come here and discover your defenses if he spared you. Gave you to me
when it was all over with. Prize of war. It's not all that uncommon.
Kiyan rose, her small foxlike face turned feral. Her fingers were
splayed in claws, and her chest pressed forward like a bantam ready for
the fighting pit. Otah's heart warmed with something like pride.
,,If you let them touch l iah and Danat, I would kill you in your
sleep," she said.
"But Balasar-cha doesn't know that," Sinja said, shrugging and looking
into the fire. He couldn't meet her eyes. "He expects a report from me,
and I'll give him one. I'll give him whatever report you'd like."
"Gods," Kiyan said, her eyes still ablaze. "Is there anyone you haven't
betrayed?"
Sinja smiled, but Otah thought there was sorrow in his dark eyes.
"Yes, there is. But she was in love with someone else."
Cchmai coughed, embarrassed. Otah raised his hands.
"Enough," he said. "We haven't got time for this. We may have a little
as a day to get ready. Maati, you prepare your binding. Cehmai will help
you. Kiyan. Liat. You've arranged food and quarters for two cities. Do
what you can to arm them and keep people from panicking. Sinja and I
will work out a plan to defend the city and a report to deliver to the
Galts."
Kiyan's eyes carried a question, but Otah didn't answer. There was no
reason to trust Sinja-cha. It was just the risk he chose to take.
Servants brought maps of the city, of the low towns to the south, and
the mountains and mines to the North. Machi hadn't been built to
withstand a war; there were no walls to defend, no pits that the enemy
would have to bridge. The only natural barrier-the river-was already
frozen solid enough to walk across. Any real defense would have to he on
the black-cobbled streets, in the alleys and tunnels and towers. They
talked late into the night, joined by the Khai Cetani and Ashua Radaani,
Saya the blacksmith and Kiyan when she wasn't out among the tunnels
spreading the word and making preparations. Sinja's shame, if it was
still there, was hidden and his advice was well considered. By morning,
even the Khai Cetani suffered interruption from Sinja-cha. Otah took it
as another sign that the Khai had changed.
If things went poorly, there was still the mine in the northern moun
tains. A few people could take shelter there. Eiah and I)anat. Nayiit.
If the binding failed, they could send Nlaati and Cehmai there as well,
sneaking them out the hack of the palace in a fast cart while the battle
was still alive. Otah didn't imagine that he would be there with them,
and Sinja didn't question him.
Afterward, Otah looked in on his children, both asleep in their
chamhers. 1-IC found the library where Cehmai and Nlaati were still
arguing over points of grammar so obscure he could hardly make sense of
them. The night candle was guttering and spitting when Otah came at last
to his bed. Kiyan sat with him in silence for a time. IIe touched her,
tracing the curve of her cheek with the knuckles of one hand.
"I)o you believe Sinja?" he asked.
"What part of it?"