Meilin looked to her father. She had wanted to pose the same question. “They wear no uniforms,” he said. “They didn’t win through by force. They must have trickled in — perhaps over years. Many look Zhongese, but not all. It staggers me to consider the logistics involved. I would have named an attack of this scale impossible, yet here they are! The strength of Zhong is concentrated far from here, along our outer Wall. Many soldiers now travel toward Shar Liwao. But that was evidently a diversion.”

“What must we do?” General Chin asked.

“We will do our duty,” General Teng said. He raised his voice. “Leave us.”

The other soldiers abandoned the observation terrace. Sheyu took Lenori by the arm and turned to go.

“Not you, Greencloaks,” General Teng said, his voice a quiet growl. He kept a hand on Meilin’s shoulder, so she knew he wanted her there as well.

Sheyu and Lenori drew closer.

Meilin watched her father. His expression made her uncomfortable. She tried to suppress the fear gnawing inside.

“Jano Rion will fall,” he said plainly. “We don’t have enough defenders here to resist. Lenori, you claim that Meilin has summoned Jhi herself, the living symbol of Zhong. What does it mean? What do you propose?”

“I wish to bring her to our commander,” Lenori said. “Jhi is not the first of the Four Fallen to return in recent weeks. This war is coming to all of Erdas. We mean to reunite the Four Fallen and fight. It’s our only chance.”

Meilin felt the hand on her shoulder tighten. Her father gave a single nod. “So be it. Lenori, take my daughter. This is no place for her at present. Sheyu, please see that they embark safely from the port at Xin Kao Dai.”

Sheyu placed a fist to his chest and inclined his head. “It would be my honor.”

“Father, I don’t want to go!” Meilin cried. “Please let me stay with you. Please let me defend our home!”

“It is not safe for you —”

“Where would I be safer than with the greatest general in all of Erdas?”

“And,” he continued, holding up a hand to stay her, “you may have vital duties elsewhere.” He crouched to look her straight in the eyes. “Meilin, visit with this Greencloak commander. Hear him out. If he talks sense, and the path feels true, lend the aid that duty requires. If not, seek a better path. In either instance, do not forget who you are, or where you come from.”

“But —”

General Teng shook his head. “This is my will.”

Meilin knew that the conversation was over. Her fate had been decided. Hot tears stung her eyes. She looked out at the army charging toward her home, then down at the ravaging traitors already at work in the parade ground. How could she run away, leaving her father to face this threat, his army divided and already half-defeated?

She glanced over at Jhi. The panda returned her gaze with understanding and perhaps a hint of pity. Was she imagining the empathy in those penetrating eyes? Meilin stared at the ground. She didn’t need understanding. She needed strength. Not only did this panda have little chance of improving her combat skills, it was also the reason the Greencloaks were taking her away.

Away from her home. Away from her father.

A clamor arose from the stairwell. An injured soldier staggered to the top of the stairs. “They’re coming up! There’s too many!”

Meilin’s father gave a nod. “Hold them as long as you can.”

The soldier turned and hobbled back down the stairs. Unseen weapons clashed. An animal screamed. Moving to the top of the stairs, General Chin drew his sword.

Meilin’s father pulled the levers that lowered the lifter, then gestured to a ladder that descended the interior of the shaft. “Climb down to the first access tunnel. It should allow you to slip by the rebels. Get out of the city.”

Meilin couldn’t hold back her worries. “What about —”

Her father sliced his hand through the air and silenced her. “General Chin and I will confirm you reach the tunnel, then we’ll make our escape.” He gave his daughter a strained smile. “I won’t let this rabble take me. Go.”

There was no room for argument. Meilin would not shame him with further pleas or disagreements.

Meilin raised her eyes to his. “As you wish, Father.”

The others were already heading down the ladder. She was mildly astonished to find Jhi capable of descending unaided. As Meilin placed her foot on the first rung, General Chin engaged his first foe. Just before her head passed down into the shaft, she saw General Chin and her father backing up, swords flashing, pressed by numerous opponents.

She kept silent. If the enemies noticed her descent, her father’s efforts would be in vain. Maybe he would still get away. He was a cunning man.

With tears blurring her vision, Meilin joined the others in the cramped tunnel. Taking her hand, Sheyu led the way.

4 ESSIX

ROLLAN LOITERED ON THE CORNER BY THE APOTHECARY, keeping his back to the store. Down the cobbled street, between buildings with thick plaster walls and rounded facades, Smarty and Red were looking his way. Rollan tried to convey with his eyes that they shouldn’t draw attention to him. They got the message and faced elsewhere.

An orphan since age five, Rollan knew that stealing was part of survival. Even so, he avoided it whenever possible. He had no problem with claiming leftovers, since the owners were done with them. People with money abandoned all sorts of things. Rollan had found clever ways to lay claim to unfinished meals and discarded clothing. That was salvaging, not thievery.

But his current problem would not be solved through scrounging. There was no such thing as leftover willow extract. It was too valuable. He and the boys used to have some, thanks to Hands, but it had run out. And now Digger had a terrible fever. They had wasted the precious medicine on less serious sicknesses. Had they known this was coming, they would have saved some, but it was too late.

They wouldn’t be in this mess if Hands hadn’t gotten arrested. The boy had a gift for pilfering, and life had been much more comfortable with him around. But Hands got greedy and started going after real valuables. The militia caught him and locked him up.

Rollan glanced over his shoulder at the apothecary. As with many businesses in town, a banner emblazoned with Essix the Falcon, patron beast of Amaya, hung over the entrance. Digger really needed help. He was burning up, and it kept getting worse. Without medicine, he could die.

Folding his arms, Rollan scowled at the ground. He didn’t like to steal, but it wasn’t out of deep respect for the law. Many of the profiteers in Concorba made their fortunes on the backs of the poor, taking everything they could from people who had almost nothing, and the laws protected that system. Stealing was just too risky. When kids got caught taking even the smallest thing, the penalties were harsh, especially as you got older. Plus he had his honor. His own version of it anyway — never to take from the poor, never from the sick or infirm, and always to try other alternatives first.