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yourself ,” Rohnan said as he turned his horse.
    Blessedly, Shanti’s horse followed. The old man, for the first time, sat straight in his saddle with a tense back and serious face. She still couldn’t get any sort of reading on him, though. She didn’t even know his name! If he decided to use this opportunity to betray them, she wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. All she had was trust and Rohnan’s word, and from what she’d seen and heard, Rohnan knew as little as she did.
    “I need to be seen here and for the rumor to spread. I need them to know I’m not with Cayan.” Shanti winced as spikes accosted her mentally, the strength of power nearly matching her own. The Sarshers were close, and there was more than a few of them.
    Her heart started to pound as she thought of their escape. The Hunter was probably already closing off the city, building his forces to overwhelm her small party.
    “Cayan—that’s the man who steals all your thoughts?”
    “He doesn’t steal anything. Can we trust this old man, Rohnan?”
    “We have to.”
    Shanti gritted her teeth as another scorching attack slapped her shields, trying to break through. “We need to look at the map,” she shouted, grappling with the onslaught.
    Rohnan jerked his horse down an alley as Shanti opened up again and tried to block the constant barrage of minds. Fighting it, she felt along their merge until she found the pinnacle user and struck . Her sharp mental blade sliced into the opposing mind with all the force she could muster. She felt their pain well up before they withdrew behind blocks. She slammed her shields home again, only to realize they were in front of an empty store.
    “What in Death’s bad humor are you doing, Rohnan?” Shanti demanded as Rohnan sprung from his horse. “We don’t have—”
    Shanti cut off as the clattering of hooves came around a corner down the small lane. A villager dropped an armful of bread and dived out of the way as three horses fought for position between the shops. All wore black uniforms with the red at the breast. Swords gleamed in the early morning sun.
    “Save your mental strength! Stay on your horse,” Rohnan shouted. The window of the storefront shattered. Rohnan jumped through.
    “Have you lost your mind?” Shanti asked as she pulled her sword from its sheath, staring at the oncoming riders. “They’re almost on us and we’re just sitting here!”
    She kicked her horse, willing it forward to meet the challenge. Rohnan’s horse was in the way, though, blocking her attempt.
    “Hurry!” she screamed at Rohnan, watching the three riders descend in a thunder of hooves.
    Rohnan emerged from the shop at a jog with a long staff equipped with two small blades on each end. He took a running leap with the grace of a dancer and pulled himself into his saddle. His staff whirled, each knife at the ends sparkling in the sun.
    The first rider reached Rohnan just as he was settling on his horse. Shanti chanced opening her mind, ready to lash out, only to immediately feel the attack from the waiting Sarshers . She ground her teeth, striking back before forcing her shields down again. The first strike fell toward Rohnan. He batted it away expertly before bringing his staff across the enemy’s body. The wood portion battered the first Graygual in the stomach, bending him over, before the blade sliced through and opened him up. His insides tumbled over his saddle. His body slumped and fell, sliding down between the two horses.
    Rohnan urged his horse forward, knocking the now-rider less horse. The loose animal squealed and backed away in panic. It bumped into the third Graygual, forcing the man to maneuver his animal to get into the action.
    The second man’s blade swung at Shanti. She blocked with her sword as a knife on the edge of Rohnan’s staff swiped the back of the Graygual’s neck. He arched with the pain. Shanti thrust forward and stuck her blade through his stomach, clutching onto her