en Avren in Ragosa； Ser Rodrigo and Ammar ibn Khairan all vying to outdo each other in subtlety the scheme had acquired so many nuances as to be almost inprehensible。 Alvar had long ago given up trying to follow what was happening。
He understood no more than the essence： they had made certain that a notorious outlaw leader knew about the Fibaz gold。 They wanted him to e after the parias。 King Badir had delayed agreeing to payment of the gold to Jalona until as late in the year as possible to give this outlaw time to act； if he chose。
Then； after a lone messenger had arrived from the south one night； Rodrigo and ibn Khairan had led fifty of the Valledans out from Ragosa the next morning in a cold rain on the brink of winter。 No banners； no identifying emblems； not even their own horses…they rode nondescript mounts from Ragosa。 They had passed like ghosts through the countryside； heading east； twenty of them at any time scattering to watch for the movement of panies of men。
It was Martin； predictably； who had spotted the outlaw band ing north。 The Captain and ibn Khairan had smiled then； old Lain had not。 From that point on the bandit chieftain's progress had been carefully monitored all the way to this valley。 He had about eighty men。
The Jalonans； led by a Count Nino di Carrera…not a name Alvar knew…were already in Fibaz； east and south of where the outlaws waited。 Di Carrera had a hundred men； superbly mounted； by report。
When word came of where the ambush was being laid； Ammar ibn Khairan had smiled again。 Rain had been falling that day too； dripping from hat brims and into the collars of overtunics and cloaks。 The cart roads and fields were already turning to winter's thick mud； treacherous for the horses。
〃The Emin ha'Nazar？ That old fox；〃 ibn Khairan had said。 〃He would do it in the valley。 Truly； I shall be a little sorry if we must kill him。〃
Alvar was still not sure how he felt about the lord Ammar ibn Khairan。
Jehane liked him； he was fairly certain of that…which plicated matters。 Her presence on this ride was plication enough。 He worried about her in the cold and the rain； sleeping in a tent on damp or frozen ground； but she said nothing； offered no plaint； rode a horse…normally forbidden the Kindath； of course…surprisingly well。 She had learned in Batiara； he discovered。 It appeared that in Batiara any number of normally forbidden things could be done。
〃What is that valley？〃 Rodrigo had asked ibn Khairan。 〃Tell me all you know about it。〃
The two of them had walked off together into the mist； talking quietly； so Alvar heard no more。 He had happened to be watching Lain Nunez's face； and from the older man's expression had grasped a part of why Lain was so unhappy on this winter expedition。 Alvar wasn't the only man here feeling displaced by recent developments。
Nonetheless； Lain's disapproval seemed unwarranted in the end。 Even with all the plexity and the need for absolute secrecy of movement； it had all e together after all； here at this strange； high； echoing valley。 There was even sunshine today； the air bright and very cold。
Alvar had been part of the first small group that had run up…no horses allowed； by ibn Khairan's orders…to close the southern entrance to the valley after the Jalonans had gone through。 They were posing as outlaws； he understood that much： as part of the same band lying in ambush to the north。 And they were meant to be seen by the Jalonan outriders。
They were。 Martin spotted the two scouts in plenty of time to have killed them had they wanted to。 They didn't want to。 For whatever reason in this indecipherable scheme； they were to allow the scouts to see them and then race back into the valley to report。 It was very hard to puzzle out。 It was made even harder for Alvar because all through the tense movements of the morning he had been forced to listen to Jehane's voice from high on the slopes as she moaned her desire for the yellow…haired Jalonan mander in the valley ahead of them。 He didn't like that part at all； though most of the others seemed to find it killingly funny。
By the time Lain Nunez gave the order to ride…the horses had been brought up the moment the two scouts left…Alvar was in a mood to do injury to someone。 It did cross his mind； as they galloped north in the wintry sunlight； that he was about to kill Jaddites in an Asharite cause。 He tried not to let that bother him。 He was a mercenary； after all。
Nino was wearing good armor。 One arrow hit his chest and was turned away； another grazed his unprotected calf； drawing blood。 Then his horse； moving too quickly； trod on emptiness and fell into a pit。
It screamed as it impaled itself upon the forest of stakes below。 The screaming of a horse is a terrible sound。 Nino di Carrera； lithe and desperate； hurled himself from the saddle even as the horse was falling。 He grabbed for the near wall of the pit； clutched； held； and hauled himself out。 Just in time to be nearly trampled by the mount of one of his men； veering frantically around the death pit。
He took a kick in the ribs and sprawled on the frozen ground。 He saw another horse ing and rolled； agonizingly； away from flailing hooves。 He fought for air。 The breath had been knocked out of him and his ears were ringing； but Nino found that all limbs were intact。 Gasping； wheezing； he could move。 He scrambled to his feet； only to discover that he'd lost his sword in the pit。 There was a dead man beside him with an arrow in his throat。 Nino seized the soldier's blade； ignoring the pain in his ribs； and looked around for someone to kill。
No shortage of candidates。 Outlaws were pouring down from the slopes on either side of the defile。 At least thirty of Nino's men…probably more…were down； dead or crippled by the spear trap and the volley of arrows。 That still left a good number of Horsemen； though； and these were Asharite bandits opposing them； offal； dogs； food for dogs。
Holding a hand to his side； Nino roared his defiance。 His men heard him and cheered。 He looked around for Edrique。 Saw him battling three men； fighting to maneuver his horse in the narrow space。 Even as Nino watched； one of the bandits ducked in under the legs of Edrique's mount and stabbed upwards。 A peasant's way to fight； knifing horses from below。 It worked； though。 Edrique's stallion reared up on its hind legs； screaming in pain as the man with the short sword scrambled away。
Nino saw his second…in…mand beginning to slide in the saddle。 He was already sprinting towards him。 The second outlaw； waiting for Edrique to fall； never knew what killed him。 Nino's swinging sword； white rage driving it； hewed the man's unhelmed head from his shoulders。 It landed in the grass a distance away and rolled like a ball。 The blood that fountained from the headless torso spattered them all。
Nino roared in triumph。 Edrique swung his feet free of the stirrups to fall free of the maimed horse。 He was up on his feet instantly。 The two men exchanged a fierce glance then fought together； side by side in that dark defile； two of Jad's holy warriors against legions of the infidels。
Against bandits； really； and as he swung his sword again and again and strove to carve a space to advance； Nino abruptly reclaimed the thought he had found and then lost earlier。
It chilled him； even amid the clotted； sweating chaos of battle： whoever his outriders had seen ing up south of the valley couldn't have been part of this ambush。 It was so obvious。 Where had his mind been？ No one laid a death trap like this and then split his forces。
Struggling for understanding again； Nino tried to get some sense of what was happening； but the narrow ground between the steep slopes meant that the fighting was desperately close； hand…to…hand； fists and knives and shoulders as much as swords。 No chance to step back and evaluate anything。 They were spared the arrows now。 With their own men entangled with the Jaddites； the bandits could not shoot。
The mules！ Nino suddenly remembered the gold。 If they lost that there was no point to anything else。 He hammered his metal…clad forearm into a bandit's face and felt bones crunch with the blow。 With a moment's r