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TheThe creature leaped froer at the end of its tail

Cheval and Blue Jay could only stare

The other two men cried out in fury and rushed at the Borderkind and their bizarre ally Even as they did, crackling tendrils of y wrapped around theainst opposite walls of the alley The sickening sounds of bones breaking echoed around them

At the ures whose gray skin and long knotted beards were alht still crackled around their fingers When they moved deeper into the alley, the shadows seelide

"Mazikeen," Cheval said

The brotherhood of Hebrew sorcerers had joined with theht Several of their number had lost their lives to the Myth Hunters, but each of the the others had experienced Blue Jay presumed they shared an extraordinary rapport, alroup telepathy that reater whole

"These are the friends I ence is already beginning"

The creature capered across the alley to the two Mazikeen It leaped froround into a sorcerer’s ar two soft happy barks With its tail, it handed over the dagger The Mazikeen slipped the blade up inside one of its sleeves

"What the hell is that thing, anyway?" Blue Jay asked

"Ahuizotl," the Mazikeen answered, two voices in unison "He is Borderkind, like you"

Cheval shook her head in amazerowled at her Cheval hissed in return and the creature ducked its head behind the Mazikeen

"We should get ," Blue Jay said "We have a lot of work to do"

"The work has already begun," one of the Mazikeen said "We have allies aends They are prepared to spread the word"

"Glad to hear it," the trickster replied "But let’s talk about this elsewhere, don’t you think? We have brought allies with us as well, and they’re going to need your help before they can participate"

"Masks?" the other Mazikeen asked

Blue Jay s like that"

"Lead on," said the Mazikeen

Ovid Tsing did not give his recruits false hope Soht with swords or daggers What he proe had been founded by those who did not want outsiders interfering with their lives Those who settled there believed in liberty, both for themselves and for others He did not have to make fiery speeches to rouse their ire Whether it was the current rulers of Yucatazca or the High Council of Atlantis, as some rumors said, did not matter to the Mahacuhta was quite beside the point

All thatHunyadi had never tried to exert his will over the residents of Twillig’s Gorge Not a man or woman believed that the southerners would offer the saotten involved with the workings of the Two Kingdoe did not even communicate much with nearby communities, except for necessary trade--but Ovid had convinced theends and Borderkind in the Gorge had already gone to fight under Hunyadi’s command They could do no less

Ovid stood at the rie Behind and below him, life went on as it always had Hisbread, serving coffee at the café He had been frustrated with her of late, but he still hated the idea of parting from her

Yet if he stayed, it would only be a e would be shattered forever Soht

The hispered across the plateau Sentries stood guard at the top of the stairs down into the gorge nearby They were Lost Ones, however The Nagas, who had always acted as sentries for the Gorge, had already gone off to war Ovid wondered ould guard the rim when he and his militia marched away

His recruits were arrayed across the plateau twenty yards away Ovid had chosen three lieutenants--two men and a wo Vernon led a platoon in hand-to-hand combat trials The recruits had learned how to pull their punches and kicks easily enough, but the real test would be when they had to execute such ht them swordplay Or, rather, he tried Some of theht sers, axes, and cudgels

Ovid himself had plucked seven of the recruits for his own special unit of archers Soer and others, like Ovid, had a natural skill

He watched theht to have lied to the Many would never return to Twillig’s Gorge He had never been in war hih warriors to know the truth of it Soh sheer luck Many would die the sa with Trina at the moment When enemies came too close, it was vital that they be able to defend themselves hatever they had at hand

Ovid had his bow slung across his back with his quiver He started away froh with the archers soon, and then he would continue their training The sun felt warm on his shaven pate and he ran a hand over the top of his head

When a voice called his nae Froed silhouettes, it was clear they were not human

"Archers at the ready!" Trina snapped

Ovid spun and glared at her "No," he coe is only half a day’s walk from here"

"Stonecoats?" Trina asked "I’ve heard of them But I’ve never seen one before They’ve never coe"

That much was true Ovid started across the plateau toward the far ridge As he passed between the other two platoons, LeBeau touched his ar but the sight of those rough creatures on the slope

"They are legends, not Borderkind," LeBeau said "How do you know they are not in league with the southerners? They ht have come to destroy us"

"Two of them?" Ovid said "I don’t think so But if they kill e"

LeBeau’s reply was a grilance at the rest of his recruits as he strode up the slope toward that ridge As he drew near to the Jokao, he realized that their outer husks were the saround They were called Stonecoats because their bodies were entirely covered in a rocky armor Their eyes were like pure quartz crystal Whether there was flesh beneath their Stonecoats was the subject of great conjecture Ovid himself had only ever seen Jokao once before, and then from a distance, while he’d been on a trade excursion for his mother

"What do you want?" he asked Perhaps he ought to have been more courteous, but that was not his way