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"The eet , too Actually, I don’t think the eht be in the north or northwest -- those troops haven’t arrived, which has the God-King worried Weishu knows he has to take Garxe I’oing to be a problem, even more than the tribes the what the other side will use Weishu’s faht shaes cannot direct their power at one person Shaic is based on the combination of five or six different people with different strengths and skills They practice weaving those things together all their lives And if any of the court es have ventured out to learn the shaman music and dances, I, for one, will be much surprised Do you scrub feet?"
"No," Briar replied, thinking over what the prince had said "Do your es in Kombanpur study the shaman dances?"
"No," Parahan told hih to attack Gyongxe There are easier places to attack on our side of the Dri Lho"
Several novices entered in a rush to open the taps on another big tub Stea water rushed into it as the novices placed soap and scrubbing sponges on one of the benches within reach Briar was about to leave and Parahan was sinking into his bathwater when Rosethorn, Evvy, and Souda ca robes
"Do any of you ladies scrub feet?" Parahan asked as Rosethorn stripped off her robe and stepped down into the water
"Scrub your own feet, you lazy oaf," she advised hi Parahan covered his eyes and Briar looked away It was Souda who said, "It’s safe, lads" She and Evvy were tucked into the rising water The novices closed the taps when the water reached a couple of inches from the riliht Bathing wasn’t for ogling wo clean It worried hi bare when she had taken baths in groups all of her life She had sunk down in the shared tub until her chin rested on the top of the water
"So can the sha to his conversation with Parahan
Their friend shook his head "If the three of you were to stay, perhaps we could co that would kill Weishu," he said "That would force Yanjing out It’s his aenerals would retreat to fight over the rest of the eht, too That would keep all of theree with ht," Souda remarked
"I will have you know that in the years I trailed the eood education in politics," Parahan retorted "You can’t ask for a better teacher than Weishu That’s how I know Gyongxe doesn’t have enough soldiers to send against hiht him with no catapults, no zayao bombs We didn’t have any pitch, for that matter Without Briar, Rosethorn, Evvy, and Luvo to work on them, those catapults would have been the end of us I would do anything to get my hands on the zayao formula It’s death for anyone in the empire to sell it"
"You don’t need to buy it," Rosethorn said with a yawn "It’s evil stuff, but if you truly need the formula, Briar and I both kno to make zayao"
Souda and Parahan stared at her
"Do you kno s of it last year?" Souda whispered
"We’ll teach you how to make it for free if we leave you to face him," Rosethorn announced "But it’s evil Once you have it, you guarantee your eneainst you"
"Let’s not get carried aith this ‘for free’ stuff," Briar said quickly "If Gyongxe can pay there’s nothing wrong with that We have a long journey to reach our ship"
Now the tere staring at hied "We’re supposed to be on our way home now," he reminded their friend "If we don’t catch our ship when it etting caught in your monsoons We have family at home on’t have seen for three years if we have to wait"
"You could make the difference between victory and slavery if you stayed," Souda explained
"You know Weishu," Parahan added "He destroys what he cannot keep"
Briar glanced at Evvy, who had sunk al silently The others saw hiirl
Souda reached out and stroked Evvy’s hair "What is it?" she asked gently
Evvy sat up enough to clear her mouth of the water "He’ll torture us," she whispered "He’ll whip our feet till we can’t walk and he’ll murder our friends His people killed ers and Captain Rana’s soldiers for the sa so hard her teeth chattered "I want you to kill et me"