I had a good idea what I'd find on that knoll. Somebody from up north who'd heard rumors and had gotten worried that I might be trouble. I meant to be a lot, for the Shadowmasters and anybody who got between us.

We crossed the creek a few miles downstream, out of sight of the knoll, moved back to the east, and discovered that there was no way to approach the grove unseen the last third of a mile. I told the men, "All we can do is ride straight at it. Let's do it without getting in a hurry. Maybe they won't run till we're so close they can't get away."

I didn't know if they could control themselves. The excitement had them again. They were pumped up, scared and eager.

"Let's go."

We'd covered half the open ground when the watchers flushed like quail. "Shadar," somebody noted.

Yes. Mounted Shadar, in uniform, cavalry equipped. "Jahamaraj Jah's men!" I snapped.

The men cursed. Even those who were Shadar.

Jah was the leading Shadar priest in Taglios. Croaker's doing. Jah's concession to his debt hadn't lasted through the fighting at Dejagore. He and his cavalry had abandoned the field while the outcome was in question. Most of the men had seen them run, or had heard. I'd been pushing the idea that the battle would've been ours had Jah stood his ground.

It could be true. Jah had contributed nothing when a feather's weight might have tilted the balance.

I thought he'd run because he'd suffered an opportunistic flash. He'd intuited that the battle would go poorly and had decided to beat everybody home. He'd play a strong hand there because he'd be the only man with a military force-however inept-to back him up.

He deserved some special thought now.

I didn't have to order a chase. There were five Shadar. Their flight was proof they were blackhearts. The men rode with blood in their eyes. Unfortunately, the Shadar were better riders.

I did want to talk to them. I urged my stallion to his best pace and closed up fast.