ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第85节

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ey　do　push　some　of　the　Kindath　out；　or　kill　a　few；　a　siege　will　be　easier　to　withstand。　That　seems　obvious　to　me。〃
　　Ibn　Khairan　said　nothing。　The　king　of　Cartada　looked　at　him；　a　close；　suspicious　glance。　〃It　has　been　reported　to　me　that　you　spent　time　on　the　Day　of　the　Moat　with　a　Kindath　physician。　A　woman。　Was　there　a　reason？〃
　　It　seemed　that　answers　to　the　hardest　questions　life　offered　might　e　in　unexpected　ways。　In　the　strangest　fashion；　that　cold；　narrowed　gaze　came　as　a　relief　to　ibn　Khairan。　A　reminder　of　what　had　always　kept　him　from　truly　loving　the　boy　who　had　bee　this　man；　despite　a　number　of　reasons　for　doing　so。
　　〃You　had　my　movements　traced？〃
　　The　king　of　Cartada　was　unfazed。　〃You　were　the　one　who　taught　me　that　all　information　helped。　I　wanted　you　back。　I　was　searching　for　ways　to　achieve　it。〃
　　〃And　spying　out　my　activities　seemed　a　good　method　of　enlisting　my　willing　aid？〃
　　〃Aid；〃　said　the　king　of　Cartada；　〃can　e　for　many　reasons　and　in　many　guises。　I　could　have　kept　this　a　secret　from　you；　Ammar。　I　have　not。　I　am　here　in　Ragosa；　trusting　you。　Now　your　turn：　was　there　a　reason；　Ammar？〃
　　Ibn　Khairan　snorted。　〃Did　I　want　to　bed　her；　you　mean？　e　on；　'Malik。　I　went　to　find　that　doctor　because　she　was　the　physician　of　someone　invited　to　the　ceremony。　A　man　who　said　he　was　too　ill　to　e。　I　had　no　idea　who　she　was　until　later。　She　was；　incidentally；　Ishak　ben　Yonannon's　daughter。　You'll　know　that　by　now。　Does　it　mean　anything　to　you？〃
　　Almalik　nodded。　〃My　father's　physician。　I　remember　him。　They　blinded　him　when　Zabira's　last　child　was　born。〃
　　〃And　cut　out　his　tongue。〃
　　The　king　shrugged　again。　〃We　have　to　keep　the　wadjis　happy；　don't　we？　Or　if　not　happy；　at　least　not　preaching　against　us　in　the　streets。　They　wanted　the　Kindath　doctor　to　die。　My　father　surprised　me　then；　I　remember。〃　Almalik　gestured　suddenly　with　both　hands。　〃Ammar；　I　have　no　weapons　against　you　here。　I　don't　want　a　weapon。　I　want　you　as　my　sword。　What　must　I　do？〃
　　This　had　gone　on　too　long；　ibn　Khairan　realized。　It　was　painful；　and　there　was　greater　danger　the　longer　it　lasted。　He　carried　no　blade　either；　save　the　usual　one　taped　to　his　left　arm。　However　calm　Almalik　seemed；　he　was　a　man　who　could　be　pushed　to　rashness；　and　the　Muwardi　tribesmen　would　dance　under　the　desert　stars　if　they　learned　that　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　of　Aljais　had　died。
　　He　said；　〃Let　me　think　on　this；　'Malik。　I　have　a　contract　that　ends　at　the　beginning　of　autumn。　Honor　may　be　served　by　then。〃
　　〃By　autumn？　You　swear　it？　I　will　have　you…〃
　　〃I　said；　let　me　think。　That　is　all　I　will　say。〃
　　〃And　what　should　I　do　in　the　meantime？〃
　　Ibn　Khairan's　mouth　quirked　with　amusement。　He　couldn't　help　it。　He　was　a　man　who　found　many　things　in　life　inexpressibly　ironic。　〃You　want　me　to　tell　you　how　to　govern　Cartada？　Here　and　now？　In　this　room；　during　Carnival？〃
　　After　a　moment；　Almalik　laughed；　and　shook　his　head。　〃You　would　not　believe　how　badly　I　am　served；　Ammar。〃
