"I do not know," I replied candidly.
"He will be suspicious, for you can have no possible excuse for wishing to leave the safety of a walled city on a night like this and go out without an escort into a dangerous country where savage beasts and savage men roam."
"I shall find a way," I said, "because I must."
She made no reply, and we continued on toward the gate. It was not at a great distance from the house from which we had escaped and presently we came upon it looming large before us through the falling rain.
A sentry, standing in the shelter of a niche in the wall, discovered us and demanded what we were doing abroad at this hour of such a night. He was not greatly concerned, since he did not know that it was in our minds to pass through the gateway; he merely assumed, I presume, that we were a couple of citizens passing by on our way to our home.
"Is Sov here?" I demanded.
"Sov here!" he exclaimed in astonishment. "What would Sov be doing here on a night like this?"
"He was to meet me here at this hour," I said. "I instructed him to be here."
"You instructed Sov to be here!" The fellow laughed. "Who are you to give instructions to Sov?"
"I am the ongyan, Moosko," I replied.