space。 Jehane was still too consumed by her rage to give more than a brief thought to how they had all stopped what they'd been doing； for her。
It wasn't for her。 She looked down at the boy kneeling with his weeping sister in his arms。 〃Your name is Ziri？〃
He nodded； looking up at her。 His dark eyes were enormous in a white face。
〃I am sorry to have to tell you your mother and father are dead。 There is no easy way to say it tonight。〃
〃A great many people are dead here； doctor。 Why are you interrupting？〃 It was Belmonte； behind her； and it was a fair question； in its way。
But Jehane's anger would not let her go。 This man was a Jaddite； and the Jaddites had done this thing。 〃You want me to say it in front of the children？〃 She did not even look back at him。
〃No one here is a child after tonight。〃
Which was true； she realized。 And so Jehane pointed to the man in the red shirt and said； though later she would wish she had not； 〃This man raped the mother of these children； near to term with another child。 Then he put his sword inside her； up inside her； and ripped it out； and left her to bleed to death。 When I arrived the child had already spilled out of the wound。 Its head had been almost severed。 By the sword。 Before it was born。〃 She felt sick； speaking the words。
〃I see。〃 There was a weariness in Rodrigo Belmonte's voice that caused her to turn back and look up at him。 She could read nothing in his features。
He sat his horse for a moment in silence； then said； 〃Give the boy your sword； Alvar。 This we will not accept。 Not in a village Valledans are bound to defend。〃
Where would you accept it？ Jehane wanted to demand； but kept silent。 She was suddenly afraid。
〃This man is my cousin；〃 the man called Garcia de Rada said sharply； holding a piece of grimy cloth to his bleeding face。 〃He is Parazor de Rada。 The constable's cousin； Belmonte。 Remember who…〃
〃Keep silent or I will kill you！〃
For the first time Rodrigo Belmonte raised his voice； and Garcia de Rada was not the only man to flinch before what he heard there。 Jehane looked again into the face of the man they called the Captain； and then she looked away。 Her fury seemed to have passed； leaving only grief and waves of sickness。
The young soldier； Alvar； came obediently up to the boy who was still kneeling beside her； holding both his sisters now。 Alvar offered his sword； hilt foremost。 The boy； Ziri； looked past Jehane at Rodrigo Belmonte on his black horse above them。
〃You have this right。 I grant it to you before witnesses。〃
Slowly the boy stood up and slowly he took the sword。 The man called Alvar was as ashen…faced as Ziri； Jehane saw…and guessed that tonight would have been his own first taste of battle。 There was blood on the blade。
〃Think what you are doing； Belmonte！〃 the man in the red shirt and boots suddenly cried hoarsely。 〃These things happen in war； on a raid。 Do not pretend that your own men…〃
〃War？〃 Rodrigo's voice knifed in savagely。 〃What war？ Who is at war？ Who ordered a raid？ Tell me！〃
The other man was still a long moment。 〃My cousin Garcia；〃 he finally said。
〃His rank at court？ His authority？ His reason？〃
No answer。 The crackle and crash of the fires was all around them。 The light was lurid； unholy； dimming the stars and even the moons。 Jehane heard weeping now； the keening sounds of grief； from shadows at the edges of the flames。
〃May Jad forgive you and find a place for your soul in his light；〃 said Rodrigo Belmonte； looking at the red…shirted man； speaking in a very different voice。
Ziri looked up at him one last time； hearing that； and evidently saw what he needed to see。 He turned and stepped forward； with the unfamiliar blade。
He will never have held a sword in his life； Jehane thought。 She wanted to close her eyes； but something would not let her do that。 The red…shirted man did not turn or try to flee。 She thought it was courage； at the time； but later decided he might have been too astonished by what was happening to react。 This simply did not happen to noblemen playing their games in the countryside。
Ziri ibn Aram took two steady steps forward and then thrust the borrowed blade…awkwardly； but with determination…straight through the heart of the man who had killed his mother and his father。 The man screamed as the blade went in； a terrible sound。
Too late； Jehane remembered the two girls。 She ought to have turned their faces away； covered their ears。 Both had been watching。 Neither was crying now。 She knelt and gathered them to her。
I caused this death； she was thinking。 With rage no longer driving her； it was an appalling thought。 She was abruptly mindful of the fact that she was out here beyond the walls of Fezana with the purpose of causing another。
〃I will take them now； doctor。〃
She looked up and saw the boy； Ziri； standing beside her。 He had given the sword back to Alvar。 There was a bleakness in his eyes。 She wondered if； later； it would help him at all to have taken his revenge。 She had to wonder that。
She released the two girls and watched their brother lead them away from the open space。 She didn't know where they were going amid all the fires。 She doubted he did either。 She remained kneeling on the ground； looking at Garcia de Rada。
〃My cousin was a pig；〃 he said calmly； turning from the dead man to look up at Rodrigo Belmonte。 〃What he did was disgusting。 We are well rid of him； and I will say as much when we all return home。〃
There was a bark of disbelieving laughter from Lain Nunez。 Jehane could hardly believe the words； herself。 Somewhere inside she was forced to acknowledge that the man had courage of a sort。 He was a monster； though。 A monster from the tales used by mothers to fright their children into obedience。 But here in Orvilla the monster had e； after all； and children had died。 One had been stabbed by a sword before entering the world。
She looked over her shoulder again； and saw Rodrigo Belmonte smiling strangely as he looked down at de Rada。 No one in the world could have taken any fort in that expression。
〃Do you know；〃 he said； his voice quiet again； almost conversational； 〃I have always thought you poisoned King Raimundo。〃
Jehane saw a startled apprehension in the craggy face of Lain Nunez。 He turned sharply to Rodrigo。 This； clearly； had not been expected。 He moved his horse nearer to the Captain's。 Without turning to him； Rodrigo lifted a hand and Lain Nunez stopped。 Turning back the other way； Jehane saw Garcia de Rada open his mouth and then close it again。 He was clearly thinking hard； but she could see no fear in the man； not even now。 Blood was dripping from the wound on his face。
〃You would not dare say such a thing in Esteren；〃 he said at length。
His own voice was softer now。 A new thread of tension seemed to be running through all the Jaddites。 The last king of Valledo had been named Raimundo； Jehane knew that。 The oldest of the three brothers； the sons of Sancho the Fat。 There had been rumors surrounding Raimundo's death； a story involving Rodrigo Belmonte； something about the present king of Valledo's coronation。 Ammar ibn Khairan could have told her； Jehane suddenly thought； and shook her head。 Not a useful line of thinking。
〃Perhaps I might not；〃 Rodrigo said； still mildly。 〃We aren't in Esteren。〃
〃So you feel free to slander anyone you choose？〃
〃Not anyone。 Only you。 Challenge me。〃 He still had that strange smile on his face。
〃Back home I will。 Believe it。〃
〃I do not。 Fight me now； or admit you killed your king。〃
Out of the corner of her eye Jehane saw Lain Nunez make a curiously helpless gesture beside Rodrigo。 The Captain ignored him。 Something had altered in his manner and Jehane； for the first time； found herself intimidated by him。 This issue…the death of King Raimundo…seemed to be his own open wound。 She realized that Velaz had e up quietly to stand protectively beside her。
〃I will do neither。 Not here。 But say this again at court and observe what I do； Belmonte。〃
〃Rodrigo！〃 Jehane heard Lain Nunez rasp。 〃Stop this； in Jad's name！ Kill him if you like； but stop this now。〃
〃But th