than Otah by perhaps five years, gray only beginning to appear in his
night-black hair. His gaze flickered over Otah, giving no sign of the
thoughts behind his eyes. Otah felt a moment's selfconsciousness at his
travel-worn robes and incipient, moth-eaten beard. He took a pose of
greeting appropriate for two people of equal status and saw the Khai
Cetani hesitate for a moment before returning it. It was likely it was
the first time in years anyone had approached him with so little reverence.
"My counselors have told me of your suggestion, my good friend Nlachi,"
the Khai Cetani said. "I must say I was ... surprised. You can't truly
expect us to abandon Cetani without a fight."
"You'll lose," Otah said.
"We are a city of fifty thousand people. These invaders of yours are at
most five."
`They're soldiers. They know what they're doing. You might slow them,
but you won't stop them."
The Khai Cetani sat, crossing his legs. His smile was almost a sneer.
"You think because you failed, no one else can succeed?"
"I think if we had a season, perhaps two, to build an army, we might
withstand them. Hire mercenaries to train the men, drill them, build
walls around at least the inner reaches of the cities, and we might
stand a chance. As it is, we don't. I've seen what they did to the
village of the [tai-kvo. I've had reports from Yalakeht. Amnat-Tan will
fall if it hasn't already. They will come here next. You have fifty
thousand, including the infirm and the aged and children too young to
hold a sword. You don't have weapons enough or armor or experience. My
proposal is our best hope."
It was an argument he had wrestled with through many of the long nights
of his journey to the North. Force of arms would not stop the Gaits.
Slowing them, letting the winter come and protect them for the long,
dark months in which no attacking force would survive the fields of ice
and brutally cold nights, winning time for the poets to work a little
miracle, bind one of the andat and save them all-it was a thin hope but
it was the best they had. And slowly, during the days swaying on
horseback and nights sitting by smoldering braziers, Otah had found the
plan that he believed would win him this respite. Now If the Khai Cetani
would simply see the need of it.
"If you bring your people to Machi, we will have twice as many people
who can take the field against the Galts. And if you will do what I've
suggested with the coal and food, the Galts will be much worse for the
travel than we will he."
"And Cetani will fall without resistance. We will roll over like a soft
quarter whore," the Khai Cetani said. "It's simple enough for you to
sacrifice my city, isn't it?"
"None of this is easy. But simple? Yes, it's simple. Bring your people
to Machi. Bring all the food you can carry and burn what you can't. Mix
hard coal in with the soft, so that what we leave behind for the (;alts
will burn too hot in their steam wagons, and give me the loan of five
hundred of your best men. I'll give you a winter and the library of
Machi. Between your poet and the two at my court-"