按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
e they live freely； and pay half our taxes for us； and buy your stringy meat； even with your fat thumb on the scale！〃 Alvar saw someone smile at that。
〃None of them died on the Day of the Moat！〃 Another voice； harsh as the butcher's。 Alvar felt a movement beside him； then realized he was standing alone。
〃And what；〃 said Ammar ibn Khairan； stepping forward into the sunlight； 〃would have been the point of that？〃 He made a production of sheathing his magnificent sword； giving them time to look at him。
He was known。 Immediately。 Alvar could see it happen。 He saw shock； confusion； fear again； a measure of awe。 Whispers ran backwards like water down a hill。
Ibn Khairan looked out over the crowd in the laneway； taking his time。 〃The last king of Cartada wished to eliminate the leading citizens of this city last year as a message to all of you。 Which man here would name a Kindath as one such？ A leading citizen？ One of the Kindath？ It is；〃 said Ammar ibn Khairan； 〃an amusing thought。〃
〃You were exiled！〃 one brave person shouted。 〃It was proclaimed last summer！〃
〃And revoked this spring；〃 Husari said calmly。 〃The man beside me…I see you know him…has been sent by King Almalik II to take charge of our defense against the rabble from the north。〃
Someone cheered； then more people did。 There was a perceptible brightening of countenances； another shift of mood。 Alvar drew a breath。
〃Why is he here then； why not with the governor？〃
〃With that stuffed pork chop？〃 ibn Khairan said indignantly。
Another ripple of laughter。 The governor would not be well…liked； governors seldom were。 Ammar shook his head。 〃Spare me； please！ I'd far rather be with ibn Bashir's wife； if you want to know the truth。 But if I'm charged with your defense； I can hardly let the city be fired； can I？〃
〃Oh！ Oh！ My heart！ I'm here； my lard！ I'm right here！〃
A woman's hands could be seen waving vigorously； part of the way up the lane。 Ibn Bashir； the butcher； turned to look； his face reddening。 General laughter now。
〃You do know；〃 Ammar said gravely； as the amusement subsided； 〃that the Muwardis are ing here even as we speak。 They have orders to quell any disturbance。 I'm afraid my control over them is not perfect yet。 I have just arrived。 I do not want anyone killed here this afternoon。 It might spoil my pleasure in what I have planned for tonight。〃 He grinned slyly。
〃Here； my lord！ Why wait for tonight？〃 A different woman this time。 And suddenly there were more than a dozen waving hands and imploring female voices through the crowd。
Ibn Khairan threw his head back and laughed aloud。 〃I am honored；〃 he said； 〃and exhausted by the very thought。〃 A ripple of amusement again； a further softening of mood。 The westering sun left most of the lane in shadow now。
Ibn Khairan's tone changed。 〃Good people； go to your homes before the veiled ones e。 Put out your torches。 We must not do the Jaddites' work for them。 Our walls are strong； the king of Cartada has sent me to you and others are ing even now。 We have food and water in plenty and the Valledans are far from their homes in a land they do not know。 We need only fear weakness in ourselves； or folly。 This gathering has been folly。 It is time to go home。 See； the sun is setting； the prayer bells will be ringing soon。 It is a good evening for prayer； my friends； an evening to be as pure as we can be； in the sight of Ashar and beneath his stars when they appear。〃
The beautiful voice had bee lyric； cadenced； soothing。 He was a poet； Alvar remembered。 Jehane had told him once that ibn Khairan still thought of himself as such； over and above anything else。
The crowd in the laneway seemed to have been lulled。 Alvar saw one of the men holding a spear with a severed head look up at what he carried； and he saw repugnance and dismay cross the man's features。 These were frightened people； not evil ones。 Leaderless and under assault； they had turned to the nearest； most accessible targets to purge their own terror。 It seemed that the presence of a strong clear voice before them had blunted the edge of that。
It ought to have。
It might indeed have done so； but Ammar ibn Khairan had only been seen and heard by the leading edge of that mob and the Kindath Quarter of Fezana had been designed to keep the Kindath in at night； not to protect them in any real way。
It was not particularly hard to penetrate through means other than the gates of the entrance。 A few makeshift ladders； broken windows in the outer houses and someone angry and determined enough could be right in among the treacherous； child…killing…
