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ght it would。 I thought they would feed on each other over the winter and fall apart。〃
〃So did I。 It is not so？〃
〃It is not so。〃
There was a silence。
It was the outlaw； this time； who refilled both glasses。 〃I heard your verse；〃 he said。 〃It seemed to me； listening； that you had a knowledge of these things already。〃
Ben Avren looked at him。 〃No。 An apprehension； perhaps。 My people have a custom； a superstition really。 We voice our fears as a talisman： by bringing them into the open； we hope to make them untrue。〃
〃Talismans；〃 said Tarif ibn Hassan； 〃don't usually work。〃
〃I know；〃 said the chancellor。 His voice turned brisk。 〃You have given； as promised； good weight。 In truth； it hardly matters if you reveal the tale of the Emin ha'Nazar now。 I can't readily imagine you would； in any case。 The offer made to you there still stands： do you want to be part of the army that takes Cartada？〃
〃That tries to take Cartada。〃
〃With your aid； I have great hopes that we would。〃
The old chieftain stroked the stubble of his chin。 〃I fear I will have little enough choice。 Both my sons want to do this thing； and I have not the strength to overrule them together。〃
〃That I do not believe；〃 Mazur smiled。 〃But if you wish to put it in this way； it is no matter to me。 Meet us north of Lonza。 I will send heralds to you to arrange the exact timing； but we ride from here at the white full moon。〃
〃So soon？〃
〃Even more urgently now； with what you have told me。 If other armies are setting forth； we had best be first in the field； don't you think？〃
〃Are you covered at your back？ In Fibaz？〃
〃That's where I spent the money the world thinks you stole from the parias party。〃
〃Walls？〃
〃And soldiers。 Two thousand from Karch and Waleska。〃
〃And they will be loyal against Jaddites？〃
〃If I pay them； I believe they will be。〃
〃What about Belmonte？ Is Ser Rodrigo with you？〃
Mazur looked thoughtful again。 〃He is； for now。 If Ramiro of Valledo takes the field； I will not say I am sure of him。〃
〃A dangerous man。〃
〃Most useful men are dangerous。〃 The chancellor's smile was wry。 〃Including beardless outlaws who want their sons back。 I will send for them。 Right now； in fact。 It might be safest if you left tonight。〃
〃I thought the same。 I took the precaution of finding them before I looked for you。 They are waiting for me outside the walls。〃
Mazur looked startled for the first time。 He set down his glass。 〃You have them already？ Then why 。。。 ？〃
〃I wanted to meet you；〃 the bandit chieftain said。 His smile was grim。 〃After so many years。 I also have a dislike for breaking my sworn word； though that might surprise you。 They were granted their lives by ibn Khairan and Belmonte on our oath to accept their being hostages。 Abir's life was given back to him by their physician。〃
〃My physician；〃 said the chancellor quickly。
Tarif raised his eyebrows。 〃As you please。 In any case； I would have been unhappy to simply steal them away。 It might have confirmed your worst thoughts of me。〃
〃And instead？〃
Ibn Hassan laughed。 〃I have probably confirmed your worst thoughts of me。〃
〃Pretty much；〃 said the chancellor of Ragosa。 After a moment； though； he extended his hand。 Ibn Hassan took it。 〃I am pleased to have spoken with you；〃 Mazur said。 〃Neither of us is young。 It might not have happened。〃
〃I'm not planning on making an end soon；〃 said ibn Hassan。 〃Perhaps next year I'll offer a verse here； at Carnival。〃
〃That；〃 said ben Avren； a hand at his own beard； 〃might be a revelation。〃
He sat alone for some time after the chieftain from Arbastro had donned his mask and left。 He had no intention of telling anyone； but the news about the army sailing east struck him as almost unimaginably bad。
And rumors being spread about his Kindath brethren in Fezana…that was terrifying。 He had literally no idea what Almalik II of Cartada had in mind； but it was clear that the man felt frightened and alone and was lashing out。 Frightened men were the hardest of all to read； sometimes。
Ibn Hassan had asked about Rodrigo Belmonte； but not about the other one。 The other one was just as much at issue； and in a way； he mattered even more。
〃I wish；〃 muttered Mazur ben Avren testily； 〃that I really were a sorcerer； whatever that is。〃
He felt tired suddenly； and his hip was bothering him again。 It seemed to him that there ought to be orders to give to the bowmen on the balcony or the guards in the adjacent room； but there weren't。
It was Carnival。 He could hear the noise from the street。 It overwhelmed the harp music from below。 The night was growing louder； wilder。 Shouts and laughter。 The sharp； high whirring of those noise…makers he hated。 He wondered； suddenly； where the stag had gone。
Then he remembered what Zabira had told him； in bed the night before。
Fourteen
In fact； it was the cat that found Alvar； late in the wild night； well after the blue moon had risen and was shining down； a wandering presence among the stars。
He had separated from the others some time before。 Lain had been dragged off； protesting unconvincingly； by a cluster of field mice。 Their giggling gave them away： they were the girls who served at the tables in the favorite tavern of Rodrigo's men。 Bristling old Lain had been the object of their teasing…and warnings about his fate tonight…for some time。
Ludus； endlessly curious； had lingered at a street corner to watch a wolf swallowing fire…trying to decipher the trick of it…and had never caught up with the rest of them。 Alvar wasn't sure where and when he had lost Martin or how the peacock regalia that flamboyantly disguised a certain silk merchant had somehow managed to disappear。 It was very late。 He'd had more to drink than was good for any man。
He hadn't seen Jehane anywhere。 He'd thought earlier that he might know her by her walk； but as the night continued and the streets grew more frenzied it even became difficult at times to tell if someone passing in the dark was a man or a woman。 He reminded himself that she knew his mask； that if he kept moving she might find him in the crowd to offer a greeting； share laughter。
