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  “There’s danger ahead, friend. We must abandon this carriage.”

  His eyes narrowed, but before he could answer, Jewel screeched behind me, “What the devil are you talking about?”

  I ignored her. “Come,” I said to him, “we don’t have much time!”

  He shook his head. “I see no danger—”

  Faddy whispered in my ear, “Go now!”

  The carriage had slowed enough. I tossed my special lockbox out the side of the wagon. It landed in the sand and rolled. Next, I grabbed Jewel’s arm. “Jump out with me. Now!” I plunged out, hauling her along with me.

  We landed and rolled in the sand. At another time I would really have noticed the way her soft body jammed against mine, but at the moment I was trying to see that she suffered no injury.

  The driver got control of the horses, who seemed no longer distracted, and the coach accelerated. The driver looked back, no doubt wondering where his passengers had disappeared to.

  “Of all the ridiculous stunts!” she expostulated as we got back on our feet. She remained beautiful even when disheveled, maybe even more so, as more of her body showed. “You didn’t need to do this to get me alone! We were alone in the coach.”

  “Get under cover,” I said tersely, hauling her to a nearby copse. “And be silent.”

  She obeyed with ill grace. We settled in the copse, looking out at the coach that was now leaving us well behind.

  Nearby, I saw my valuable travel chest, resting in some scraggly brush. For now, I let it be.

  Four horsemen converged on the vehicle. In moments they cut the coachman down and left him bleeding in the sand. Then they ripped open the coach doorway. Even from the distance their curses were audible as they discovered it was empty.

  “Now I trust you,” Jewel said.

  Chapter Three

  “What do we do?” asked Jewel.

  I brought my fingers to my lips, shushing her. The soldiers were examining the coach carefully. They ignored the bleeding driver, heedless of his misery. Thus far, we had not been spotted, but it would only be a matter of time. After all, there was a nice deep trail leading through the sand and directly towards us. The copse itself was small and offered little opportunity for concealment.

  One of the men shouted at the moaning driver, no doubt demanding to know where we had gone. The driver, to his credit, appeared not to answer, although it was hard to tell from this distance. Or perhaps he was dead. The guard shouted again and drew his sword. He pointed it down at the driver’s neck.

  “You there, Faddy?” I asked, subvocalizing my words.

  “Always, master.”

  “You can quit calling me master.”

  “Do you really want to get into this now, master?”

  “No,” I said. “Cause a distraction. Quick. I do not want to see this driver perish.”

  “But the driver did not heed your warning.”

  “Just do it.”

  “As you wish,” said Faddy, followed a moment later by a barley audible, “Master.”

  “Did you say something?” asked Jewel.

  “No,” I said. “Did you?”

  “No, but I thought I heard something—never mind. They’re going to kill Jabeer. I can’t look.”

  “Hurry!” I whispered to Faddy.

  As the guard raised his curved scimitar, its polished steel catching some of the intense afternoon sun, there came a loud shout from the distant mountains. The shout, amazingly, sounded much like me. Faddy never ceased to amaze. Another shout followed, one that sounded much like Jewel. Both voices echoed over the desert.

  One of the soldiers pointed, and immediately the driver was forgotten. In haste, the soldiers mounted their horses, and turned toward the distant voices. They disappeared a moment later, kicking up a billowing cloud of dust as they cut through the desert and far away from us.

  Jewel was staring at me. She had heard the voices, too, of course. My voice and her own voice.

  “What the devil is going on?” she asked.

  “I’ll explain later,” I said, reaching down for her hand. She took mine and I hauled her to her feet. Perhaps a little too roughly. She stumbled forward and into me. I held her briefly, my hand at the small of her back. I gave her a lopsided grin. “Come,” I said. “Your driver needs our help.”

  I retrieved my wooden lockbox—which had survived the tumble unscathed, as I knew it would—and we made our way back up the sandy slope and to the road.

