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ey do push some of the Kindath out； or kill a few； a siege will be easier to withstand。 That seems obvious to me。〃
Ibn Khairan said nothing。 The king of Cartada looked at him； a close； suspicious glance。 〃It has been reported to me that you spent time on the Day of the Moat with a Kindath physician。 A woman。 Was there a reason？〃
It seemed that answers to the hardest questions life offered might e in unexpected ways。 In the strangest fashion； that cold； narrowed gaze came as a relief to ibn Khairan。 A reminder of what had always kept him from truly loving the boy who had bee this man； despite a number of reasons for doing so。
〃You had my movements traced？〃
The king of Cartada was unfazed。 〃You were the one who taught me that all information helped。 I wanted you back。 I was searching for ways to achieve it。〃
〃And spying out my activities seemed a good method of enlisting my willing aid？〃
〃Aid；〃 said the king of Cartada； 〃can e for many reasons and in many guises。 I could have kept this a secret from you； Ammar。 I have not。 I am here in Ragosa； trusting you。 Now your turn： was there a reason； Ammar？〃
Ibn Khairan snorted。 〃Did I want to bed her； you mean？ e on； 'Malik。 I went to find that doctor because she was the physician of someone invited to the ceremony。 A man who said he was too ill to e。 I had no idea who she was until later。 She was； incidentally； Ishak ben Yonannon's daughter。 You'll know that by now。 Does it mean anything to you？〃
Almalik nodded。 〃My father's physician。 I remember him。 They blinded him when Zabira's last child was born。〃
〃And cut out his tongue。〃
The king shrugged again。 〃We have to keep the wadjis happy； don't we？ Or if not happy； at least not preaching against us in the streets。 They wanted the Kindath doctor to die。 My father surprised me then； I remember。〃 Almalik gestured suddenly with both hands。 〃Ammar； I have no weapons against you here。 I don't want a weapon。 I want you as my sword。 What must I do？〃
This had gone on too long； ibn Khairan realized。 It was painful； and there was greater danger the longer it lasted。 He carried no blade either； save the usual one taped to his left arm。 However calm Almalik seemed； he was a man who could be pushed to rashness； and the Muwardi tribesmen would dance under the desert stars if they learned that Ammar ibn Khairan of Aljais had died。
He said； 〃Let me think on this； 'Malik。 I have a contract that ends at the beginning of autumn。 Honor may be served by then。〃
〃By autumn？ You swear it？ I will have you…〃
〃I said； let me think。 That is all I will say。〃
〃And what should I do in the meantime？〃
Ibn Khairan's mouth quirked with amusement。 He couldn't help it。 He was a man who found many things in life inexpressibly ironic。 〃You want me to tell you how to govern Cartada？ Here and now？ In this room； during Carnival？〃
After a moment； Almalik laughed； and shook his head。 〃You would not believe how badly I am served； Ammar。〃
〃Then find better men！ They exist。 All over Al…Rassan。 Put your labors into that。〃
〃And into what else？〃
Ibn Khairan hesitated。 Old habits died very hard。 〃You are probably right： Fezana is in danger。 Whether the Jaddite army in Batiara sails this spring or not； there is a changed mood in the north。 And if you lose Fezana； I do not think you can hold your dais。 The wadjis will not allow it。〃
〃Or the Muwardis；〃 said Almalik； with a glance at the guards in the room。 The veiled ones remained impassive。 〃I have already done one further thing about this。 Tonight； actually； here in Ragosa。 You will approve。〃
Odd； odd and sometimes frightening； how a lifetime's instincts could put the soldier in one on such instantaneous alert。
〃Approve of what？〃 he asked； keeping his voice calm。
Later； he would realize that he had somehow known； though； even before the king of Cartada answered him。
〃As I told you； six others came with me。 I've had them find and kill the Valledan mercenary Belmonte。 He is too dangerous to be permitted to go back to King Ramiro from his own exile。 It seems he never left his room tonight； they know where he is； and there is only one guard at the street door。〃 Almalik of Cartada smiled。 〃It is a useful blow； Amman I hurt Badir and Ramiro both； very badly； by taking this man away from them。〃
And me； Ammar ibn Khairan was thinking then； but did not say。 And me。 Very badly。
They had defeated five men together； in a display last autumn。 Rodrigo would have been alone tonight； however； and not expecting an assault。 There were people costumed as Muwardis all over the city。 Six silent killers； one frustrated guard at the street door。 He could picture how it would have been。 It would be over by now。
Even so； there were things one did； movements shaped without actual thought。 The drive towards action as a blocking of pain。 Even as the king of Cartada finished speaking； ibn Khairan had spun back to the door of his room； and was pulling it open。 As he did so； in the same smooth movement； he ducked down low； so the blade thrown at his back embedded itself instead in the dark wood of the door。
Then he was out； running down the corridor； taking the stairs three and then four at a time； knowing that if Almalik had told him about this it was much too late already； but running； running。
Even in his haste； he remembered to do one thing before hurtling out the door and back into the street。
〃Fool！〃 Jehane heard the king of Cartada shout。 〃What were you doing with that knife？ I want him with us； you worm！〃
〃He will not be。〃
The other man； the Muwardi； had a desert accent and a voice deep as an old grave。 She could see none of them。 Just out of sight on the double balcony； Jehane felt a grief heavy as a smith's anvil pulling on her heart。 She clenched her fists； nails biting into palms。 She could do nothing。 She had to wait for them to leave。 She wanted to scream。
〃He will e back；〃 she heard the young king rasp。 〃He is upset about the Valledan； a rade…at…arms。 I thought he might be； but ibn Khairan is not a man who makes decisions based on such things。 He would have been the first to tell me to plan a stroke such as this。〃
