Naamah's Kiss - Jacqueline Carey [191]
I led Blossom out myself. I'd visited her many times during our journey, walking her up and down the narrow exercise corridor in the belly of the greatship, and she was the only horse among them to look calm and alert. She listened to me with pricked ears as I spoke softly to her, soothing her thoughts with my mind.
Peasants gathered to watch. Several of General Tsieh's men interrogated them. They seemed friendly, nodding and pointing toward the north.
"Good news." The general strode over to us. "We're only a hundred li or so from the border of Qilu Province. That's as far as Lord Jiang's grasp extends. If we push the horses as hard as we dare, we ought to make it."
Master Lo frowned. "There are no mounts for the women and sailors."
The general shrugged. "Those without will have to make due. With all we'll be forced to leave behind, they can bribe the peasants to hide them."
"My bulbs!" Master Lo said in alarm.
General Tsieh cast an acerbic eye over the massive pot that Bao had lugged ashore. "I'm sorry, Venerable One. But yes, if you do not wish to be captured by Lord Jiang's men, your bulbs must stay." He jerked his chin at the two trunks of my clothing. "Those, too."
I sighed. There were gowns I'd not seen since we left Terre d'Ange in there, the finest creations of Atelier Favrielle, sumptuous, elegant gowns that were wholly impractical for travel. "Master Lo, I've an idea. Bao, lend me a hand."
I emptied out my battered canvas satchel. There wasn't much I truly needed to keep. I put the thong with my mother's signet ring around my neck and tucked the crystal bottle of Jehanne's perfume into the purse at my belt. With Bao's aid, I transferred the bulk of the snowdrop bulbs into my satchel.
The fragile bulbs protested faintly.
Sleep. I blew softly over the soil. Deeper and deeper. Sleep.
"We must go!" the general called impatiently. "Time to ride!"
"Suyin!" I beckoned to her. She hurried over with the graceful, mincing gait Ch'in women favored, gazing at me with wide, fearful eyes. "There are some items of value in these trunks. Gowns… or at least the fabric, mayhap." I couldn't picture her in one of Benoit Vallon's immodest creations. "Eardrops, jeweled combs, a headpiece. Share them among the women. Use them as best you may."
She looked blankly at me. I'd reverted to speaking D'Angeline without thinking.
Bao translated.
Suyin bowed three times in rapid succession, speaking quickly to me in her native dialect.
"She says thank you and she will pray for you! They will all pray for you!" Bao flung himself effortlessly astride his mount despite being burdened with many of the rest of Master Lo's bags of medicines and possessions. He glanced behind us. There was a faint smear of dust rising on the southern horizon. Lord Jiang's forces were in pursuit. "Moirin, we must go. Now!"
"All right, all right!" I slung the satchel over one shoulder, my bow and quiver over the other, and hoisted myself into the saddle. "I'm ready!"
General Tsieh gave the order. "Ride!"
A hundred li was not a great distance—a little over ten leagues if I understood correctly. A strong, fit mount could easily cover that distance in a day.
But we were not riding strong, fit mounts.
Weakened by long months at sea and unsteady on dry land as any of us, the horses stumbled and staggered through the tall fields of wheat. I couldn't help but wince at their struggles, any more than I could help wincing at the swathe we cut, trampling the late-winter grain ready for harvest.
It was better once we gained the road and sure footing—but not for long. The toll the journey had taken on our mounts was too great. One by one, they began to founder. General Tsieh called for a halt to determine which ones had the strength to continue. There were only a score, Blossom among them.
Thirty men would stay behind to guard our passage. I watched them string and test their bows, preparing to make a stand.
"So many lives spent to save one woman," I murmured to Master Lo. "Is it worth it?"
He looked troubled. "I cannot say, Moirin. But I fear