He looked up； saw them。 Dropped the broom in dismay。
〃Doctors！ Holy Ashar； forgive us！ An accident 。。。 the children。〃 He nervously picked up and then laid aside the broom。 He hurried anxiously forward。 〃May I assist you？ The steward…
〃We are here to see the children；〃 the bigger man with her said。 His tone was crisp； but again with its inflection of tension。 〃Take us to them。〃
〃Of course！〃 the young servant smiled； eagerly。 Why were they all so eager here？ Jehane's heart was a drum in her breast。 She could stand here； walk with them； let this happen； probably live。
She could not do that。
The boy stepped forward； one hand extended。 〃May I take your satchels for you； doctors？〃
〃No； no； that is fine。 Just lead on。〃 The nearer man withdrew his bag slightly。
It will take them time to find the boys； Jehane thought。 There are many rooms。 Help might e in time。 She drew breath to scream； knowing it meant her death。
In that same moment she thought； absurdly； that she recognized this servant。 But before the memory could coalesce into something more； he had continued his reaching motion； stumbled slightly； and bumped into the small man who was holding the blade against her side。 The assassin grunted； a surprised sound。 The boy straightened； withdrawing his right hand； and shoving Jehane hard with his left。
Jehane stumbled； falling…and cried out then； at the top of her voice： 〃Help！ They are killers！ Help us！〃
She dropped to her knees； heard something shatter。 She turned back； expecting a blade； her death； the soft dark presence of the sisters of the god。
Tardily； she saw the stiletto that had materialized in the boy's hand。 The smaller assassin was on the floor； clutching with both hands at his belly。 Jehane saw blood welling between his ringers； and then much more of it。 The bigger man had turned； snarling； balancing his own drawn blade。 The boy stepped back a little； ready for him。
Jehane screamed again； at the top of her voice。
Someone had already appeared down the corridor straight ahead。 Someone； unbelievably； carrying a bow。 The big man saw this； turned swiftly back towards the stairway。
The steward was standing there； holding a sword； no longer smiling or innocuous。
The assassin pivoted again； ducked； and without warning sprang at Jehane。 The young servant shouted with alarm； lifting his blade to intervene。
Before the knives engaged there came a clear sound； a note of music almost； and then Jehane saw an arrow in the assassin's throat； and blood。 His hands flew upwards； the knife falling away。 He clattered to the floor。 His flask shattered on the tiles。
There was a stillness； as after thunder has e and rolled away。
Struggling for self…control； Jehane looked back down the hall。 The man with the bow； walking forward now； was Idar ibn Tarif； whose brother she had saved and then tended。 He was smiling in calm reassurance。
Jehane； still on her knees； began to tremble。 She looked at the boy beside her。 He had sheathed his knife； she couldn't tell where。 The first assassin made a sudden rattling sound in his throat and slid sideways beside the larger one。 She knew that sound。 She was a doctor。 He had just died。
There was broken glass all around them； and blood staining the sand…colored tiles of the floor。 A trickle of it ran towards her。 She rose to her feet and stepped aside。
Broken glass。
Jehane turned and looked behind her。 Her father's flask lay shattered on the floor。 She swallowed hard。 Closed her eyes。
〃Are you all right； doctor？〃 It was the boy。 He could be no more than fifteen。 He had saved her life。
She nodded her head。 Opened her eyes again。 And then she knew him。
〃Ziri？〃 she said； incredulously。 〃Ziri； from Orvilla？〃
〃I am honored； doctor；〃 he said； bowing。 〃I am honored that you remember me。〃
〃What are you doing here？〃
She had last seen this boy killing a Jaddite with Alvar de Pellino's sword amid the burning of his village。 Nothing made any sense at all。
