ange； at a stroke。
〃Tolerably。〃 The young man who had been his protege for three years smiled again。 〃You never allowed me to grow soft； and I haven't been king long enough for that to change。〃 He paused； and Ammar saw； in that hesitation； that the king wasn't quite as posed as he might want to appear。 〃You understand that I could only do this tonight。〃
〃I wouldn't have thought you could do it at all；〃 ibn Khairan said frankly。 〃This is a rather extreme risk； 'Malik。〃
He found himself offering thanks to all possible deities that Jehane was out of sight； and praying she could keep quiet enough。 Almalik could not possibly afford to be reported here； which meant that anyone who saw him was in mortal danger。 Ibn Khairan deferred； for a moment； the question of where this left him。
He said； 〃I'd best join you inside。〃
The king of Cartada stepped back and Ammar walked into his own room。 He registered the two Muwardis waiting there。 There was an air of unreality to all of this。 He was still trying to absorb the astonishing fact that Almalik had e here。 But then； suddenly； as he turned to face the king； he grasped what this had to be about and disorientation spun away； to be replaced by something almost as unsettling。
〃No one but you；〃 said the king of Cartada quietly； 〃calls me 'Malik any more。〃
〃Forgive me。 Old habits。 I'll stop； of course。 Magnificence。〃
〃I didn't say it offended me。〃
〃No； but even if it doesn't 。。。 you are the king of Cartada。〃
〃I am； aren't I？〃 Almalik murmured。 He sank down into the northern…style armchair by the bed； a young man； not particularly graceful； but tall and well…made。 〃And； can you believe it； the first act of my reign； very nearly； was to exile the man I most needed。〃
Which made it all quite explicit。
He had not changed in this； ibn Khairan noted。 A capacity for directness was something Almalik had always had； even as a boy。 Ammar had never resolved within himself whether it marked a strength； or a tactic of the weak： forcing stronger friends to deal with his declared vulnerabilities。 His eyelid was moving； but that was something one hardly noticed after a while。
〃You hadn't even been crowned；〃 ibn Khairan said softly。
He really wasn't prepared for this conversation。 Not tonight。 He had been readying himself； in an entirely different way； for something else。 Had stood watching in the street； holding his breath like a boy； while Jehane bet Ishak had gazed upwards at a high； candlelit window； and he had only begun to breathe normally again when she gave the shrug he knew and moved on； a stillness seeming to wrap itself about her amid the tumult of the night。
He had never thought it might require courage to approach a woman。
〃I am surprised to find you alone；〃 Almalik said； a little too lightly。
〃You shouldn't be；〃 ibn Khairan murmured； being careful now。 〃Tonight's encounters lack a certain 。。。 refinement； wouldn't you say？〃
〃I wouldn't know； Ammar。 It seemed lively enough。 We spent some time looking for you； and then I realized it was hopeless。 It was easier to buy the location of your house and wait。〃
〃Did you really e to Ragosa expecting to find me in the streets at Carnival？〃
〃I came here because I could see no other way to speak with you quickly enough。 I had only hope； and need； when we set out。 There is no pany of men with me； by the way。 These two； and half a dozen others for safety on the road。 No one else。 I have e to say certain things。 And to ask you to e back to me。〃
Ibn Khairan was silent。 He had been waiting for this； and latterly； had been afraid of it。 He had been the guardian and mentor of this man； the named heir to Cartada's throne。 Had put a great deal of effort into making of Almalik ibn Almalik a man worthy of power。 He did not like admitting failure。 He wasn't even certain he had failed。 This was going to be ferociously difficult。
He crossed to the sideboard； deliberately brushing past one of the Muwardis。 The man did not move； or even spare a glance。 They hated him； all of them did。 His whole life was a sustained assault upon their grim piety。 It was a sentiment he returned： their way of life…single…minded faith； single…minded hatred…affronted all his sensibilities； his perception of what life ought to be。
〃Will you take a glass of wine？〃 he asked the king of Cartada； deliberately provoking the Muwardis。 Unworthy； perhaps； but he couldn't help this。
Almalik shrugged； nodded his head。 Ibn Khairan poured for both of them and carried the glasses over。 They saluted each other； top of glass touching bottom； then bottom to top。
〃It took courage for you to do this；〃 Ammar said。 It was right that he acknowledge this。
Almalik shook his head； looking up at him from the chair。 In the candlelight it could be seen how young he still was。 And standing more closely now； ibn Khairan could see the marks of strain。
〃It took only an awareness that if you do not return I do not know what I will do。 And I understand you very well； Ammar； in some things。 What was I to do？ Write you pleading letters？ You would not have e。 You know you would not。〃
〃Surely the king of Cartada is surrounded by men of wisdom and experience？〃
〃Now you are jesting。 Do not。〃
Quick anger flared； surprising him。 Before it could be suppressed； ibn Khairan snapped； 〃It was you who exiled me。 Be so good as to remember that； 'Malik。〃
A raw wound： the pupil turning upon the teacher in the moment of shared ascendancy。 An old story； in truth； but he had never thought it would happen to him。 First the father； and then the son。
〃I do remember it；〃 Almalik said quietly。 〃I made a mistake； Ammar。〃
Weakness or strength； it had always been hard to tell。 This trait might even be； at different times； a sign of both。 The father had never； in twenty years together； admitted to an error。
〃Not all mistakes can be undone。〃 He was stalling； waiting for something to make this clearer for him。 Behind； beneath all these words lay a decision that had to be made。
Almalik stood up。 〃I know that； of course。 I am here in the hope that this was not one such。 What is it you want； Ammar？ What must I say？〃
Ibn Khairan looked at him a moment before answering。 〃What is it I want？ To write in peace； I could answer； but that would be dissembling； wouldn't it？ To live my life with a measure of honor…and be seen by the world to be doing so。 That would be true enough and that； incidentally； is why I had to kill your father。〃
〃I know that。 I know it better than anyone。〃 The king hesitated。 〃Ammar； I believe the Jaddites will be ing south this summer。 My brother is with Yazir ibn Q'arif in the desert； still。 We have learned they are building ships。 In Abeneven。 And I don't know what King Badir intends。〃
〃So you tried to kill the boys？〃
Almalik blinked。 It was an unfair thrust； but he was a clever man； very much his father's son。 He said； 〃Those two men weren't killed in a tavern brawl； then？ I wondered about that。〃 The king shrugged。 〃Am I the first ruler in Al…Rassan to try to strengthen himself by dealing with siblings？ Were you not my teacher of history； Ammar？〃
Ibn Khairan smiled。 〃Did I criticize？〃
Almalik flushed suddenly。 〃But you stopped them。 You saved the boys。 Zabira's sons。〃
〃Others did。 I was a small part of it。 I am exiled here； Almalik； remember？ I have signed a contract in Ragosa； and have been honoring it。〃
〃With my enemies！〃 A young man's voice now； the control slipping； a boy's words。
Ibn Khairan felt something twist within him like a soft blade。 He knew this part of the man。 Of the king。 He said； 〃It seems we live in a world where boundaries are shifting all the time。 This makes it more difficult for a man to do what is right。〃
〃Ammar； no。 Your place is in Cartada。 You have always served Cartada； striven for it。〃 He hesitated； then set down his glass and said； 〃You killed a khalif for my father； can you not at least e home for me？〃
It seemed that with understanding there so often came sadness。 This one was measuring himself； still； against a dead man； just as he had when his father lived。 He would probably do this all his life；