to Yatol Grysh in the audience chamber of the great temple in Dharyan. ?The dead of our people were left on the frozen ground and all but one destroyed wagon was taken." The Chezhou-Lei warrior said it all matter-of-factly, as if the loss of a few soldiers and drivers was no big event.
Yatol Grysh s stern look melted away. ?And the foodstuffs were prepared as I ordered?" he asked, grinning.
"They were."
At Grysh's side, Carwan Pestle shifted in his seat and put a curious look over the Yatol.
"The food was poisoned," Grysh happily explained. ?That caravan had to ride back and forth several times before the rebels even took notice of it!"
"You sent them out there to be sacrificed?" Pestle asked, in surprise and not in judgment.
"Ashwarawu is a fool, but a dangerous one," Grysh replied. ?Of course, he may well be a dead fool now."
The Yatol nodded, trying very hard not to glance in the direction of any of the several slaves - To-gai-ru all - who were working in the temple. He had no doubt that word of the treachery would soon spread to the steppes, and to Ashwarawu's ears, but that was part of the fun of it, was it not? He looked to the stunned Carwan Pestle, and was a bit disappointed that his protege hadn't caught on to all of this sooner. None of the outposter towns truly needed any supplies, after all, so why had Grysh sent out three sepa-rate caravans?
Pestle was too innocent, the Yatol reasoned, to understand the need of such sacrifices. The first two caravans were necessary predecessors to the third batch of poisoned supplies.
Of course, even the third was no more than a ruse. There were no poi-sons available in any quantities that could kill a large group of men after and days of sitting in foodstuffs that would not be readily detectable even casual observation.
N this too was a ruse, designed to bolster Ashwarawu's confidence - in own forces, in the incompetence of his enemies, and in the spy network h t was so obviously working for him out of Dharyan. No doubt one of the ' rkers in the temple would pass the word of the poisoned food, and an-ther wretched Ru would rush out in the dark of night to find the rebel Grvsh was glad he didn't have to try to hide his sly smile, because he doubted that he could at that time.
He was drawing the rebel fool in, and he had eight hundred trained, pro-fessional soldiers at his disposal.
"You are surprised that I take so bold and decisive a step against the fool rebels?" Grysh asked Pestle.
"No, Yatol."
"Yes, you are," Grysh corrected. ?Why not wait until the spring, after all, when we could send the might of Jacintha's army against the rabble and be done with them quickly and easily?" Grysh paused, studying the man, mocking him with a wry grin. ?Yes, you are surprised, and so our next visi-tor this day should help you to understand."
With that, he looked to Wan Atenn and nodded, and the Chezhou-Lei relayed the signal to one of his guards by the great double doors. That man turned out to the hall and clapped his hands sharply, twice, and in walked Woh Lien and Dahmed Blie, the Chezhou-Lei leaders of the two visiting twenty-squares.
"Yatol," Woh Lien said, snapping into a formal bow.
"Greetings to you, Chezhou-Lei."
"We have come to inform you that our duties here are done. The sup-plies have been delivered and distributed. Your requested eight-square has been selected from among the finest of our warriors."
"And so you plan to leave?"
"That is our command, Yatol."
To return to Jacintha, where you can chase birds from the fountains?" Grysh asked incredulously. ?You are warriors, my friend, and here is a war for you to fight. You would turn from that to return to a city basking in peace and security?"
Lhezhou-Lei Woh Lien glanced nervously over at his companion, who seemed equally ill-at-ease. ?It is not our decision to make, Yatol."
Yet you are the commanders of your respective forces," Grysh coun-tered. ?Surely you hold discretion in emergency situations."
True, Yatol. But there is no such emergency. Not at this time, at least, and the God-Voice has determined that we are to return, at the first break in the weather."
He continued, but Grysh held up his hand, motioning for him to relent ?Go, then," he said, looking from Carwan Pestle to Wan Atenn, his expres-sion perfectly conveying a sense of worry - an emotion