dark balcony one level above the teeming square。
She leaned against the waist…high balustrade and guided him into her from behind。 Alvar was almost convinced by then that something had been put into his wine。 He ought to have been exhausted by this point。
The night breeze was cool。 His skin felt feverish； unnaturally sensitive。 He could see past her； look down upon the crowd。 Music and cries and laughter came up from below and it was as if they were hovering here； their movements almost a part of the dancing； weaving throng in the street。 He had never imagined that lovemaking in such an exposed fashion could be so exhilarating。 It was； though。 He would be a liar to deny it。 He might want to deny many things tomorrow； Alvar thought suddenly； but he was not capable of doing so just now。
〃Only think；〃 she whispered； tilting her head far back to whisper to him。 〃If any of them were to look up 。。。 what they would see。〃
He felt her tug a little on the leash。 He had put it about her； earlier。 It was on him again。 Very much so。 His hands； which had been gripping the balustrade beside her； came up and encircled her small breasts。 A man was playing a five…stringed lute directly below them。 A ring of dancing figures surrounded him。 In the center of the ring a peacock was dancing。 The peacock was Husari ibn Musa。
〃What do you think？〃 Alvar heard； tongue at his ear again； the long neck arched backwards。 So much like a cat。 〃Shall we bring a torch out here and carry on？〃
He thought of Husari looking up； and winced。 But he didn't think he was going to be able to deny this woman anything tonight。 And he knew； without yet having tested the limits of it； that she would refuse him nothing he might ask of her between now and dawn。 He didn't know which thought excited or frightened him more。 What he did know； finally understanding； was that this was the dark； dangerous truth at the heart of the Carnival。 For this one night； all the rules of the circling year were changed。
He drew a long breath before answering her。 He looked up from the crowd below them to the night sky： only the one moon； blue among the stars。
Still within her； moving steadily in their merging rhythms； Alvar looked down again； away from the distant lights in the sky to the nearer ones lit by mortal men and women to chase away the dark。
Across the square； between torches set into the wall of the barracks； he saw Rodrigo Belmonte falling。
He had indeed been sitting at the writing desk； parchment before him； ink and quills； a glass of dark wine at one elbow； trying to think of what more there was to say…of tidings； counsels； apprehensions； need。
He was not the sort of man who could write to his wife about how much he longed to have her in this room with him。 How he would unbind her hair； strand by strand； and slip his arms about her and draw her near； after so long。 Allow his hands to travel； and then； his own clothing gone； how they might 。。。
He could not write these things。 He could think them； however； a kind of punishment。 He could sit alone at night in a high room and listen to the sounds of revelry drifting up through the open window and he could picture Miranda in his mind； and imagine her here now； and feel weak with his desire。
He had made a promise years before； and had renewed it over and again…to her； but more to himself。 He was not the kind of man who broke promises。 He defined himself； in large part； by that。 A man found his honor； Rodrigo Belmonte thought…and his self…respect； and certainly pride…on many different kinds of battlefields。 He was on one； or hovering above one； tonight in Ragosa。 He didn't write that to Miranda； either。
He picked up a quill again and dipped it into the black ink and prepared to resume： something for the boys； he thought； to take his mind from these unsettling channels。
The boys。 Love there； too； sword…sharp； fear and pride as well。 Almost men now。 Too soon。 Riding with him？ Would that be best？ He thought of the old outlaw Tarif ibn Hassan； in that echoing valley。 A cunning； ferocious giant of a man。 He had thought about him often since that day in the Emin ha'Nazar。 Two sons there； as well。 Kept beside him。 Both of them fine men； capable and decent； though the one had lost his leg now； which was a misfortune。 Alive though； thanks to Jehane。 No longer young； either of them。 And neither； it could be seen； would ever break free of the father's wide shade into his own defining sunlight； to cast his own shadow。 Not even after Tarif died。 It could be seen。
Would he do that to Fernan and Diego？
He became aware that he had been holding the pen for a long time over the smooth pale parchment。 Writing nothing。 Chasing thoughts。 The ink had dried。 He laid the quill down again。
There came a knocking at his door。
Later； tracking events backwards； he would realize what had put him…very slightly…on the alert。
He had not heard footsteps。 Any of his own pany e calling…as many of them had promised； or threatened； to do…would have warned him by their noisy progression up the stairs and along the corridor。 The Muwardis were too schooled to silence。 The stillness of the desert； at night under stars。
Even so； it was only a partial warning； because he had been expecting some of the men to e up tonight； with more wine； and stories from the streets。 He'd even been wondering； feeling a little sorry for himself； what was taking them so long。
So he called out an easy greeting； and pushed his chair back； rising to let them in。
And the door burst open。
He had no weapon to hand： his sword and the rancher's whip lay across the room； by the bed where he always left them。 Moving by sheerest instinct； triggered by that half…doubt at the back of his mind； he twisted desperately away from the first flung dagger。 He felt it graze his arm。 In the same wrenching motion he seized and hurled the candle from the desk into the face of the first man into the room。
There were two more behind that one； he had time to see。 The sword was hopeless； he would never get to it。
He heard a cry of pain； but he had already turned。 Hurtling straight over the desk； expecting a knife in his back any moment； Rodrigo Belmonte went out the open window。
The third…floor window。 Much too far above the ground for a man to survive a fall to the street。
He had no intention of falling。
Lain had taught him a trick years and years ago。 Whenever he spent a night in a room well above the ground； whether in castle or palace or barracks hall； Rodrigo would hammer a spike into the wall outside his window and tie a length of rope to that spike。 A way out。 He always wanted a way out。 It had saved his life twice。 Once here in Al…Rassan； with Raimundo in the time of exile； once on the Jalonan campaign。
He gripped the window ledge as he went through； and used that grip to turn his body to where he knew the rope to be。 He let go of the ledge and reached for it。
The rope wasn't there。
Rodrigo fell； knees scraping along the wall。 Even as he plummeted； fighting a blind panic； he realized that they must have scouted the location of his room earlier； while he was out； dining with the pany。 Someone with extremely good eyesight； and equally good with a bow； had shot and severed the coiled rope。
Figuring this out did nothing whatsoever to break his fall。
Something else did： the fact that Lain Nunez…with the privileges of age and rank…had taken the corner room directly below him； and had done the same thing outside his own chamber。
They hadn't bothered to shoot the lower rope。 Hurtling down between moon and torches； Rodrigo reached out as he saw Lain's window rush up towards him and he clutched for…and found…the rope tied to a spike outside it。
It tore through his hands； shredding his palms。 But it held； and he held on at the bottom； though his shoulders were almost pulled from their sockets。 He ended up swinging back and forth between two torches on the barracks wall； one flight above the crowded square。 No one seemed even to have noticed。
Or； no one not actually watching for him from below。
Rodrigo took a knife in the left arm； flung up