　　〃Then　find　better　men！　They　exist。　All　over　Al…Rassan。　Put　your　labors　into　that。〃
　　〃And　into　what　else？〃
　　Ibn　Khairan　hesitated。　Old　habits　died　very　hard。　〃You　are　probably　right：　Fezana　is　in　danger。　Whether　the　Jaddite　army　in　Batiara　sails　this　spring　or　not；　there　is　a　changed　mood　in　the　north。　And　if　you　lose　Fezana；　I　do　not　think　you　can　hold　your　dais。　The　wadjis　will　not　allow　it。〃
　　〃Or　the　Muwardis；〃　said　Almalik；　with　a　glance　at　the　guards　in　the　room。　The　veiled　ones　remained　impassive。　〃I　have　already　done　one　further　thing　about　this。　Tonight；　actually；　here　in　Ragosa。　You　will　approve。〃
　　Odd；　odd　and　sometimes　frightening；　how　a　lifetime's　instincts　could　put　the　soldier　in　one　on　such　instantaneous　alert。
　　〃Approve　of　what？〃　he　asked；　keeping　his　voice　calm。
　　Later；　he　would　realize　that　he　had　somehow　known；　though；　even　before　the　king　of　Cartada　answered　him。
　　〃As　I　told　you；　six　others　came　with　me。　I've　had　them　find　and　kill　the　Valledan　mercenary　Belmonte。　He　is　too　dangerous　to　be　permitted　to　go　back　to　King　Ramiro　from　his　own　exile。　It　seems　he　never　left　his　room　tonight；　they　know　where　he　is；　and　there　is　only　one　guard　at　the　street　door。〃　Almalik　of　Cartada　smiled。　〃It　is　a　useful　blow；　Amman　I　hurt　Badir　and　Ramiro　both；　very　badly；　by　taking　this　man　away　from　them。〃
　　And　me；　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　was　thinking　then；　but　did　not　say。　And　me。　Very　badly。
　　They　had　defeated　five　men　together；　in　a　display　last　autumn。　Rodrigo　would　have　been　alone　tonight；　however；　and　not　expecting　an　assault。　There　were　people　costumed　as　Muwardis　all　over　the　city。　Six　silent　killers；　one　frustrated　guard　at　the　street　door。　He　could　picture　how　it　would　have　been。　It　would　be　over　by　now。
　　Even　so；　there　were　things　one　did；　movements　shaped　without　actual　thought。　The　drive　towards　action　as　a　blocking　of　pain。　Even　as　the　king　of　Cartada　finished　speaking；　ibn　Khairan　had　spun　back　to　the　door　of　his　room；　and　was　pulling　it　open。　As　he　did　so；　in　the　same　smooth　movement；　he　ducked　down　low；　so　the　blade　thrown　at　his　back　embedded　itself　instead　in　the　dark　wood　of　the　door。
　　Then　he　was　out；　running　down　the　corridor；　taking　the　stairs　three　and　then　four　at　a　time；　knowing　that　if　Almalik　had　told　him　about　this　it　was　much　too　late　already；　but　running；　running。
　　Even　in　his　haste；　he　remembered　to　do　one　thing　before　hurtling　out　the　door　and　back　into　the　street。
　　
　　〃Fool！〃　Jehane　heard　the　king　of　Cartada　shout。　〃What　were　you　doing　with　that　knife？　I　want　him　with　us；　you　worm！〃
　　〃He　will　not　be。〃
　　The　other　man；　the　Muwardi；　had　a　desert　accent　and　a　voice　deep　as　an　old　grave。　She　could　see　none　of　them。　Just　out　of　sight　on　the　double　balcony；　Jehane　felt　a　grief　heavy　as　a　smith's　anvil　pulling　on　her　heart。　She　clenched　her　fists；　nails　biting　into　palms。　She　could　do　nothing。　She　had　to　wait　for　them　to　leave。　She　wanted　to　scream。
　　〃He　will　e　back；〃　she　heard　the　young　king　rasp。　〃He　is　upset　about　the　Valledan；　a　rade…at…arms。　I　thought　he　might　be；　but　ibn　Khairan　is　not　a　man　who　makes　decisions　based　on　such　things。　He　would　have　been　the　first　to　tell　me　to　plan　a　stroke　such　as　this。〃
