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Jehane grinned at both of them。 〃Tomorrow morning；〃 she said to her patient。 〃It looks very good； though。 By the end of next week I expect you can leave this place and go live with your brother。〃 She paused a moment； for effect。 〃It will surely save you money on bribes here； when you have pany after dark。〃
Idar laughed again。 Abir turned red。 Jehane gave his shoulder a pat and turned to leave。
Rodrigo Belmonte； booted and cloaked； leather hat in one hand； was standing by the fire on the far side of the room。 From the expression on his face she knew something had happened。 Her heart thumped。
〃What is it？〃 she said quickly。 〃My parents？〃
He shook his head。 〃No； no。 Nothing to do with them； Jehane。 But there are tidings you ought to know。〃
He crossed towards her。 Velaz appeared from behind the screen where he made his salves and tinctures。
Jehane straightened her shoulders and held herself very still。
Rodrigo said； 〃I am presuming in a way； but you are； for the moment； still my pany physician； and I wanted you to hear this from me。〃
She blinked。 For the moment？
He said； 〃Word has just e from the southern coast； one of the last ships in from the east。 It seems a great army from several Jaddite lands has gathered in Batiara this winter； preparing to sail to Ammuz and Soriyya in the spring。〃
Jehane bit her lip。 Very large news indeed； but 。。。
〃This is a holy army；〃 Rodrigo said。 His face was grim。 〃Or so they call themselves。 It seems that earlier this autumn several panies attacked and destroyed Sorenica。 They set fire to the city and put the inhabitants to the sword。 All of them； we are told。 Jehane； Velaz； I am so sorry。〃
Sorenica。
Mild； starry nights in winter。 Spring evenings； years ago。 Wine in the torchlit garden of her kinfolk。 Flowers everywhere； and the breeze from the sea。 Sorenica。 The most beautiful sanctuary of the god and his sisters that Jehane had ever seen。 The Kindath High Priest with his sweet； laden voice intoning the liturgy of the doubled full moons。 White and blue candles burning in every niche that night。 So many people gathered； a sense of peace； of calm； of a home for the Wanderers。 A choir singing； then more music after； in the winding torchlit streets outside the sanctuary； beneath the round； holy moons。
Sorenica。 Bright city on the ocean with its vineyards above。 Given to the Kindath long ago for service to the lords of Batiara。 A place to call their own in a hostile world。
To the sword。 An end of music。 Trampled flowers。 Children？
〃All of them？〃 she asked in a faint voice。
〃So we have been told；〃 Rodrigo said。 He drew a breath。 〃What can I say； Jehane？ You said you could not trust the Sons of Jad。 I told you that you could。 This makes a liar of me。〃
She could see genuine distress in the wide…set grey eyes。 He would have hurried to find her as soon as he heard the tidings。 There would be an emissary from court waiting at her home； or ing here even now。 Mazur would have sent。 Shared faith； shared grief。 Should it not have been another Kindath who told her this？ She could not answer that。 Something seemed to have shut down inside her； closing around a wound。
Sorenica。 Where the gardens were Kindath gardens； the blessings Kindath blessings； the wise men and women filled with the learning and the sorrow of the Wanderers； century upon century。
To the sword。
She closed her eyes。 Saw a garden in her mind's eye； and could not look at it。 Opened her eyes again。 She turned to Velaz and saw that he； who had adopted their faith the day her father made him a free man； had covered his face with both hands and was weeping。
She said； carefully； to Rodrigo Belmonte of Valledo； 〃I cannot hold you responsible for the doings of every man or woman of your faith。 Thank you for bringing these tidings so speedily。 I think I will go home now。〃
〃May I escort you there？〃 he asked。
〃Velaz will do so；〃 she said。 〃Doubtless I shall see you at court later in the day。 Or tomorrow。〃 She didn't really know what she was saying。
She could read the sorrow in his face； but she had nothing in her to offer to that。 She could not assuage。 Not this moment； not now。
Velaz wiped at his eyes and lowered his hands。 He was not a man she had ever seen weep before； save for joy； the day she came home from her studies in Batiara。
Batiara； where bright Sorenica had been。
Whichever way the wind blows 。。。
It was fire； this time； not rain that had e。 She looked around for her cloak。 Idar ibn Tarif had picked it up and was holding it for her。 Wordlessly he helped her into it。 She turned and walked to the doorway； past Rodrigo； following Velaz。
At the very last moment； being what she was…her father's daughter； trained to ease pain where she saw it…she reached out a hand and touched his arm as she went by。
Winter in Cartada was seldom unduly harsh。 The city was sheltered from the worst of the winds by forests to the north and the mountains beyond them。 Snow was unheard…of； and mild bright days not at all unusual。 There was also rain of course； churning market squares and alleys to mud； but Almalik I and now his son and successor had allocated substantial resources to keeping the city clean and functioning； and the winter produce market flourished。
The season was an inconvenience； not the serious hardship it could be further north or to the east where it seemed to rain all the time。 Winter flowers flecked the celebrated gardens with colors。 Fish thrived in the Guadiara； and boats still upstream from Tudesca and Silvenes and went back down。
Since Cartada had shaped a kingdom of its own after the fall of the Khalifate； the inns and cook shops had never suffered a shortage of food； and plenty of wood was brought into the city from the forests for the hearth fires。
There were also winter entertainments of esoteric variety； as befitted a city and court that claimed aesthetic as well as military pre…eminence in Al…Rassan。
The Jaddite taverns were always crowded in winter； despite the imprecations of the wadjis。 At court； in the taverns； in the better homes； poets and musicians vied for patronage with jugglers； acrobats and animal trainers； with women who claimed to converse with the dead； Kindath fortune tellers who would read one's future in the moons； or with itinerant artisans settled for the season in premises on the perimeter of the city。 This winter the fashion was to have one's portrait done in miniature by an artist from Seria。
There were even some entertaining wadjis to be found in the smaller out…of…the…way temples； or on street corners on the mild days； pronouncing their warnings of doom and Ashar's wrath with fiery eloquence。
Many of the higher…born women of Cartada enjoyed attending upon these ragged； wild…eyed figures in the morning； to be pleasingly frightened by their prophecies of the fate awaiting Believers who strayed from the true path Ashar had decreed for the Star…born children of the sands。 The women would repair from such an outing to one gracious home or another to sip from delicately mulled concoctions of wine and honey and spice…forbidden； of course；