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The man in front laughed sharply and answered in the same tongue； although brokenly； as if he spoke it but seldom。 〃I do not see you as fools； no。 I see you as 。。。 perhaps lambs。 Lambs who have lost their flock； and are wandering through this wasteland； in danger from wolves and eagles。 I。。。 I am the shepherd； who offers safety and shelter。〃
〃No doubt purely from the goodness of your soul；〃 Janos said。
The man lifted his shoulders slightly。 〃No one does anything pletely from benevolence；〃 the man said。 〃Else he would be a god。 The shepherd offers the lamb safety； and the lamb provides its wool and； in the end； its flesh so the shepherd may protect yet another generation。 It is the way。〃
〃How kind of you；〃 Janos said。 〃But。。。 perhaps there is something wrong with my vision。 You speak of being a shepherd 。。。 and I see nothing but three cackling carrion crows； stinking of dung while they prate of honey。〃 He pretended not to notice the hiss of anger as he continued。 〃Nor are we lambs。〃 Then his sword whipped out…and the slaver jumped back； his own hand going to his blade。 〃Lambs do not have fangs like this；〃 Janos said。 〃Perhaps the desert sun has addled your senses； and you do not see you are challenging wolves。〃 Janos turned to me。 〃Do you wish to accept this jackal's offer； and wear chains？〃 he asked； still in the trading tongue。
I did not need to answer。 〃Nor I；〃 Janos went on。 〃Never again。〃 Cassini seemed to hesitate。 〃Evocator；〃 Janos said； 〃you will not be included in his kind offer； but rather sacrificed to add to their shaman's power。〃
Cassini covered his hesitation。 〃I stand with you； of course。〃
〃And I can speak for the soldiers；〃 Janos finished。 〃You must take us with the sword； corpse eater；〃 he said to the slaver。 〃And in the taking you will bring sorrow to the tents of your people。〃
The nomad held up his hands in acceptance。 〃You have spoken bravely。 Perhaps tomorrow 。。。 or the next day 。。。 you will croak differently when your water is gone。 Or perhaps my lions of the desert will not allow me to be merciful and wait until you have e to your senses。〃 The three backed to the oasis and disappeared。
〃Cassini；〃 Janos snapped； 〃a few words of the protective spell。 Immediately！〃 Cassini had barely begun a mutter when an arrow shot from cover； aimed directly at Janos。 I could see； as if we were all in amber； the arrow wobble as our Evocator's spell caught it。 Then Janos stepped to one side and his free hand shot out； a blur； and then he held the arrow。 He broke it； cast it aside； and turned； stalking back to the hollow。 We followed。
Janos gathered the men and explained what had happened。 One or two of the soldiers looked as if they might have reached a different decision if consulted； but hid their looks as quickly as Cassini had。 Then the three of us withdrew to make plans。
Janos said； 'They might wait until we all collapse before they make their move。 But it is unlikely they would have that much patience。 More probable is they will let us bake our brains for two or three days； and then attack。 They certainly will not strike now； when we are fully alert。 Warfare bees more bloody the greater the number of soldiers on the field。 When few fight； and many die； all lose in the long run。 That is why nomads fight from ambush or with a sudden； unexpected raid。〃
Cassini furrowed his brow。 〃If that is true； Captain 。。。 then isn't it likely that when they do attack； if we can stand them off and hurt them； they might give up？〃
〃Exactly；〃 Janos said。 〃Which is why we will pretend to be running out of water before dusk； and bee increasingly feeble hour by hour。 We shall drink only after dark； and all of us will husband our strength。 If necessary； if they try to wait on us； we can kill the asses and drink their blood and stomach fluids。〃
It was not an idea； nor quite a vision that struck me then。 But a certainty。 〃The slavers think；〃 I began slowly； then more rapidly as my thoughts coalesced； 〃we are city dwellers or maybe farmers； correct？ If they have sold us short； can't we use that arrogance against them？ Sort of 。。。 sort of like no one takes a runner seriously if his oil is rancid or the robes he sheds at the line are tattered or dirty？〃 That particular example was one I'd been guilty of and rued ever since。
Janos bared his teeth。 〃I would wager you are holding up a mirror to their thoughts。 And I agree。 Continue。 You hold the speaker's glass。〃 Even in that fearful； sun…blazed moment； I admired Janos' ability to hold his tongue； rather than burst out with the obvious ideas that were occurring。
〃This night；〃 I said。 〃You； me； Sergeant Maeen； one other。 Each man with someone to guard his back； as I've seen you train the Praetorians。〃
Janos was taken aback。 〃But the others…〃
〃No。 Let the others play roles as sheep； so there can be no possibility of mistake。 You； Evocator； must stay with them。 We need a spell like you cast before 。。。 Uncertainty。 Or something like it。〃 I remembered what Janos had said in the armorer's shop about sorcery on the battlefield； but thought this might be different。 My plan bore no more semblance to battle … if it worked … than the slavers' attack on us in two or three days would。
〃Better than uncertainty；〃 Janos suggested； 〃can you manage a spell that might suggest terror at the right moment？ Such as a peasant might feel when a lightning storm strikes in midsummer out of a clear sky？〃
〃Once I am aware of what； exactly； Lord Antero's plans are；〃 Cassini said with acerbity； 〃I can e up with devices fully as subtle and sophisticated as any you have； in your own field； which I would never have the temerity to interfere with。〃
Janos held back the urge to snap a retort。 〃Very well。 Four of us； eh？ The best time will be 。。。 just after moonset； which will give us a sufficient amount of time before dawn。 Tinderboxes 。。。 we'll scrape tar from our animals' packs； soften it in the fire； and smear our bird arrows with it。 Once inside the oasis； we will take brands from their own fire to light their deaths 。。。〃 And his muttering became inaudible as he filled out my plan。
When the moon went down； the four of us crept out； equipped as Janos had planned； plus we each carried short； thrusting spears。 Sergeant Maeen had chosen the hot…tempered Lione as our fourth； saying his quickness to violence was exactly what we needed here。
In the oasis three fires still burned； indicating the nomads' camp； at least there was no danger of our being lost。 We circled until we were a quarter arc away from our camp； then we struck for the oasis。 The place was parklike； with thick brush and palms stretching up； but with little grass or vines to trip and snare。 We found one of the winding paths that travelers had worn between the water pools and the open areas suitable for campsites； and padded toward the nomads。 Janos had told me to keep my gaze away from their fire； to avoid losing my night eyes； but it was hard。 It also became difficult to see objects between us and fireglow the closer we got to die camp。 I stumbled in mud and nearly fell into one of the pools； but the sergeant steadied me。 Then his hand forced me down； into a kneel。 I saw a bulk ahead of us that was not one of