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blind； Idar knew； the moment they entered the shadows where the steep slopes hid the sun。 They were making a terrible mistake。 It was time to make them pay for that。
His was one of the first arrows。 He launched another； and a third； then he started running and sliding down the slope to where Jaddites and their horses were screaming now in the pits that had been dug； hurled upon each other in a mangling of limbs； falling on the sharp spears planted in the cold ground for killing。
Fast as he moved； Idar saw that his father was ahead of him。
Jehane had been affronted at first by Rodrigo's suggestion； then amused； and finally inspired to inventiveness。 In the midst of the exercise she discovered that it was unexpectedly stimulating to be crying aloud in feverish； explicit desire for the whole of the valley below them to hear。
The two men beside her were nearly convulsed in silent hilarity as she offered increasingly flamboyant variations on the theme of her anguished physical yearning…as Queen Fruela of Jalona…for the golden…haired count who had e to claim the paras from Fibaz。 She had to concede that it was partly her pleasure at their helpless mirth； their unstinting approval of her performance； that led her on to wilder flights of suggestive fantasy。
They were high on the eastern slopes of the hills that ringed the valley bowl of Emin ha'Nazar； the well…known Place of Many Voices。 Well…known； that is； save to the Jaddites who had entered the valley this morning。 Even Rodrigo hadn't heard of the place before today； but ibn Khairan had not only known of it； he had anticipated that this might be the place where a trap would be laid for the gold of Fibaz。
The Emin ha'Nazar was known for more than echoes。 Among the ghostly voices said to resonate in the valley at night were those of men slain here in battles going back for centuries。
The first such encounter had involved Jaddites as well； in the great wave of the Khalifate's initial expansion； when the boundary between Ashar and Jad had been pushed as far north as it was ever to go。 Where it remained now； in fact； just south of the River Duric and the mountains that screened Jalona。
That savage long…ago campaign had begun…in the endless paradox of things…the centuries…long splendor of Al…Rassan。 A brilliant succession of khalifs in the growing Al…Fontina of Silvenes had chosen to name themselves for what they achieved in war： The Conqueror； The Destroyer； Sword of the Star…born； Scourge of the Unbelievers。
They had been those things； there was no hubris in the naming。 Those khalifs and their armies； following upon the first reckless； astonishingly successful thrust northward across the straits from the Majriti more than three hundred years ago； had carved and hewed a glorious realm in this peninsula； driving the Esperanans into the farthest north； raiding them twice a year for gold and grain and slaves； and for the sheer pleasure and great glory of doing so in Ashar's ever…bright name。
It had been called a Golden Age。
Jehane supposed that； as such things were measured； it had been。 For the Kindath； treading lightly at all times； the expanding world of the khalifs had offered a measure of peace and fragile security。 They paid the heretics' tax； as did the Jaddites who dwelt in Al…Rassan； they were to worship the god and his sisters in their fashion only behind closed doors； they were to wear blue and white clothing only； as stipulated in Ashar's Laws。 They were forbidden to ride horses； to have intimate congress with Believers； to build the roofs of their sanctuaries higher than any temple of the Asharites in the same city or town 。。。 there were rules and laws that enclosed them； but there was a life to be found； and the enforcement of laws varied widely through the passing centuries。
A Golden Age。 Now gone。 The moons waxed and the moons waned。 Silvenes was fallen； the petty…kings bristled and sparred against each other。 And now the Jaddites were ing south again； on the magnificent horses they bred in the north。 Valledo claimed tribute from Fezana。 Ruenda was making overtures towards Salos and the towns north of it along the coast； and here now； below them in this valley； was the first parias party from Jalona； e to share in the banquet； to bring Fibaz gold back to King Bermudo in his drafty castle in Eschalou。
If they could。
High on the slopes above the valley； Jehane lifted her voice again and cried out in Esperanan； in a tone she hoped would convey uncontrollable desire：
〃Nino； my golden king； it is Fruela！ I am afire for you！〃
Screened behind cedar and pine； they saw the young Jaddite mander look up again。 He hesitated； then clapped his helmet back on his head。
〃That's it；〃 said Rodrigo softly。 He had stopped laughing。 〃I think you've done it； Jehane。〃
〃He's calling back the party he sent up here；〃 Ammar said； also quietly。
〃What have I done？〃 Jehane asked； careful to whisper now。 Neither of them had yet bothered to explain。 They had simply asked her to e up here and pretend to be helpless with desire。 It had seemed amusing at the time。
〃Goaded him；〃 Rodrigo murmured； not taking his eyes from the valley below。 The Horsemen were beginning to move； shifting alignment； turning north。 〃Nino di Carrera is vain but not a fool。 He had outriders ahead and behind。 Given a calm space in which to think he would do the intelligent thing and double back。 You've been taking space and calm away from him。 He is not thinking properly because he is humiliated and angry。〃
〃He is dead；〃 said Ammar ibn Khairan flatly。 He； too； had never stopped scanning the valley。 〃Look what they're doing。〃
The Jaddites had begun to ride； Jehane saw。 High up among the trees in the wind she heard their voices lift in cries of menace and exaltation。 Their massed formation looked terrifying to her。 The huge thundering of hooves carried up to where they watched。 She saw Nino di Carrera lead his pany into the shadows at the valley's end and she lost them there。
〃Too fast；〃 said Rodrigo。
〃Much。 There will be a spear pit where the canyon bends；〃 Ammar said grimly。
〃And arrows as the horses pile up。〃
〃Of course。 Messy。〃
〃It works；〃 said Rodrigo。
A moment later Jehane heard the screaming begin。
The two men looked at each other。 They had shaped events to achieve exactly this； Jehane understood that much。 What they were striving towards； she did not yet know。 There were deaths involved； though； she could hear men dying。
〃First part done；〃 Ammar said calmly。 〃We ought to go down。〃
She looked from him to Rodrigo； who had been the one to suggest the performance as Queen Fruela。 〃You aren't going to explain this； are you？〃
〃Later； Jehane； I promise；〃 Rodrigo said。 〃No leisure now。 We need our own swords to be ready； and then a doctor's labors； I fear。〃
〃There's Lain already；〃 ibn Khairan said； pointing to the other end of the valley bowl。 Jehane saw their own men ing up from the south towards the shadows where the Jalonans had disappeared。
〃Of course；〃 Rodrigo said。 She detected a note of placency。 〃He knows how to do this。 What do you think we are？〃
Ammar grinned at that； the white teeth flashing。 〃Valiant Horsemen of Jad；〃 he said。 〃The same as the ones being butchered down below。〃
〃Not quite；〃 Rodrigo replied； refusing to be baited。 〃Not quite the same。 You'll see。 e on； Jehane。 Can you control your smoldering enough to get down from here？〃
She would have hit him with something； but by then the sounds of men and their horses in the darkness beyond the north end of the valley were appalling and she followed her two panions down in silence。
〃We kill anyone who es out from the defile；〃 Lain Nunez said flatly when he gave the mand to ride。 〃No surrender accepted。 Treat both parties as enemies。 We are seriously outnumbered here。〃
Alvar was intimidated by the grimness in the old warrior's face as he gave his orders。 It was no secret that Lain had always thought this intricate； many…layered plan to be foolish and unworkable。 But with Mazur ben Avren in Ragosa； Ser Rodrigo and Ammar ibn Khairan all vying to outdo each other in subtlety the