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me； but this proved impossible。 A third messenger reported； immediately on the heels of the first two； that there was a mob gathered in the marketplace and that they had already heard the news from the north。
The governor thus had a number of decisions to make in rapid succession。 He sent two separate messengers immediately for Cartada and another to Lonza。 It had been agreed that part of the Lonza garrison would be diverted northwards to the slopes of the Tavares Range if a siege actually began at Fezana…they could partly forestall Jaddite raids south of the river。 Food for a besieging army； or the absence of it； was often the key to a siege。
The governor also sent an aide running for certain documents that had long since been prepared for him。 More than three years ago； in fact； Almalik I of Cartada； who had been a governor before he was a monarch （the thought was an enduring distraction）； had recorded with his generals and advisors some plans to be followed in the event of a siege of Fezana。 Consulting these written instructions； which had not been superseded； the governor noted with trepidation the boldest element of them。 He hesitated for a time； then elected to trust to the wisdom of the dead king。 Orders were given to the most senior Muwardi in the room。 The man's veiled face revealed nothing； of course。 He left immediately； to assemble the men required。
All of this； and other associated mands； took some little while。 As a consequence； by the time another messenger arrived to report that an extremely large number of people were now heading towards the Kindath Gates carrying torches； the governor was lagging uncharacteristically behind the sweep of events in his city。 The torches spurred him to action； though。 It was not yet dark； torches were not needed for light。 What was the good of defending against the Valledans if they burned down their own city？ Ashar and the stars knew he had no love for the Kindath； but if that Quarter was fired； the whole city could go up。 Wooden walls knew nothing of the boundaries of faith。 The governor ordered the mob dispersed。
It was the proper thing to do； and it could possibly have even been achieved； had the order e earlier。
Alvar never forgot that evening and night as long as he lived。
He would wake in terror from a dream that he was in Fezana again at sunset watching the mob approach。 That memory marked him and stayed with him as nothing in his life ever had and only one moment after…also at sunset…was ever to do。
They had arrived that afternoon； crowding in ahead of the Jaddite dust cloud with a frightened swarm of people from the countryside。 The five of them had raced all the way west from Ragosa across the hills and meadows of springtime。 They had left the day after Carnival； immediately after burying Velaz with Kindath rites and the slain soldier in a Jaddite ceremony。
No time to mourn。 Ibn Khairan had made that clear based on what he had learned； and Jehane； wild with fear for her parents； could not have lingered。 They were out of Ragosa by mid…afternoon： Alvar； Husari； Jehane； ibn Khairan…and Rodrigo Belmonte。 All of them exhausted after the night just past； all aware that in the mood of this spring something monstrous could happen。
They made the ten days' journey in six； riding into the darkness； arriving late one afternoon to a place where they could see the walls of Fezana。 They had already seen the dust cloud that was the army of Valledo。
It was Rodrigo who spotted it。 He had pointed； and then exchanged a long glance with ibn Khairan that Alvar could not interpret。 Jehane bit her lip； gazing north。 Husari said something under his breath that might have been a prayer。
For Alvar； despite weariness and anxiety； the sight of a cloud of dust stirred up by the Horsemen of Valledo in Al…Rassan stirred him deeply。 Then he looked again at Jehane and Husari and back to ibn Khairan； and confusion arose once more。 How did it happen that something one had desired all one's life became cause for doubt and apprehension？
〃They are moving very fast；〃 ibn Khairan had said； finally。
〃Too fast；〃 Rodrigo murmured。 〃They will outstrip some of the fleeing villagers。 I don't understand。 They want as many mouths in the city as possible。〃
〃Unless this isn't to be a siege。〃
〃What else can it be？ He isn't about to storm those walls。〃
Ibn Khairan looked northwards again from their vantage point； high on a hill east of the city。 〃Perhaps just the vanguard is flying；〃 he said。 〃For some reason。〃
〃That wouldn't make sense either；〃 Rodrigo had replied； his brow furrowed。 He sounded edgy to Alvar； not exultant at all。
〃Does it matter？〃 Jehane asked sharply。 〃e on！〃
She had ridden at a soldier's pace all the way。 Indeed； there were times when Rodrigo or ibn Khairan had had to restrain her； lest they ruin the horses with their speed。
Her relationship with ibn Khairan had changed since Carnival。 They tried not to show it too plainly on the ride； but it was there to be seen； in the man as much as in the woman。 Alvar was making an effort not to let this distract him。 He was only partly successful in that。 It seemed that life could throw confusion and pain at you from many directions。
They came down from that height to cross the moat and enter the city。 Alvar for the first time； Jehane and Husari ing home； ibn Khairan returning to where Almalik I had tried to destroy his reputation and curb his power。
And Rodrigo？
Alvar understood that the Captain was with them； disguised as an Asharite…his moustache shaved off； hair and skin darkened…because he had sworn an oath to Velaz ben Ishak to defend the woman who was here with them。 He was not a man who forswore his oaths。
Jehane's parents were to be delivered from Fezana and a warning given to the other Kindath。 That was the immediate task。 After； they would have to turn again to sorting out loyalties and the next steps。 They were all； as best Alvar understood； still to join the army of Ragosa somewhere west of Lonza； on the way to Cartada。
The dust cloud north of them had probably altered that。
With Jaddites invading Al…Rassan； did Ragosa still make war on Cartada？ Asharite against Asharite with the Horsemen down through the tagra！ And did the most renowned leader of Jaddite soldiers in the peninsula fight for Ragosa at such a time？
Alvar； one of those Jaddite soldiers； had no idea。 On the ride west he had sensed an emerging distance between ibn Khairan and Ser Rodrigo。 Not a coldness； certainly not opposition。 It was more like 。。。 a marshalling of defenses。 Each man fortifying himself against what might be ing。
Husari； normally voluble and perceptive； was no help at all in trying to sort this out。 He kept his own counsel all the way here。
He had killed his first man in the square at Carnival。 Jehane； in one of her few exchanges with Alvar on the ride； said she thought that might be the trouble。 Husari had been a merchant not a warrior。 A gentle man； a lazy； soft one； even。 He had slain a Muwardi assassin that night； though； smashing his skull with a blow； spilling brains and blood on the cobblestones。
That could shake