A kiss； perhaps； in this altered； wavering night。 Although that was a dangerous channel for his thoughts。
There was too much license surrounding him； too charged and wanton a mood in the streets of Ragosa now。 Alvar found himself almost aching with desire； and with something more plex than that。
Alone and far from home in a foreign land at night； amidst animals and birds and fabulous creatures that had never been； passing food stalls and wine sellers and musicians playing by the orange and amber light of candles and torches beneath the blue moon and the stars of spring； Alvar wandered the streets； a leather flask at one hip； and longed for fort； for a sharing of what this difficult； mutable world offered to men and women。
He found something very different。
A leash； to be precise。
It was slipped over his eagle mask and around his neck as he stood watching dancers in a square not far from the barracks。 The dancers had their hands all over each other； and the women were being lifted and swung about in a way he had never seen before。 He tried to imagine himself joining in； then dismissed the thought。 Not a soldier's son from a farm in the north of Valledo。
It was in that moment that the leash was dropped over him from behind and tightened about his throat。 Alvar turned quickly。 A passing torch was briefly too close； he couldn't see for a moment； and then he could。
〃I will have to decide how offended I am；〃 said the sleek jungle cat he had seen in the street the morning before。 〃You were to have found me； Valledan。 Instead 。。。 〃
She wore the necklace that had e with her mask and much other jewelry。 Not a great deal of clothing； however； as if to pensate。 What she was wearing clung to the lines of her body。 The voice beneath the mask was remarkably near to a feline purr。
〃I was looking！〃 Alvar stammered； then flushed beneath his own disguise。
〃Good；〃 she murmured。 〃That earns you some redress。 Not all； mind you。 I ought not to have had to be the huntress tonight。〃
〃How did you know me？〃 he asked； struggling for self…possession。
He heard her laugh。 〃A man of your build wearing Asharite slippers？ Not hard； my northern soldier。〃 She paused； tugged a little on the golden leash。 〃You are mine now； you understand？ For whatever I choose tonight。〃
Alvar discovered that his mouth had gone dry。 He didn't answer。 He didn't really have to。 He saw her smile； beneath the mask。 She began walking and he followed her； wherever she was taking him。
In one way； it was not far at all： just around the corner； a house fronting on the same wide square as their barracks； near the palace。 They passed through an imposing double doorway； crossed a torchlit courtyard and climbed a flight of stairs。 It was an elegantly appointed house。 Servants； dressed in black； masked as small forest creatures； watched them pass； in silence。
In another sense； though； what ensued when they came to the room where she led him…with its balcony over the square； and its enormous fireplace； and the wide； canopied bed…marked one of the longest journeys of Alvar's life。
Jehane was alone again。 She had left the four brown rabbits by the water； a little reluctantly； because they were amusing； but she wasn't inclined to bee too much a part of their visibly growing intimacy； and at one point she had simply slipped off the fishing boat where they had been； and moved quietly back to the pier and into the crowd。
She still had the wine flask the stag had left her； but she'd stopped drinking。 She felt clear…headed now； almost unsettlingly so。 She was discovering； as she moved through the late…night streets； that Carnival； for all its disguises； was a difficult night in which to hide from the self after all。
At one point she caught a glimpse of Husari in his spectacular mask。 The silk merchant was dancing； part of a group of figures。 In fact； he was in the center of a ring； turning in neat…footed movements while the laughing crowd applauded him。 Jehane paused a short distance away； smiling behind her owl face； long enough to see a woman masked as a vixen step from the circle to e up to the peacock and loop her arms around his neck； careful of the feathers。 They began moving together； gracefully。
Jehane watched for another moment and then moved on。
It might have seemed as if her wandering was aimless； carrying her with the swirling movements of the crowd past entertainments and food vendors； to pause outside tavern windows listening to the music floating out； or to sit for a time on the stone bench outside one of the larger homes and watch the people flowing past like a river in the night。
It wasn't so； however。 Her movements were not； in the end； random。 Honest with herself； tonight and most nights； Jehane knew where her steps were drawing her； however slowly； by whatever meandering paths through the city。 She couldn't claim to be happy； or easy in her soul about this； but her heartbeat grew steadily quicker； and the doctor in her could diagnose that； at least； without difficulty。
She rose from a last bench； turned a corner and walked down a street of handsome mansions near the palace。 Passing elegant； formal facades； she saw the door of one house closing behind a man and a woman。 She caught a glimpse of a leash。 That stirred a memory； but then it drifted away。
And so it was that she found herself standing outside a very large building。 There were torches set along the wall at intervals but very little ornament and the windows above were all dark save for one； and she knew that room。
Jehane stood against a rough stone wall across the street； oblivious now to the people passing by her in the square； and gazed up at the highest level of that building； towards the solitary light。
Someone was awake and alone； very late at night。
Someone was writing； on newly bought parchment。 Not ransom demands； letters home。 Jehane looked up past the smoke of the passing torches and those fixed in the walls； and struggled to accept a