On the road he went with his hands tied behind him, his ankles lashed to the stirrups, and his hest's bridle tied to the pommel of another man's saddle. No chance of escape there. But one must get up after sleep.
He rolled close to Sathi's quiet form as if he were merely turning over in slumber. His lips brushed against the leather bag and he wished it were her face.
"Sathi," he whispered as quietly as he could. "Sathi, don't move, but listen to me."
"Aye," her voice drifted back under the wind and the cold. "Aye, darling."
"I am going to make a break for it when we get up. Help me if you can but don't risk getting hurt. I don't think we can both get away but wait for me in Ganasth!"
She lay silent for a long while. Then, "As you will, Kery. And whatever comes, I love you."
He should have replied but the words stuck in his throat. He rolled back and, quite simply, went to sleep.
A spear butt prodding his side awoke him. He yawned mightily and sat up, loosening his bag around him, tensing every muscle in his body.
"The end of this ride will see us in the city," Mongku said.
Kery rose slowly, gauging distances. A guardsman stood beside him, spear loose in one hand. The rest were scattered around the camp or huddled close to the fire. The hests were a darker shadow bunched on the fringes.