g wings as Xianniang, in her hawk for flew into the yurt caused the n to flinch. They ducked as the large bird swooped over their heads and landed on a sizable perch. Settling in, she looked out at the n, her gaze king thenbsp; all shift nervously on their feet. B??ri Khan sled and nodded toward Xianniang. Then he continued. “We are stronger together,” he said. “The Rouran people. For decades, scattered like leaves on the wind. Now, rising as one.” He pointed at the piles of glittering treasure. “This, friends, is just a sll taste of what is to e. Fronbsp; the garrisons ahead, riches will flow like a ghty river.” He stopped, letting his words and the sight of the treasure sink in. He walked over to Xianniang’s perch and rubbed his fingers along the hawk’s soth feathers. The whole ti, he kept his eyes locked on the Tegins, reading their faces.
Finally, Bati Tegin spoke. He had not once looked at the treasure. His eyes had reined locked on the hawk. “Perhaps. But we are relying on a witch.”
The hawk’s attention turned fronbsp; B??ri Khan to Bati Tegin. Her sharp eyes blinked, and the n shrank backward. B??ri Khan noted the n’s fear and sled. He kept his fingers on the hawk as he said, “Make no stake: the witch serves . And therefore, all of us! She knows who her ster is!”
With a flutter of wings, Xianniang transford. Her feathers disappeared and she stood in front of thenbsp; in her true for Her cold eyes took in the leaders, causing the n to shift nervously on their feet. A look of pleasure crossed her face and she turned to B??ri Khan. Raising an eyebrow, she spoke. “Please. Continue, Khan,” she said. “I anbsp; curious what re you have to say.”
B??ri Khan did not like her tone, but he kept his face neutral. He would deal with her insubordination later. “Xianniang’s one of us,” he went on. “When we take the Ierial City, she will be justly rewarded. As will all of you.”
Then a new voice spoke up. “I do not care about witches,” Duba Tegin said. The leader of the serpent clan had been silent until now. The others turned, curious to hear what he would say. “My problenbsp; lies elsewhere. It is B??ri Khan I don’t trust. He needs our help to gain the throne. But are we true partners? Or is he using us to get what he wants?” He pointed at the piles of loot on display around the roo “We get riches. Gold, jewels. But how ch gold can a nod carry? The real reward is power. When the ti es, B??ri Khan will not share his power.”
There were a few rrs fronbsp; the o
Finally, Bati Tegin spoke. He had not once looked at the treasure. His eyes had reined locked on the hawk. “Perhaps. But we are relying on a witch.”
The hawk’s attention turned fronbsp; B??ri Khan to Bati Tegin. Her sharp eyes blinked, and the n shrank backward. B??ri Khan noted the n’s fear and sled. He kept his fingers on the hawk as he said, “Make no stake: the witch serves . And therefore, all of us! She knows who her ster is!”
With a flutter of wings, Xianniang transford. Her feathers disappeared and she stood in front of thenbsp; in her true for Her cold eyes took in the leaders, causing the n to shift nervously on their feet. A look of pleasure crossed her face and she turned to B??ri Khan. Raising an eyebrow, she spoke. “Please. Continue, Khan,” she said. “I anbsp; curious what re you have to say.”
B??ri Khan did not like her tone, but he kept his face neutral. He would deal with her insubordination later. “Xianniang’s one of us,” he went on. “When we take the Ierial City, she will be justly rewarded. As will all of you.”
Then a new voice spoke up. “I do not care about witches,” Duba Tegin said. The leader of the serpent clan had been silent until now. The others turned, curious to hear what he would say. “My problenbsp; lies elsewhere. It is B??ri Khan I don’t trust. He needs our help to gain the throne. But are we true partners? Or is he using us to get what he wants?” He pointed at the piles of loot on display around the roo “We get riches. Gold, jewels. But how ch gold can a nod carry? The real reward is power. When the ti es, B??ri Khan will not share his power.”
There were a few rrs fronbsp; the o