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here。 I have no idea。 To be safe； go along to the next room。 There's a balcony； shared with mine。 Listen there。 Be careful。〃
She nodded。 〃And you；〃 she murmured； no more than a breath。 〃I want you healthy； after。〃
She felt his soundless laughter。
Afterwards； she would remember that： how utterly unafraid he had been。 Diverted； intrigued； challenged； perhaps。 But not at all frightened； or even disconcerted。 She wondered what woman he had thought might be waiting。 Or what man。
She went along the corridor。 Opened the next door； silently passed within into a dark bedchamber。 Just before she closed the door behind her； she heard Ammar call out； raising his voice； 〃Who is here？ Why are you in my house？〃
And then she heard the reply。
The door to the street would have been easy enough to unlock； and with the servants gone and candles helpfully burning it must have been no trick to find his bedroom。
Ibn Khairan； all his senses still oriented towards the feel and scent of the woman who had just slipped down the corridor； called out to the intruder； his mind struggling to sort through possibilities。 Too many。 Tonight and all nights there were too many people who might be waiting for him in his room。
Even so； even with twenty years of experience in such mysteries； he was not； in fact； prepared。
The door swung open； almost as soon as he called out。 A man stood there； unmasked； in the spill of candlelight from the room。
〃Finally；〃 said King Almalik II of Cartada； smiling。 〃I had begun to fear a journey wasted。〃
It took an extreme effort； all his celebrated poise； but ibn Khairan managed a return smile； and then a bow。 〃Good evening； 'Malik。 My lord king。 This is a surprise。 A long journey； it must have been。〃
〃Almost two weeks； Ammar。 The roads were not good at all。〃
〃Were you extremely unfortable？〃 Polite questions。 Buying time for thoughts to begin to organize themselves。 If Almalik of Cartada was taken in Ragosa； the balance of power in Al…Rassan would change； at a stroke。
〃Tolerably。〃 The young man who had been his protege for three years smiled again。 〃You never allowed me to grow soft； and I haven't been king long enough for that to change。〃 He paused； and Ammar saw； in that hesitation； that the king wasn't quite as posed as he might want to appear。 〃You understand that I could only do this tonight。〃
〃I wouldn't have thought you could do it at all；〃 ibn Khairan said frankly。 〃This is a rather extreme risk； 'Malik。〃
He found himself offering thanks to all possible deities that Jehane was out of sight； and praying she could keep quiet enough。 Almalik could not possibly afford to be reported here； which meant that anyone who saw him was in mortal danger。 Ibn Khairan deferred； for a moment； the question of where this left him。
He said； 〃I'd best join you inside。〃
The king of Cartada stepped back and Ammar walked into his own room。 He registered the two Muwardis waiting there。 There was an air of unreality to all of this。 He was still trying to absorb the astonishing fact that Almalik had e here。 But then； suddenly； as he turned to face the king； he grasped what this had to be about and disorientation spun away； to be replaced by something almost as unsettling。
〃No one but you；〃 said the king of Cartada quietly； 〃calls me 'Malik any more。〃
〃Forgive me。 Old habits。 I'll stop； of course。 Magnificence。〃
〃I didn't say it offended me。〃
〃No； but even if it doesn't 。。。 you are the king of Cartada。〃
〃I am； aren't I？〃 Almalik murmured。 He sank down into the northern…style armchair by the bed； a young man； not particularly graceful； but tall and well…made。 〃And； can you believe it； the first act of my reign； very nearly； was to exile the man I most needed。〃
Which made it all quite explicit。
He had not changed in this； ibn Khairan noted。 A capacity for directness was something Almalik had always had； even as a boy。 Ammar had never resolved within himself whether it marked a strength； or a tactic of the weak： forcing stronger friends to deal with his declared vulnerabilities。 His eyelid was moving； but that was something one hardly noticed after a while。
〃You hadn't even been crowned；〃 ibn Khairan said softly。
He really wasn't prepared for this conversation。 Not tonight。 He had been readying himself； in an entirely different way； for something else。 Had stood watching in the street； holding his breath like a boy； while Jehane bet Ishak had gazed upwards at a high； candlelit window； and he had only begun to breathe normally again when she gave the shrug he knew and moved on； a stillness seeming to wrap itself about her amid the tumult of the night。
He had never thought it might require courage to approach a woman。
〃I am surprised to find you alone；〃 Almalik said； a little too lightly。
〃You shouldn't be；〃 ibn Khairan murmured； being careful now。 〃Tonight's encounters lack a certain 。。。 refinement； wouldn't you say？〃
〃I wouldn't know； Ammar。 It seemed lively enough。 We spent some time looking for you； and then I realized it was hopeless。 It was easier to buy the location of your house and wait。〃
〃Did you really e to Ragosa expecting to find me in the streets at Carnival？〃
〃I came here because I could see no other way to speak with you quickly enough。 I had only hope； and need； when we set out。 There is no pany of men with me； by the way。 These two； and half a dozen others for safety on the road。 No one else。 I have e to say certain things。 And to ask you to e back to me。〃
Ibn Khairan was silent。 He had been waiting for this； and latterly； had been afraid of it。 He had been the guardian and mentor of this man； the named heir to Cartada's throne。 Had put a great deal of effort into making of Almalik ibn Almalik a man worthy of power。 He did not like admitting failure。 He wasn't even certain he had failed。 This was going to be ferociously difficult。
He crossed to the sideboard； deliberately brushing past one of the Muwardis。 The man did not move； or even spare a glance。 They hated him； all of them did。 His whole life was a sustained assault upon their grim piety。 It was a sentiment he returned： their way of life…single…minded faith； single…minded hatred…affronted all his sensibilities； his perception of what life ought to be。
〃Will you take a glass of wine？〃 he asked the king of Cartada； deliberately provoking the Muwardis。 Unworthy； perhaps； but he couldn't help this。
Almalik shrugged； nodded his head。 Ibn Khairan poured for both of them and carried the glasses over。 They saluted each other； top of glass touching bottom； then bottom to top。
〃It took courage for you to do this；〃 Ammar said。 It was right that he acknowledge this。
Almalik shook his head； looking up at him from the chair。 In the candlelight it could be seen how young he still was。 And standing more closely now； ibn Khairan could see the marks of strain。
〃It took only an awareness that if you do not return I do not know what I will do。 And I understand you very well； Ammar； in some things。 What was I to do？ Write you pleading letters？ You would not have e。 You know you would not。〃
〃Surely the