〃He's been guarding you；〃 said a voice she knew。 She looked quickly over。 In an open doorway； a little distance down the hall； stood Alvar himself； that same sword in his hand。
〃e；〃 he said。 〃See if you can quiet two impossible children。〃 He sheathed the sword； walked forward； took both her hands。 His grip was steady and strong。
As if in a trance； surrounded by these calm； smiling men； Jehane went down the corridor and entered the indicated room。
The two boys； one seven； the other almost five years old； as she knew very well； weren't being particularly loud； in fact。 There was a fire burning in the hearth； but the windows above each of the two beds had been shuttered so the room was mostly dark。 Candles had been lit opposite the fire and using those for light Ammar ibn Khairan； dressed in black and gold； his earring gleaming palely； was energetically making shadow…figures on the far wall for the boys' entertainment。 Jehane saw his sword； unsheathed； on a pillow by his side。
〃What do you think？〃 he said over his shoulder。 〃I'm proud of my wolf； actually。〃
〃It is a magnificent achievement；〃 Jehane said。
The two boys evidently thought so too； they were raptly attentive。 The wolf； even as she watched； stalked and then devoured what was presumably meant to be a chicken。
〃I'm not impressed by the fowl；〃 Jehane managed to say。
〃It's a pig！〃 ibn Khairan protested。 〃Anyone should be able to see that。〃
〃May I sit down？〃 Jehane said。 Her legs seemed to be failing her。
A stool materialized。 Idar ibn Tarif smilingly motioned for her to sit。
She did； then sprang to her feet again。
〃Velaz！ We have to free him！〃
〃It is done；〃 said Alvar from the doorway。 〃Ziri told us where the courtyard is。 Husari and two others have gone to release him。 He'll be safe by now； Jehane。〃
〃It is over；〃 said Idar gently。 〃Sit； doctor。 You are all safe now。〃
Jehane sat。 Odd； how the worst reactions seemed to occur after the danger had passed。
〃More！〃 the elder of Zabira's boys cried。 The younger one simply sat cross…legged on the floor； staring at the shadow…figures on the wall； his eyes wide。
〃There is no more； I'm afraid；〃 said the lord Ammar ibn Khairan。 〃Once the wolf eats the pig； or the fowl； whichever； there is no more to see。〃
〃Later？〃 the older child asked； with some deference。
〃Later； indeed；〃 said ibn Khairan。 〃I will e back。 I must practice my pigs； and I'll need your help。 The doctor thought it was a chicken； which is a bad sign。 But for now； go with the steward。 I believe he has chocolate for you？〃
The steward； in the doorway behind Alvar； nodded his head。
〃The bad man have gone？〃 It was the smaller one； speaking for the first time。 The one her father had delivered through his mother's belly。
〃The bad man have gone；〃 said Ammar ibn Khairan gravely。 Jehane was aware that she was close to crying。 She didn't want to cry。 〃It is as if they never came looking at all；〃 ibn Khairan added gently； still addressing the smaller child。 He looked over then； to Alvar and the steward by the door； eyebrows raised in inquiry。
Alvar said； 〃Nothing out there。 Some stains on the floor。 A broken urn。〃
〃Of course。 The urn。 I'd forgotten。〃 Ibn Khairan grinned suddenly。 Jehane knew that grin by now。
〃I doubt the owner of this house will forget；〃 Alvar said virtuously。 〃You chose a destructive way of signalling their arrival。〃
〃I suppose；〃 said ibn Khairan。 〃But the owner of this house has some answering to do to the king for the absence of any proper security here； wouldn't you say？〃
Alvar's manner altered。 Jehane could see him tracking the thought； and adjusting。 She had made that sort of adjustment herself many times； during the campaign to the east。 Ammar ibn Khairan almost never did anything randomly。
〃Where is Rodrigo？〃 she asked suddenly。
〃Now we are offended；〃 Ammar said； the blue gaze returning to her。 It was brighter in the room； Idar had drawn back the shutters。 The two boys had left with the steward。 〃All these loyal men hastening to your aid； and you ask only about the one who is obviously indifferent to your fate。〃 He smiled as