； against a dead man； just as he had when his father lived。 He would probably do this all his life； whether long or short。 Testing。 paring allotments of love。 Demanding to be cared for as much； and more。
It occurred to ibn Khairan； for the first time； to wonder how the young king had reacted to the lament Ammar had written for his father。 Where lesser beasts now gather 。。。 He also realized； in that same moment； that Zabira had been right： 'Malik would not have suffered the concubine who had loved his father to live。
〃I don't know；〃 he said； answering the question。 〃I do not know where my place is now。〃
Somewhere inside him though； even as he spoke those words； a voice was saying： This is a lie； though once it might have been true。 There is something new。 The world can change； so can you。 The world has changed。 And in his mind； amazingly； he could hear her name； as if in the sound of bells。 There was a momentary wonder that no one else in the room seemed to notice this。
He went on； straining to concentrate。 〃May I take it that this visit is intended to convey a rescinding of my exile and an invitation to return to my position？〃
He made his words deliberately formal； to pull them back from the raw place where the king's question had taken them。 Can you not e home for me？
The young king opened his mouth and closed it。 There was hurt in his eyes。 He said； stiffly； 〃You may take it as such。〃
〃What position； precisely？〃
Another hesitation。 Almalik had not been prepared for a negotiating session。 That was fine。 Ammar had not been prepared for any of this。
〃Chancellor of Cartada。 Of course。〃
Ibn Khairan nodded。 〃And your formally declared successor； pending marriage and legitimate heirs？〃 The thought…monstrous thought！…had only e to him in this moment。
One of the Muwardis shifted by the fireplace。 Ibn Khairan turned and looked at him。 The man's eyes locked on his this time； black with hatred。 Ammar smiled affably and drank slowly from his glass without looking away。
Almalik II of Cartada said； softly； 〃Is this your condition； Ammar？ Is it wise？〃
Of course it wasn't wise。 It was sheerest folly。
〃I doubt it；〃 ibn Khairan said carelessly。 〃Leave that in reserve。 Have you begun negotiations for a marriage？〃
〃Some overtures have been made to us； yes。〃 Almalik's tone was awkward。
〃You had best accept one of them soon。 Killing children is less useful than begetting them。 What have you done about Valledo？〃
The king picked up his glass again and drained it before answering。 〃I am receiving useless advice； Ammar。 They agonize； they wring their hands。 They advise doubling the parias； then delaying it； then refusing it！ I took some measures of my own to stir up Ruenda and we have a man there； do you remember him？〃
〃Centuro d'Arrosa。 Your father bought him years ago。 What of him？〃
〃I instructed him to do whatever he had to do to cause a mortal breach between Ruenda and Valledo。 You know they were all to be meeting this spring。 They may have done so by now。〃
Thoughtfully； ibn Khairan said； 〃King Ramiro doesn't need his brother's aid to menace you。〃
〃No； but what if he is induced to ride against Ruenda； instead of against me？〃 Almalik's expression was that of a schoolboy who thinks he has passed a test。
〃What have you done？〃
King Almalik smiled。 〃Is it my loyal chancellor who asks？〃
After a moment； ibn Khairan returned the smile。 〃Fair enough。 What about Fezana itself； then？ Defenses？〃
〃As best we can。 Food storage for half a year。 Some of the walls repaired； though money is an issue； as you will know。 The additional soldiers in the new wing of the castle。 I have allowed the wadjis to stir up anger against the Kindath。〃
Ammar felt a coldness as if a wind had e into the room。 A woman was hearing this； out on the balcony。
〃Why that？〃 he asked； very quietly。
Almalik shrugged。 〃My father used to do the same thing。 The wadjis need to be kept happy。 They inspire the people。 In a siege that will matter。 And if they 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