Part 9 (1/2)

The princess fumes silently beside you.

”Tell me, Dastan,” Nizam says, getting up and crossing to stand in front of her. ”Did she have some kind of . . . weapon on her?”

You're surprised that he seems to know about the Dagger. You glance at Tamina.

”So the true motive is revealed,” she sneers.

You stare down at the Dagger. ”You mean it was all for this? But why?”

”Yes, Nizam, why?” King Sharaman enters the room. ”You're not the only one who has spies in his service. I understand you told Dastan that I was sorry he was the son who had survived. Why would you tell him such a cruel lie?”

You gape at your father, then at Nizam. You turn to Princess Tamina. ”What is so special about this Dagger that my uncle would lie, betray his family bonds, go to war?”

”The Dagger has properties that make it powerful. So powerful,” Tamina says, her eyes gleaming, ”that I have dedicated my life to protecting it!”

In a swift move she s.n.a.t.c.hes back the Dagger. She dashes onto the balcony and leaps over it.

”Leave her be,” King Sharaman says, glaring at your uncle. ”We have a far greater enemy here in this room. Guards!”

Tamina may have gotten away, and you may never know the mystery of the Dagger, but you are grateful for what she did reveal: the truth about your unclea”and your loving father.

THE END.

You spin, ready to make your escape. Thunk! Suddenly you can't move!

A knife has ripped through your cloak and pinned you to a wooden post. Seso, the large, bald African you encountered earlier, stands grinning beside the sheikh.

”Trading her for a camel in Herat?” s.h.i.+ekh Amar scoffs. ”Look at the girla”she's worth at least two!” He circles you. ”And you, my frienda”your brother Tus has offered a reward for you that, between the two of us, borders on the obscene. I'd turn in my own mother to collect that much gold.”

Seso gives Amar a disapproving look.

”What? You didn't know what she was like,” Amar protests. Then his voice grows serious. ”Take him to the Persian outpost.”

You notice Tamina hovering near the ostrich pen. She seems to be enjoying your predicament.

Seso reaches to remove the knife that has you pinned. His eyes rest on the Dagger in your belt. ”Nice knife,” he intones.

You reach for the Dagger, but Seso grabs it first. He hands it to Amar, who gives it an admiring glance. He tosses it to one of his men down on the track.

”Melt it down for the jewels,” Amar orders.

11.

Everyone stares at you. Nizam's eyes blaze with fury. He lifts a hand to signal to a bodyguard. ”Remove the criminal,” he says.

Before the bodyguard can get to you, a tri-bladed knife slices his hand. His sword clatters to the ground.

Your eyes widen in shock. Seso has saved you!

Guards rush toward you, as another grabs Nizam and pulls him off the platform. Now Sheikh Amar appears and blocks their path with his well-armed men.

This is your chance. You rush toward Nizam, but the guards head straight for you. Suddenly the canopy over the platform collapses! It drops down and covers the guards. You're stunned to see Princess Tamina standing by one of the poles, grinning. She did this!

”We couldn't let you do this alone,” she calls.

Turning, you fling yourself at your uncle, knocking him over. Quickly you grab the sacred Dagger from his belt.

You raise it high over your head. ”This is what King Sharaman died for!”

”Don't believe this ungrateful wretch!” Nizam shouts. ”King Sharaman took him in off the streets. Dastan never lost his criminal street ways.”

The crowd murmurs. You can tell they don't know who to believe.

116.

Soon you come upon a disturbing sight. A sun-bleached skeleton mounted on a stake. Wind rattles through its eye sockets. More skeleton sentries stand behind it.

Tamina gasps. ”Who were these people?”

You gaze upon the bones. ”Years ago, this valley held the biggest salt mine in the empire. Until the slaves rose up and killed their masters.” You nod toward the skeletons. ”I heard they boiled them alive.”

You glance at Tamina. She just nods, looking pale.

”Welcome to the Valley of the Slaves, Your Highness.” You grin.

As you lead Aksh into the valley, Tamina trails behind. ”I'm desperate for a drop of water,” she complains.

”That's more than we have,” you say, ”since you emptied our canteen hours ago.”

”I wasn't born of this desert like you Persians,” Tamina says. ”My const.i.tution is more delicate.”

”I think you mean spoiled,” you reply.

”The wells of Alamut are famous for their clean, cold water,” she says.

”Perhaps if you spent less time admiring your wells and more guarding your walls, you wouldn't be here,” you quip. When she doesn't respond to your dig you say, ”A miracle! I've silenced the princess.”

You turn to gloat but instead see that Tamina has collapsed on the sand.

46.

Princess Tamina's women surround you as she tries to run. They attempt to stop you, but you're too quick. You grab the princess and yank the Dagger out of her waistband. The women throw themselves at you, kicking, biting, scratching. You grip the princess's long, dark hair, yank back her head and bring the Dagger to her throat.

”One more move,” you warn her servants, ”and she dies.”

The women fall back. Princess Tamina betrays no fear, just fury.