  Without shade, the sun was merciless. Heatwaves rose up from the hard-packed road, and I had long ago broken out in a pouring sweat, which soaked through my tunic. I glanced over at Jewel. There might have been a slight gleam of sweat on her upper lip.

  In the far distance, I could mark the soldier’s path from the rising dust plumes. They were much too far away to see us. And besides, every now and then, I could hear Faddy leading them further and further away. Allah bless Faddy.

  As we approached the coach, I could hear the driver’s faint moans, which seemed to agitate the two powerful, Arabian horses. I picked up my pace and was soon by the driver’s side. I set aside my chest and examined the man’s wounds. Not good. My best guess was that he would die within a day. But he would not die alone in this heat.

  As I examined him, his dazed eyes searched my face. He opened his mouth to speak and blood spilled out. “How...how did you know?” he asked.

  “Don’t talk now, old man. You’re going to need your strength.”

  “I should have—”

  I winked at him. “Shush, and yes you should have.”

  I tore off a long stretch of his dust-covered robe and did my best to dress his wound. Blood quickly soaked through the bandage, but it would have to do.

  “You seem to have all the answers,” Jewel said to me, as she knelt down to examine the wounded man. As she did so, she laid her hand tenderly on his tear-streaked cheek, and he responded with a weak smile. “You will be fine, Jabeer,” she said to him.

  He actually laughed, and as he did, more blood dribbled out of the corner of his mouth. “You are a fine liar, my lady.”

  She looked at me sharply, her almond-shaped eyes dark and challenging, and about as beautiful as anything I had ever seen. That thought, of course, pulled at my heartstrings, and I immediately felt guilty. “So what do we do now, Mr. Answer Man?” she asked.

  I did not need Faddy to tell me the main road to Samarkand was unsafe. Her ex-husband, whoever he was, was surely a powerful man with many available resources. As we stood there in the hot sun, as the horses whinnied and pawed at the ground, and as a man lay dying at my feet, I knew what we had to do, and I didn’t like it.

  “We need to get off the main road. The soldiers will be back, especially once they realize they have been duped.”

  “Duped? What the devil are you talking about? Wait, let me guess. You’ll explain later.”

  I winked. “Now you’re catching on,” I said.

  I unhitched the horses and spent some time securing what little valuables we had; or, rather, securing what little valuables we absolutely needed. Jewel protested over the exclusion of most of her wardrobe and accessories, but I ignored her protests, which seemed to infuriate her. Jabeer himself was absolutely adamant that his own small satchel be included, which included an elaborate bedroll. I was about to ignore him, too, but he became so insistent that I grudgingly acquiesced and found a spot for his belongings.

  Once I had the horses ready for travel, Jewel and I carefully heaved the wounded man onto a horse. Once on, I leaped up behind him and held him in place. If the added wight bothered the great Arabian horse, he did not show it. Jewel followed suit on her own mount, and I led the way back down the steep sandy slope.

  “Where are we going?” Jewel called out to me.

  “There’s another way,” I said, “one that will lead us to Samarkand.”

  Jabeer actually turned his head and looked back at me, fear in his dark eyes. “No,” he whispered.

&nb
sp; He, of course, would have known of the road, which, for all intents and purposes, wasn’t much of a road at all. It was an ancient trail that led through the heart of what some claim were enchanted mountains. Enchanted, or cursed, depending on who you spoke with. Still, most people were in agreement of one thing: Only the most foolish ventured upon it. And those who did were seldom seen alive again. That is, of course, if you believed in such fantastical tales.

  I didn’t. Besides, I had a few tricks up my own sleeve.

  I patted Jabeer lightly on his stooped shoulder. “Don’t look so nervous, old man.”

  “Please, this isn’t wise.”

  “I would have to agree, master,” said Faddy in my ear.

  “Is there another way?” I sub-vocalized.

  The djinn paused before answering. “As of now, no.”

  “Rest now, my friend. I may need you later.”

  “Of that, I have no doubt, master.”

  “And quit calling me master.”

  “Yes, master.”

