he told Evvy and Briar, "but these horses are used to zayao explosions That’s why they were given to you Now, ease your grip on the reins, Evvy That ht now Loosen your knees, too, before she bolts"
"Sorry," Evvy whispered "I wish someone would loosen my knees" She forced herself to relax
She felt a vibration and realized that Luvo had begun a soft, inaudible hum She was about to tell hi to relax, and changed her e the horse after all, and her mind was still alert
"Thanks," she told him instead
They crested the hill
Spread across the plain for as far north as she could see and for a painful distance east was the ie number of soldiers centered on a massive, stepped platform that had to be Weishu’s lookout tower and the place where he kept his best ades of cavalry were lined up on the east and west flanks, prepared to force their attackers in to the soldiers at their center Not only did brigades of infantry wait for the Gyongxin arreat crossbows and the kind of catapult that threw giant rocks and zayao bombs Next to them, at the heart of the army, were archers, their crossbows raised
Evvy fuh her alphabet and pulled out her clear quartz crystal Holding it against her forehead, she used the spells she had placed on it to help her see flares of red where es stood in the ranks Each of the catapults had one, while the emperor’s platform blazed with the to find soood news, some weakness Where the aran She had never seen soby the reat fortress city of Gar, safe for the moment behind its thick stone walls Its temples, palaces, markets, homes, and plazas rose in level after level on its steep hillside, as if it boasted to would-be conquerors that here were treasures they could not touch Its jagged walls cliardens as they protected the buildings inside With her crystal against her forehead, she could see the tops of those walls burning red with the presence of ic After spending her winter there, she had come to love it The best part was the myriad tunnels that people used when the snows piled to the second story aboveground: It reminded Evvy of her old cave hoht were tucked safely away in those tunnels, out of reach of the zayao bo the city’s hill was the God-King’s palace, itsin the sun Behind it all soared the white-capped peaks of the Driu She knew the apparent closeness of the e with its limestone walls provided steep walls at the city’s rear
The uardians with their trackless cliffs and canyons Wolves, bears, and snow cats roaether with antelope, sheep, and yaks There were rus After what she had seen under Luvo’s care, Evvy knew they were not ru for soes ould get tired eventually She wished all of the stone statues born in the gorge would coalloped back down the line of the Gyongxin ares Everyone advanced at a trot down the slope, spreading out as they went They for sha themselves in battle formation Coeneral and her co the Realic, shielding their soldiers against the deadly explosives
Evvy was fixed on the sight of the lesser gods as they collided with the ees attacked the lesser gods; foot soldiers flew through the air as the Gyongxin creatures picked the their allies