"Hell, yes. If the boy was unfortunate enough to inherit the soul of Nakar theAbomination, then he is the key to our survival. He has to be gotten away fromthe Witch. At whatever the cost."
Yoseh did not like the tone of that but he had exhausted his store of daring.
Medjhah heard them stirring, came to meet them. He whispered something toFa'tad that Yoseh did not catch. Fa'tad grunted and hurried toward thealleyway.
The darkness was crowded. The troop had a stranger under guard there. "Colonel bel-Sidek," Fa'tad said. "I had begun to fear we wouldn't see you again."
"But I had to come," the veydeen replied. "It's almost time for the fog to roll in." He sounded amused. "Though I doubt there'll be any fog tonight, in this."
Yoseh thought al-Akla sounded like he was trying to suppress excitement when he asked, "Did you get me what I need?" "No. Unfortunately. The man I thought might know has proven stubborn. He insists he doesn't know. I've come to suspect the chances are at least even that he's telling the truth." Fa'tad did not say anything for a minute. No one else said a thing. Then,
"Give him to us. We'd find the truth in an hour."
"No doubt. And then be dead before morning." "Eh?"
"No. I've alienated half my organization already. Basically, I've bet my life on you as the alternative to the restoration of Nakar. I won't push the hardliners any farther." Several men growled. A few made threats. The Qushmarrahan said, "Do as you will. But if I'm not back soon the hard-liners will take control. Before dawn the streets will be red with blood. You'll recall that some misguided Qushmarrahans would rather spill Dartar blood than Herodian." Fa'tad grunted. Men stirred angrily. The Eagle said, "Go back to your men.
Remember that the sands are running through the glass. A minute of delay may be the minute Nakar needs. Go." The Qushmarrahan went, limping.
Someone asked, "How come you turned him loose?"
"He was telling the truth. And I have no wish to leave your body on a Qushmarrahan street, to be torn by dogs and abused by children."
No one argued with that.
"We aren't in a position to deal with rebellion. Too much is happening."
Yoseh was puzzled. But Fa'tad was not going to explain. Fa'tad was being Fa'tad, whose thoughts were known to none.
Yoseh wondered why he did not, at least, have the veydeen followed.
Azel pried himself away from the window. What the hell was he watching for? He couldn't do anything if he did see something coming.
He needed to move around. His body was going to petrify.
"Getting too damned old," he muttered, feeling his wounds far more than he would have years ago.
His stomach was a knot. He had not eaten. He had just plain forgot. He headed downstairs.
He stopped off to mix and gulp an analgesic draft, went on to the kitchen. He ate what was available without complaining. He learned that the stores situation was not as grim as he feared, though there would be nothing fresh for a while. After eating he limped down to look at Nakar and Ala-eh-din Beyh. Nothing had changed. Unless the darkness was a little deeper.
He stood there a long time, letting silence surround, enfold, enter him. He wondered if the General's scheme would have worked. Nakar always had possessed a keen sense for danger. Might still find out if the Witch came around in time.
Yes. It could work out. It could.
"There you are. I heard you were roaming around."
Startled, Azel faced Torgo. He turned a retort into a grunt. "Catching up on my worrying. Any improvement in her?" "Not yet." The eunuch was troubled. "I've never seen her sleep so deep so long."
"She wouldn't listen." Azel moved toward the doorway. "But maybe we're not so pressed. I been watching the Herodians. If they're trying to get in they're doing a good job of hiding it."
"That's good to hear." Torgo had something on his mind but could not quite get to it. "I'm going to eat now. Want to come along?" What the hell? Just as polite, Azel replied, "Sorry. I just ate. Going to go back up and watch now."
"Later." "Sure."
Azel watched the eunuch out of sight. Maybe he would be easy, after all. The General's scheme might get its test yet. With Torgo safely in the kitchen Azel sneaked into the Witch's bedchamber. No woman looked her best in the midst of sleep but she looked worse than he expected. She seemed aged a decade since he had seen her last.
He left in a hurry, unsettled, pained.
Colonel Bruda scowled at his visitor. "Don't press me, Governor. I spent the day in the mud and rain, prospecting for a body I never found. I'll have moreof the same tomorrow if General Cado's disappearance is a false alarm. If itisn't, I have my orders. They're very specific when it comes to dealing withthe civil authority."
Sullo smiled and nodded. He had not yet spoken.
"I've been back a half hour and haven't sat down yet, let alone cleaned up orfed myself. I'm in a bad mood. I won't play power games. I'll stick to myorders regardless. Am I clear?"
"Perfectly clear, Colonel. Perfectly. I'll keep that in mind. Meantime, mightI broach the matter which brought me here?"
"Certainly, Governor." He doubted Sullo would. "Though I'd appreciate brevity.
I want to get after this supposed disappearance." He had Colonel bel-Abekwaiting in the next room.
"Of course. I came to express my support and to inquire if the military haveprisoners we might use in experiments meant to help penetrate the citadelgate." Bruda looked at the man, wondered how he could, without Rose's knife, put him out of the way neatly, with no kickbacks.
Keeping the reins on Qushmarrah would be hard enough without Sullointriguing and interfering. "I'll find you some volunteers. How soon do youneed them?" "Annalaya expects to start about midnight." Bruda grunted. "I'llget you started. Now. If you'll excuse me?" Sullo smirked. "Of course, Colonel. Of course." Bruda turned his back, headed for the next room, determined to find out what had happened. Bel-Abek had been in the middle ofit ...
Bel-Sidek had not yet wrung himself dry when Zenobel arrived. The man stampedin, stared at him like he did not know whether to be angry or conciliatory.
"You have a problem, Khadifa?" Bel-Sidek could not help being envious ofZenobel. The man remained untouched by the disasters of the war. He washealthy, youthful, virile, handsome, energetic, and his family fortunes hadsuffered no insurmountable setbacks.
"I may have several. I'm not sure. Is is true you have Carza under arrest?"
That was getting around? How the hell did you get people to keep their mouthsshut? "In a manner of speaking. He refuses to respond to an order so I'verelieved him of the Minisia. I'm holding him here till I get what I want."
Zenobel eyed him. He met the man's gaze. Zenobel said, "What's the problem?
Maybe I can talk to him."
"Maybe." Bel-Sidek did not think it was likely. Carza did not like Zenobel. Onthe other hand, they were the same kind of fanatic. Carza might enlist Zenobelin his scheme.
Bel-Sidek began probing Zenobel's attitude toward the dark gods. Zenobel didnot put up with it long. "What're you doing? I'm as religious as a turnip."
"Carza was involved with the citadel in a scheme that, through sorcery, would've resurrected Nakar."
Zenobel stared. And kept staring till Bel-Sidek asked, "Are you all right?"
"Why would he want that?"
"Would a resurrected Nakar not deliver Qushmarrah from the Herodian yoke?"
"Let me think for a minute. Hell. How about you fill in a little? Maybe I can get him to see straight. We talk the same language." They did that, Bel-Sidek reflected. Why not risk it? The worst would be that he would have to restrain Zenobel, too.