  At the bottom of the slope, I turned my mount to the east, toward a great chain of shimmering mountains, and as as we cut across the sun-baked earth, two vultures slowly circled above.

  I did my best to ignore them.

  Chapter Four

  The pace was slow, because the horses were overloaded and not trained for riding; they were carriage haulers. I knew that our chances of reaching the mountains before the raiders caught up to us were next to nil.

  Jewel knew it too. “Those ruffians won’t be distracted long. Then they’ll orient on our trail and catch us within the hour.”

  “They will,” I agreed grimly.

  “You have planned for this contingency?”

  “Naturally,” I agreed, cudgeling my balky mind for some viable plan. I knew the raiders would not be fooled by spot diversions again.

  “Why is Jabeer so alarmed?”

  “Must be delirium from the fever of his wounds.”

  Jabeer, not completely out of it, made a weak chuckle. He knew he would soon be dead regardless, so he could be halfway objective. He was concerned about the risk to Jewel, not himself.

  “It’s a good thing I have confidence in you, Niddala,” she said ironically.

  I touched my ring. Faddy responded immediately, as was his wont. “Master.”

  “Is there any cover we can reach within the hour?”

  “Just a dried up oasis. No food or water there, just rocks and bones. Some think it’s haunted.”

  “Is it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Where?”

  “East south east from here.”

  “Thanks, Faddy. Begone.”

  “Master, those haunts are weak. They won’t stop the raiders.”

  “Are you getting deaf in your senility? I said Begone.”

  “...and obey, master,” he said disapprovingly, and was gone.

  “You have a djinn!” Jabeer said.

  “Just a no-account ifrit, bottom tier. He can’t do much except spy and some illusion. But I like him.”

  “He can’t stop the raiders.”

  “He can’t stop the raiders,” I agreed. “But I have tricks of my own. Now stop wasting your energy talking to me.”

  “I’m done for anyway.”

  “Probably,” I agreed. “But if we make the mountains, there may be healing elixir.”

  “Along with dragons, curses, and worse.”

  I shrugged. “One has to take the ill with the good.”

  “You’re an utter fool,” he said admiringly. “No wonder Jewel likes you.”

  “She’d as soon gut me as kiss me.”

  “True. But most men in her mind rate only the gutting. Still, don’t push your luck.”

  “I’m hired help. I have no ideas about her.”

  “And you’re a liar too. If you’re a man, you have ideas about her.”

  “Oh? You too?”

  “I served as her hired driver before her ass of a husband dumped her and framed her. She never noticed me, but I used to dream what it would be like with her in bed before she threatened to gut me. Might have been worth it.”

  “Might be,” I agreed.

  He sank into troubled slumber. It had been an interesting dialogue.

  We reached the oasis. It was exactly as Faddy had described. Dead trees, deserted stone huts, a low spot where there had once been a spring, and bones.

  “Rest yourself,” I told Jewel. “We’re bound to have company soon.” I dismounted and helped Jabeer half-fall off. I got him settled in the shade of a tumbled wall.

  “I’ll tend to Jabeer,” she said.

  “Be kind to him. He’s not long for the mortal realm.”

  “I know.” She took the man’s hand and kissed it. “You have been a good and faithful servant,” she told him.

  Jabeer was dying, but he seemed to glow. I liked her better for her consideration. She wasn’t all hell cat.

  “Cover him and yourself,” I told her. “Stay out of sight. I will need to be unfettered.”

  She glanced at me and nodded. She unrolled Jabeer’s blanket and spread it over him.

  “No,” he protested weakly.

  “Don’t argue with me or I’ll kiss more than your hand.”

  “You don’t understand. That carpet—”

  She knelt down and kissed his sallow cheek. He shut up. He might be heading for hell, but he was halfway to heaven at the moment. She was giving him a proper send-off.

  I moved to another section and gathered a pile of stones, sticks, and bones. My pride was the thighbone of a camel, a really solid instrument. I know our chances were small, but if things worked out even halfway decently, I would get us through this crisis.

