The last two hurried off. Azel grabbed a lighted lamp and went down to visitNakar and Ala-eh-din Beyh, only once he got there he ignored them. He steppedaround one and over the other, carried the lamp into the darkness behind theimage of Gorloch. He passed through a doorway closed by dusty black curtains, entered a suite of rooms that had been used by priests before and afterceremonies. Those chambers had remained inviolate since Nakar had stepped outshortly before the arrival of Ala-eh-din Beyh. The Witch had been forbiddentrespass.
He hadn't forgotten his way around. He made several minor arrangements, thenwent to a wardrobe cabinet where sacerdotal robes and accessories still hung.
He eased between hangings, used a knife to probe a seam in the cabinet's back.
Something clicked.
The cabinet back swung away into darkness. Azel followed it into a hidden roomeight feet by eight. He lighted three lamps from his own, inventoried the room's contents.
Everything was there, as it had been when one of his duties had been tomaintain the bolt-hole.
There were three ways out. One tight crawlway wormed through the citadel wallsto debouch near the Postern of Fate. A vertical shaft climbed the citadel's tallest tower, the top of which was the highest point in Qushmarrah and couldbe seen from nowhere else. It could be reached only from this room.
The third exit lay beneath the floor. It burrowed deep into the earth.
He was satisfied. The escape option was covered. He topped off the oil in thethree lamps, left one burning. There would be no time to piddle away lightingone if a retreat became necessary. He closed up and went to find out how Torgowas doing with the Witch.
He muttered all the way, cursing his wounds.
Bel-Sidek sensed something amiss the moment the soldier let him into Meryel'shouse. Something had changed. He could not lay a finger on it immediately . .
.
He had left one of his own men on the door when he had slipped out. The manwho let him in was not one of his own.
The khadifas were waiting where he had left them with orders to compare theirresources in case it became necessary to take action. Hadribel was all puffedup with anger. King was red with embarrassment. Salom Edgit would not meet hiseye. Carza was smiling like a cat with feathers in its whiskers.
So.
Bel-Sidek faced Zenobel, who showed him nothing. "Surprise. You made your movebefore the fact."
"What?" Startled.
"I'd thought you'd make your play later. I'd forgotten you tend towardoverconfidence."
Zenobel did not look confident now.
King said, "We took a vote ..."
"I know. Four to one to overthrow the overly cautious General, with Hadribelcasting the dissenting vote and miffed enough to withhold the strength of theShu at a time when the organization is enfeebled already by its loss ofcontrol in the Hahr. Which now owes allegiance to the khadifa of the Shu. Sowhat do we have here? Shall I become a prophet and foretell the future?"
"By all means," Zenobel said, with less composure than he had possessed amoment ago.
"The movement will fall into two factions, the smaller loyal to the General'spicked successor, the other the more successful. Once the invaders evacuatethe city the war faction will split again when you and Carza try to shake off nuisances named King Dabdahd and Salom Edgit. We may see Living blood shed bythe Living. Then the final act, as you and Carza struggle for the right toshape Qushmarrah's destiny.
"About the time you get it sorted out Herodian legions will come to reclaim acity which has been too busy playing faction to prepare for their return."
He looked them all in the eye. Even Zenobel flinched.
He pushed out the door, to where four of Zenobel's men waited. "Take mewherever you're supposed to keep me confined."
The carpenter's conversation with the veydeen woman seemed personal, deservingof privacy. Yoseh drifted nearer Mo'atabar and the envoy.
The envoy wanted to speak ferrenghi. Mo'atabar refused. He was not going tolet the man hide from witnesses.
The man gave in. "Colonel Bruda sent me to find out what terms Fa'tad mightoffer."
"Go over to the Residence and talk to Fa'tad, then."
"I stopped there. No one was there. Your group are the only Dartars I canfind."
"Is that so?" Mo'atabar smiled nastily. "Then I'll have to tell you for him.
He wants all ferrenghi, military or civilian, and all veydeen with theferrenghi allegiance, to leave the city. You're to go on foot, taking only theclothing and shoes you're wearing, carrying only a small amount of food.
You're to go out the Gate of Autumn and march eastward. The deadline forcompliance is dawn tomorrow. Ferrenghi not on their way by then will be killedor sold as slaves."
The envoy wanted to argue but he knew finality when he heard it. "I'll relaythat to Colonel Bruda."
"Do that. I'm sure he'll want to spread the word and find out how desperatehis situation is. He can send messengers through the streets so long as theygo in uniform, unarmed, alone, with a red cloth tied around their left arms."
The veydeen ferrenghi struggled to keep his temper.
Mo'atabar smiled again.
The envoy spun around, stalked toward his wife. Mo'atabar pointed, indicatingthat Yoseh should stay near him. The man snapped at his woman, "Let's go!"
The mouse growled back. "I'm staying here. I'm going in there with them."
The man started to shout, froze, slammed his jaw shut, and whirled again. Heglowered at the citadel. "I'll be right back. I'll go with you." He ran off.
The carpenter said, "His son is in there, too."
"I was there," Yoseh reminded him. He faced the citadel himself. That child- taker was in there, probably. That short, wide killer to whom he had shown the Face of Death ... But only the carpenter knew. Right? And he would not know the significance of the act.
Yoseh was afraid. And felt guilty about his fear, though he knew if he asked, his brothers and cousins would admit they were frightened, too. But that was different, somehow. Oh, did he wish that he had not come to Qushmarrah. Mo'atabar and the ferrenghi sorceress were whispering up a storm, the woman's gestures growing more animated by the moment. They were ready.
A score of Fa'tad's picked veterans, armed and armored as heavily as ferrenghi heavy infantry, trotted around from the far side of the citadel.
She could not get her mind to function. She felt like she had been drugged.
Nothing made sense. Torgo was begging her to get herself together. She could not. She could not remember why it was important that she wake up, though Torgo had told her several times.
Azel bulled his way into her bedchamber. "What the hell is this? I told you to get her up and get her down there."
"She's awake. She's just having trouble getting her bearings."
"What the hell are you being so delicate for? You going to curtsey your way to the gallows?"
Azel's abrasive voice began to draw her out of the fog. She watched him storm toward where she sat on the edge of her bed, his hand rising. She willed her body to move but it did not respond before the blow fell.
Pain shot through her, reached into that hidden place where anger slept, wakening it. Her surroundings came into focus. Torgo hurled himself at Azel. Azel stepped aside. She snapped, "Torgo! That's enough! Azel, I shan't forget this."
"I hope not. I probably just saved your life. Candyass here would've dicked around till they were in here chopping you up for dog meat."
"Who? What are you talking about?"
"Damn you!" he bellowed at Torgo. "You didn't tell her?"
"I told her." Torgo sulked.
"He told me but the message didn't get through. I would appreciate it if you'd calm down and get to the point." Azel said, "We got Dartars pounding on the door, woman. They're going to be inside any minute." He had a smug I-told-you-so look.