Part 20 (2/2)
”Excuse me?”
”There's a greater enemy. One your husband and your father could agree to be more dangerous than one another.”
”You're being mysterious.”
”I hate naming the name. I've seen the men in black before. I've fought them.
They call themselves Tervola.”
The color left Yasmid's face. ”s.h.i.+nsan! No.”
”Who would impersonate a Tervola?” But then, why would s.h.i.+nsan grab Mocker? What was the connection between Balfour and s.h.i.+nsan? Did that permeate the Guild? And this Willis Northen, who used a Marena Dimura name, was a Kaveliner Wesson..... Had s.h.i.+nsan penetrated Kavelin?
”Derel!”
But Prataxis was gone. Ragnarson wrote names. Oryon. Valther. Mist.
Trebilc.o.c.k. It was time he found out if Michael had learned anything.
”Does anybody know where Haroun went?””No. He just disappeared. He didn't even tell Beloul or Rahman. He does that.
Everybody complains. He promises, but keeps doing it. I think he will try to get my father.”
”If I could contact him, this war might be averted. Your father. Would he listen to you?”
”Yes.”
How confident she was after all these years. ”He's changed. He's a fat old man now. They say he's crazy.”
”I know. People come from the desert to Haroun. They all say that. They say he's betraying the ideals he seized the Peac.o.c.k Throne for.... Men like Na.s.sef changed him.”
”Na.s.sef died a long time ago. I killed him.”
”A bandit named Na.s.sef is dead. But there are more Na.s.sefs. They have walled my father off and taken control.”
”He still has his voice. The Faithful would support him if he spoke publicly.
Disharhun is coming, isn't it?”
Disharhun was the week of High Holy Days celebrated in Hammad al Nakir. Pilgrims went to Al Rhemish to hear El Murid speak.
Ragnarson was thinking only of Kavelin. If Haroun launched an incursion from Kavelin and Tamerice, and failed, El Murid would have a legitimate case for counteraction. It might initiate a new round of wars.
”Don't I have trouble enough?” he muttered. ”Haroun, Haroun, maybe I should've cut your throat years ago.”
He still considered Haroun a friend. But he had never really liked the man much.
A paradox.
Haroun had always been too self-involved.
”Marshall?”
”Derel? Just a minute.” To Yasmid, ”Will you reveal yourself?”
She replaced her veil. ”I'll decide after I see him.”
Bragi went to the door. ”Ah. Amba.s.sador. Glad you could come.”
”I need to speak with you, too, Marshall. Our intelligence. ...”
”Excuse me. Derel, send for Valther, his wife, and Colonel Oryon.”
”He just....”
”I know. Something came up. On Balfour. I need to see him again. And see if anybody knows where Trebilc.o.c.k is.”
”On my way.” Prataxis wasn't pleased. His own work suffered more anymore while he handled tasks Gjerdrum should have done.
”Thank you, Amba.s.sador. Come in.”
Habibullah cast a suspicious glance at the woman.”Yes. That bandit bin Yousif....”
”I know. And you know why, too, don't you?”
”What?”
”There's an interesting story going around. About a man who paid to have a friend of mine kidnapped. Who also happens to be a friend of the bandit you mentioned.”
Habibullah refused to react.
”You've probably heard the story yourself. Especially the part about the kidnappers failing to deliver their goods.” He retold Yasmid's tale.
”Where did you hear this fairy tale?”
”Several sources. Today, from this lady.”
Habibullah eyed her again. ”Why would s.h.i.+nsan kidnap a fat fakir?”
”Good question. I've even wondered why El Murid's agents would try it.”
Habibullah started to make excuses.
”Yes, I know. But these days we're pretending to have forgiven and forgotten.
Doesn't El Murid say that to forgive is divine?”
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