  The horsemen did not keep us waiting long. “Master, they come,” Faddy whispered.

  “Stay out of this,” I said. “They aren’t going to fall for any of your illusions this time. It’s purely up to me. If I get taken out, do what you can for Jewel and Jabeer.”

  “Hear and obey,” he agreed sadly.

  The raiders spotted me, which wasn’t surprising because I was standing up and waving to them. But they were professionally cautious, having been fooled before. My beckoning figure could be an illusion to cover our retreat. They spread out so as to check other parts of the oasis simultaneously, and one hung back so as to spot anyone who tried to sneak out. They knew what they were doing.

  But they hadn’t come up against Aladdin before. They had a lesson coming.

  My horseman charged in, scimitar lifted. I stood my ground. When he got within range, I hurled my first rock. It missed to the right. By Allah the Magnificent! I was out of practice. I cast the second stone. It missed to the left. Seeing that, the man let out a guffaw.

  My third missile caught him on the chest. It surely stung, but did no real damage. Curse again! I had aimed for the neck, where it would crush his larynx and stop his breathing.

  Now assured that I was little if any threat to him, he ran his horse directly at me, trying to knock me down. But I had had experience with horses. I stepped aside at the last instant, leaped up, and smacked him across his ugly face with the big solid leg bone. He toppled backward off his mount and landed hard on his scrawny little rear.

  I was on him before he could get to his feet, bashing him again with the bone. I felt his skull crack as I laid into it. He was out before he even emitted a productive curse.

  I picked up the fallen scimitar and hefted it. It was a good weapon, well balanced, with a sharp edge. Good enough.

  “You did it!” Jewel called, evidently relieved.

  “Stay clear, woman. It’s not yet over.”

  Now two more raiders headed for me, having seen the fate of their companion. They aligned their steeds and came at me as a pair, spaced just far enough apart so that I could not swing my weapon at both together. I might get one, but the other would get me. Evidently they had had experience with armed pedestrians. They were not common ruffians, but trained wa
rriors. But had they been trained enough?

  Time for the second lesson. I showed no fear and made no effort to flee. I stood unmoving, holding my scimitar before me as if to ward them off. That stance should have suggested caution. Like fools, they did not heed it.

  The two horses bore down on me like juggernauts, ready to knock me down and trample me without breaking stride. Just as they seemed about to strike me, I made a kind of hissing whistling sound.

  Both horses reared back, throwing off their riders and galloping away, terrified.

  I went for the nearer man, but he was already on his feet with his scimitar raised, and the other was close behind. Smite me for an infidel! I had hoped to see at least one incapacitated. Only a fool would take on two together.

  “I have the second,” Jewel called, sweeping in to join the fray.

  I opened my mouth, but it was too late to warn her back. She wanted to help me fight? Utter folly! The second man would not kill her outright; he would merely knock her out, bind her, and make his best effort to rape her to death. I had sought to spare her that.

  But at the moment I had to focus on my own man. Our scimitars crossed, and I knew immediately that he was no amateur. He attacked me with precision, not leaving himself open to a countersweep.

  But I had been trained by the best. I played dumb, backing off, barely fending off his cuts, seeming to tire. Then, just as he thought to finish me off, he got careless. There was my opening.

  In a moment his head was rolling on the ground, his body still standing.

  I turned immediately to tackle the second. But he was already down in a pool of blood. Jewel was putting her robe back on; I caught only a glimpse of phenomenal breasts. I realized that she had flung her robe off, bracing the man naked, stepping into him with seeming eagerness, and gutted him before he even knew she carried a knife. She had a body to die for, literally.

  “Good job,” I told her gruffly.

  “Thank you. You too. I did not know you were a swordsman.”

  “You didn’t ask.”

  “What made those horses spook?”

  “Little trick I developed long ago. I emulated the whistle of an annoyed basilisk. Few men recognize it, as they are normally dead seconds after they hear it, but horses know it. They knew they would die if they stepped on it. They acted instinctively.”