〃He will not be with you；〃 the other man said again； blunt； quiet； sure。
There was a short silence。
〃Kill this man；〃 said Almalik II of Cartada calmly。 〃This is a mand。 You were under orders not to harm ibn Khairan。 These orders were violated with that blade。 Execute him。 Now。〃
Jehane caught her breath。 Then； more quickly than she could have imagined； she heard a grunting sound。 Someone fell。
〃Good；〃 she heard the king of Cartada say； after a moment。 〃At least some of you are loyal。 Leave his body。 I want Ammar to know I had him killed。〃 Jehane heard footsteps。 The king's voice came from farther away。 〃e。 It is time to leave Ragosa。 I have done what I could。 We can do nothing but wait on Ammar now。〃
〃You can kill him；〃 the second Muwardi said in a soft； uninflected tone。 〃If he refuses you； why should he be permitted to live？〃
The king of Cartada made no reply。
A moment later； Jehane heard them going out； and then down the stairs。
She waited until she heard the front door open and close again； and then she raced to follow…through the second bedroom； and out into the corridor。 She spared one quick glance into Ammar's chamber。 There was a man lying on the floor。
The doctor in her pelled a pause； for too many years this had been an instinct。 She rushed in； knelt beside him； felt for a heartbeat。 He was； of course； dead。 No blade remained； but the wound was in his throat。 The Muwardis knew how to kill。
Rodrigo would have been at his desk。 Writing a letter home。 Expecting carousing friends； if any knock had e。
Jehane scrambled to her feet and sped down the stairs into the entranceway。 She looked for her mask on the small table。 It was not there。 She froze。
Then she understood。 Ammar had taken it： that the Cartadans not see an owl mask and surmise the presence of a woman here。 For all she knew； King Almalik might even have understood the symbol of the owl as physician： he had been Ammar's pupil； hadn't he？
Which was a part of the grief that now lay like a stone at the center of a spinning night。 She pushed open the door and ran out； unmasked now； into the roiling street。 She began forcing her way through the crowd towards the barracks。 Someone groped for her； playfully。 Jehane twisted away and kept moving。 It was difficult； people were everywhere； amid torches and smoke。 It took her a long time to get through。
Afterwards； she realized that it was the silence that had warned her。
When she came back into the square before the barracks； she saw that the huge crowd had grown unnaturally still and had forced itself back towards the perimeter of the square； away from a place where someone lay on the ground。
By the torches and the one moon； she saw Ammar standing there； unmasked； ashen…faced； with a number of other men she knew extremely well。 She pushed her way through the murmuring onlookers and knelt beside the wounded man on the cobblestones。 It only took one glance。 It was too late for a doctor's art here。 Heartsick； too shocked to speak； she began； helplessly； to weep。
〃Jehane；〃 whispered the dying man。 His eyes had opened and were locked on hers。 〃Jehane 。。。 I 。。。 so very 。。。 〃
She put her fingers gently to his lips。 Then laid her hand against his cheek。 There was a Muwardi knife embedded in his chest； and a hideous； pouring sword wound deep in his collarbone； and that was what was going to kill him。
A moment later； it did。 She watched him reach for a last； inadequate breath and then close his eyes； as if in weariness。 This was one of the ways men died。 She had seen it so many times。 Her fingers were still against his cheek when he went away from all of them； to whatever lay in wait beyond the dark。
〃My dear；〃 she said； brokenly。 〃Oh； my dear。〃
Was it always like this？ That one thought of all the things one so much wanted to say； endlessly too late？
Above her the circle of soldiers parted。 Someone passed between them and sank to his knees on the other side of the body； heedless of the dark blood soaking the cobblestones。 He was breathing quickly； as if he'd been running。 Jehane didn't look up； but then she saw him reach forward and take the dead man by the hand。
〃May there be light waiting for you；〃 she heard him say； very softly。 〃More and gentler light than any of us can dream or imagine。〃
She did look up then； through her tears。
〃Oh； Jehane；〃 said Rodrigo Belmonte。 〃I am so sorry。 This should never have happened。 He saved my life。〃
At some point； with all the unmixed wine he had drunk； and the heady smell of incense burning in the room； and the many…colored candles everywhere； and the useful pillows on bed and woven carpet； and the extraordinary ways it seemed that a slender golden leash could be used； Alvar lost track of time and place。
He moved with this unknown woman； and upon her； and at times beneath her urgency。 They had removed their masks when they entered the house。 It didn't matter： she was still a hunting cat tonight； whatever she was by daylight in the customary round of the year。 He had raking scratches down his body； as if to prove it。 With some dismay he realized that she did； too。 He couldn't remember doing that。 Then； a little later； he realized he was doing it again。 They were standing； coupled； bending forward against the bed then。
〃I don't even know your name；〃 he gasped； later； on the carpet before the fire。
〃And why should that matter tonight； in any possible way？〃 she had replied。
Her fingers were long； the painted nails sharp。 She was wondrously skilled with her hands； among other things。 She had green eyes and a wide mouth。 He gathered； through various signs； that he was giving pleasure as well as taking it。
Some time afterwards she chose to blow out all the candles and leash him in a particularly intimate fashion。 They went out together； naked； with the marks of their lovemaking on both of them； to stand on the dark balcony one level above the teeming square。
She leaned against the waist…high balustrade a