WITH THE CAVALRY LEAVING AT the end of the week they threw us into five days of intensive training with them. An Aswaran centaur had been assigned to each of us. I stood, staring at Belsesus with a dubious expression. He flashed an overly sincere smile. 'Really, Princess, I don't understand the problem.'

I chewed on my lip for a second while regarding his offered arm.

'Weirdest piggy back ride ever,' I muttered, then clasped his arm and leaped up. Hmmm; an important ...