Battle Magic

24

GARMASHING, CAPITAL OF GYONGXE

A week later, Riverdancer came to the workroom to tell Rosethorn and Briar that Weishu had left for Yanjing with those healthy soldiers who remained to him. He had needed a cart just for the agreements he had signed with the God-King.

Rosethorn murmured, “Mmhmm.” Briar made no sound at all. They had spent most of their time with the Earth temple novices, filling bags with their fast-growing barley. With luck, the Gyongxin farmers might get four short, plentiful harvests before the winter snows.

“Hengkai did not go with him,” Riverdancer said through her translator.

That got the attention of the two green mages. They stared at her.

Riverdancer smiled and passed each of them a seed cake.

“Hengkai has entered the temple of the Yanjing goddess Kanzan. He hopes the goddess will forgive him his many killings and keep him safe from cave snakes and peak spiders, he says.” Riverdancer and her translator took stools and nibbled on their own cakes when Rosethorn and Briar relaxed.

“It is too bad, in a way,” Riverdancer went on. “If he had gone home to Yanjing, he would have forgotten them, except for some dreams.”

Rosethorn looked sharply at her friend. “What?”

The translator nodded. “The gods protect Gyongxe,” she said, and translated her words for Riverdancer. The older woman spoke. The translator said, “Surely you have heard no tales about the things you have seen? Nothing about the creatures that showed themselves to you or to the emperor?”

Rosethorn and Briar both nodded. “You’re right,” said Rosethorn. “Not a word.”

“The gods do not want folk from the world over coming to disturb their peace,” the shaman said through the translator. “A veil will fall between you and these memories when you leave us. You will remember the humans, but the nagas, the cave snakes, the ice lions?” Riverdancer shook her head. “Only in dreams. They will be rich dreams.”

Briar scratched his cheek and heard a rasping noise. He would have to start shaving more often. “I’m surprised the emperor let Hengkai stay.”

“The emperor blames his defeat on Hengkai. He took away Hengkai’s lands and fortune. He wanted to take Hengkai back to Yanjing a prisoner, but the God-King left him no choice about any of Yanjingyi who wished to remain.” Riverdancer smiled. “A number of mages and generals also stayed.”

Briar whistled softly. “Weishu won’t forgive the God-King any time soon.”

“The emperor will have signs to remind him of his fate if he thinks he will take revenge,” Riverdancer said, and shrugged. “Maybe he will die of a long illness. I do not think it will be that. Many of his nobles are unhappy with his wars. He will have enough to keep him busy.” She tousled Briar’s hair. “But you have finished with your seeds, yes? It is time for you three to go home.”

“And we’ll forget?” Rosethorn asked wistfully.

“You will dream of the nagas, the spiders, the cave snakes,” Riverdancer said. “We would be sad indeed if you were to forget those of us among the humans. We will certainly remember you.”