　　〃He　will　not　be　with　you；〃　the　other　man　said　again；　blunt；　quiet；　sure。
　　There　was　a　short　silence。
　　〃Kill　this　man；〃　said　Almalik　II　of　Cartada　calmly。　〃This　is　a　mand。　You　were　under　orders　not　to　harm　ibn　Khairan。　These　orders　were　violated　with　that　blade。　Execute　him。　Now。〃
　　Jehane　caught　her　breath。　Then；　more　quickly　than　she　could　have　imagined；　she　heard　a　grunting　sound。　Someone　fell。
　　〃Good；〃　she　heard　the　king　of　Cartada　say；　after　a　moment。　〃At　least　some　of　you　are　loyal。　Leave　his　body。　I　want　Ammar　to　know　I　had　him　killed。〃　Jehane　heard　footsteps。　The　king's　voice　came　from　farther　away。　〃e。　It　is　time　to　leave　Ragosa。　I　have　done　what　I　could。　We　can　do　nothing　but　wait　on　Ammar　now。〃
　　〃You　can　kill　him；〃　the　second　Muwardi　said　in　a　soft；　uninflected　tone。　〃If　he　refuses　you；　why　should　he　be　permitted　to　live？〃
　　The　king　of　Cartada　made　no　reply。
　　A　moment　later；　Jehane　heard　them　going　out；　and　then　down　the　stairs。
　　She　waited　until　she　heard　the　front　door　open　and　close　again；　and　then　she　raced　to　follow…through　the　second　bedroom；　and　out　into　the　corridor。　She　spared　one　quick　glance　into　Ammar's　chamber。　There　was　a　man　lying　on　the　floor。
　　The　doctor　in　her　pelled　a　pause；　for　too　many　years　this　had　been　an　instinct。　She　rushed　in；　knelt　beside　him；　felt　for　a　heartbeat。　He　was；　of　course；　dead。　No　blade　remained；　but　the　wound　was　in　his　throat。　The　Muwardis　knew　how　to　kill。
　　Rodrigo　would　have　been　at　his　desk。　Writing　a　letter　home。　Expecting　carousing　friends；　if　any　knock　had　e。
　　Jehane　scrambled　to　her　feet　and　sped　down　the　stairs　into　the　entranceway。　She　looked　for　her　mask　on　the　small　table。　It　was　not　there。　She　froze。
　　Then　she　understood。　Ammar　had　taken　it：　that　the　Cartadans　not　see　an　owl　mask　and　surmise　the　presence　of　a　woman　here。　For　all　she　knew；　King　Almalik　might　even　have　understood　the　symbol　of　the　owl　as　physician：　he　had　been　Ammar's　pupil；　hadn't　he？
　　Which　was　a　part　of　the　grief　that　now　lay　like　a　stone　at　the　center　of　a　spinning　night。　She　pushed　open　the　door　and　ran　out；　unmasked　now；　into　the　roiling　street。　She　began　forcing　her　way　through　the　crowd　towards　the　barracks。　Someone　groped　for　her；　playfully。　Jehane　twisted　away　and　kept　moving。　It　was　difficult；　people　were　everywhere；　amid　torches　and　smoke。　It　took　her　a　long　time　to　get　through。
　　Afterwards；　she　realized　that　it　was　the　silence　that　had　warned　her。
　　When　she　came　back　into　the　square　before　the　barracks；　she　saw　that　the　huge　crowd　had　grown　unnaturally　still　and　had　forced　itself　back　towards　the　perimeter　of　the　square；　away　from　a　place　where　someone　lay　on　the　ground。
　　By　the　torches　and　the　one　moon；　she　saw　Ammar　standing　there；　unmasked；　ashen…faced；　with　a　number　of　other　men　she　knew　extremely　well。　She　pushed　her　way　through　the　murmuring　onlookers　and　knelt　beside　the　wounded　man　on　the　cobblestones。　It　only　took　one　glance。　It　was　too　late　for　a　doctor's　art　here。　H