Laella said, "Aaron!"
"I don't know what you could do. I just wanted Laella to know because shealways stays calm, no matter what, and I get rattlebrained, so maybe she couldthink of something when I couldn't. I wouldn't ever ask you to do somethingthat would get you in trouble."
Laella told her, "We'll do whatever we can to help you, Reyha. You know that."
"Thank you. I'd better run home. Before Naszif gets back. He'd be very angryif he knew I told you anything."
"He won't know," Laella said. "Aaron, you'd better walk with her."
Aaron sighed. "Yes. I suppose I'd better."
Reyha had little to say during the walk. She had exhausted her reserves ofcourage and talk. When he got back home, Laella said, "Well? Something got toyou while she was telling us. What was it?"
"Zouki was kidnapped before they found out about Naszif. So that couldn't bewhy he was grabbed. And bel-Sidek promised me the Living didn't have anythingto do with it. Even Naszif didn't believe the Living would be involved inchild-stealing. So how come all of a sudden they tell him they've got Zoukiwhen they want to twist his arm?"
"Maybe they lied."
"But they're taking him to see Zouki."
"Don't bark at me, Aaron. I don't know who's doing what to whom, or why. I'mnot sure I care. Reyha and Zouki are what I care about. Do you understand?"
"Yes. There's no point fussing about it till we find out what they showedNaszif or did to him. I guess."
"What if he doesn't come home, Aaron?"
"Huh?"
"What if they ... they did something with him: What would Reyha do?"
"We're getting ahead of things. When Reyha needs help-if she needs it-we'll dowhatever we can. So let's not get fussed. Let's get back to bed. I have towork tomorrow."
Naszif burst out of the mouth of the Shu maze, turned left, lengthened hisstride, ran all the way to the side door of Government House. He gave thepassword and his emergency code. To his amazement he was in to see Colonel Bruda before he got his wind back. "What is it?" Bruda asked, knowing it would be dramatic if it had to be done this way.
"They've found me out. I can't take more than a few minutes or they'll know I came here. They're trying to force me to work against you."
"Damn!" Bruda punched the wall. "Just when we were getting close to them." He kissed a skinned knuckle. "You want us to take you out? I can send troops to get your wife."
"No. They have my son. He's their leverage. I'm going to stay in till I can get him out, too. And meanwhile try to learn enough to gut them. I just wantedyou to know they're using me now. Whatever you hear from me will be what theywant you to hear. I have to go. I don't want them to suspect I've slipped theleash. Tell the General."
"You've got more guts than I do. You find out where they're holding your son, let us know. We'll hit them and get him out. Then send you out of town."
Naszif nodded. "I will. "He went downstairs, out the side door, and ran all the way home, where he found a shivering Reyha waiting in his bed. "Did you see him, Naszif?"
"Yes."
"How was he? Was he all right?"
"He was clean and well dressed and looked well fed. He seemed healthy. They wouldn't let me talk to him. He didn't know I was there. He's all right except for being scared."
"What are we going to do, Naszif?" "We're going to do whatever they tell us to do. For now."
The Witch waited only till Torgo told her that Azel and his companion had cleared the Postern of Fate. She told the eunuch, "I'm going to go have an unfriendly chat with our ally, General bel-Karba." "My lady, I don't think ..."
"That's right, Torgo. You don't. Because I don't want you to. You understand?"
"Yes, my lady."
"I won't be gone long. Get that child ready. I'll do him when I get back."
"But ..."
"I'm strong enough, Torgo. I don't need to rest. Get on with your business and let me get on with mine."
She watched the eunuch depart, then gathered her skirts and headed for the Postern of Fate.
She had not been out into the city since the conquest. It seemed littlechanged, except that the night was more quiet. The Herodians had stilled therowdy darknesses that had stemmed from the citadel and the mouth of Gorloch.
She slipped out of the naked openness of the acropolis and headed down CharStreet, into the inevitable night fog. She made no more sound than the fogitself, and felt no more fear. There was nothing in Qushmarrah more dangerousthan its Witch.
She came to the General's door. She paused. She sensed only the one enfeebledspirit within. The door was not barred.
Only someone supremely confident of his power would lie sleeping behind anunbarred door in the Shu.
She invited herself inside.
"Hadribel? Are you back already?"
A light sleeper. She stepped into the room where he lay. "No, General. NotHadribel. Someone you don't want to see at all. Someone who did not want tocome see you. But someone sufficiently tired of your lapses in regard torecognition of who is ruler and who is ruled that she felt compelled to comemake the point clear."
The General met her gaze without flinching. He grunted. That grunt seemed tocall her a damn fool woman.
"You had your creature Azel threaten me."
He looked at her a moment, then snorted. "My creature? Azel? Azel is nobody'screature but his own. He carried my message, yes, and it doesn't seem to havegotten garbled. He did his job. But if he were to surrender to his prejudicesI suspect there's only one person who could touch his heart. That person ishere and it isn't me, woman."
"You dared to presume to control me, General."
"I have a duty to Qushmarrah and my lord Nakar. Your obsessive behaviorimperils the recovery of both. Go back to the citadel, woman. Examine thechildren already in your power and leave the city alone. If you press it toomuch it will turn on us all. None of us will get what we want."
"You don't understand. None of you do. You never have. I don't give a damnabout Qushmarrah. I never have. I wouldn't care if it sank beneath the sea. Iwant my husband back. I'll do whatever it takes. And I won't let anyone get inmy way. Not even you. Do you understand me?"
"I understand that Azel allowed his secret passion to cloud his reason, afterall. His report on your obsession fell short of the truth. Go back to thecitadel, woman. Be at peace with your heart. Be patient. Or you'll destroy usall."
"No. No. I'll destroy only those who try to hinder me." She smiled.
"What?" He tried to rise, suddenly, at last, aware that he was in danger.
"This is where the alliance ends, General." A web of dark sorcery dancedplayfully on the fingers of her left hand. She laid her palm upon his chestand pressed down. He fell back with a little cry, body spasming. She turnedand went out, pleased with herself.
She had taken only two steps uphill when she heard footsteps approaching. Sheturned and drifted downhill ahead of them.
The footsteps ended at the General's house.
She had cut it close.
She drifted downhill a little farther, meaning to cut across and head backuphill on the far side of the street, where the fog would hide her from anyexcitement that exploded from the General's household.
She froze, loosing a little bleat of surprise.
It was as faint as the breath of the sea a dozen miles in from the shore. But it was there and not forgotten, the faintest aroma of the misplaced soul. Shecould not help herself. She drifted to the street-side door, leaned herforehead and one forearm against it, and let the proximity of it wash overher.
Tears streaked her cheeks.
A door slammed up the street. Somebody ran into the fog cursing under hisbreath.
Nogah leaned against the wall of Tosh Alley, a few steps inside, and watchedChar Street sleepily. He was not comfortable. There were few fogs like this atthe Dartar compound. He did not like the clammy feel it gave the air, the wayit limited visibility. It made this no decent place to be.
The scrapings and whispers and sometimes hints of far lights back in the mazedid nothing to buoy a man's confidence, either.