〃Fire！〃
The wild shout came from one of the guards on the platform behind them。 Alvar wheeled； saw black smoke。 Heard a child cry from inside the Quarter； and then the screaming began。 Fire was the purest terror。 Fire destroyed cities。
He slung his shield on his back； took three quick； running steps towards the gates； and leaped。 One of the guards reached down a hand； gripped Alvar's wrist； and pulled him up。 Ammar was right beside him； and Husari too； more agile than he had ever been in his life。
Ibn Khairan turned back to the suddenly agitated crowd in the lane。 〃To your homes！〃 he shouted； hard authority in his voice now。 〃I will order the Muwardis to kill any man or woman who enters this Quarter。 We cannot have the city burn！〃
It was burning； though； and people would already be dying in the Kindath Quarter。 Alvar didn't wait to see what happened in front of the gates。 He jumped down from the platform； out of the last sunlight of the day。 He stumbled and fell on the cobblestones； rose up and drew his sword。
How do you put out fires when attackers； crazed with hatred and fear； are spilling into your streets and killing you？ One of those questions； Alvar thought； sprinting towards the smoke and the screaming； for which there were no answers： only the swirling images of nightmare。
The Kindath were streaming towards a part of the Quarter where the twin domes of the sanctuary could be seen。 All the twisting； narrow streets seemed to lead that way。 The fires had started in the houses nearest the streets beyond the gate。 The Asharites had penetrated through outer windows and torched the homes through which they passed。
Even as he ran； cutting against the flow of running people； Alvar saw an Asharite with a sickle chop at the legs of a running boy。 The wickedly honed blade sheared through the child's legs as if they were stalks of grain。 The boy went down in blood； screaming。 Alvar veered over； not breaking stride and； shouting incoherently； brought his sword down with all his strength； killing the man who had done that thing。
Half a dozen Asharites stopped dead in their tracks just ahead of him。 He must look like a wild man； Alvar realized； their faces registered gaping apprehension。 It was one thing to pursue unarmed children； another to be confronted by a man wielding a sword； with that look in his eyes。
〃Are you all mad！〃 It was Husari； running up； screaming at his fellow citizens。 〃Fezana is on fire！ Get water！ Now！ We will destroy our own city！〃
〃We will destroy the Kindath！〃 someone shouted back。 〃Then we will deal with flames。 It is the holy work of Ashar we do！〃
〃It is the work of evil！〃 Husari screamed； his face distorted with pain and grief。 And then Alvar saw him step forward and thrust his sword into the belly of the man he addressed。 Instinctively； Alvar advanced； covering Husari with his shield。 The Asharites in front of them retreated。
〃Go！〃 screamed Husari； his voice raw。 〃Or if you stay； get water； now！ We give our city to the Horsemen if this goes on！〃
Alvar looked back over his shoulder。 Kindath men and women were running past； some of the men had turned to make a stand where the tangle of streets reached a square。 It was hard to make sense of the chaos in the half…light and the black； blowing smoke。
Even as he watched another house went up in a red sheet of flame。 There was screaming everywhere。 He had a sudden； appalling memory of Orvilla last summer。 This was worse。 This was a city； with houses almost all of wood； and if one part of it caught the whole of Fezana might burn。 They had to get out。
He had lost sight of ibn Khairan； and had no idea where Jehane and her family home might be。 Husari would know。 He seized his friend's shoulder。 〃e on！〃 he shouted over the crashing and the screams。 〃Have to find Jehane！〃
Husari turned； stumbling over the body of the man he'd killed。 He seemed dazed； aghast； he carried his sword as if he didn't even know what it was any more。 There were flames at the head of this lane now。 Already。 Alvar； gripping Husari by the arm； turned back。 His eyes were stinging from the smoke。
In a doorway across the street he saw a girl with a wooden staff facing a pair of men armed with knives。 A small boy clutched at the girl's legs from behind。 He was crying desperately。 The house was on fire above them。 The men with knives were laughing。
It was the laughter that took Alvar past his own breaking point。 Before he was aware of forming the thought； he had released Husari and was running。
Too many people in between。 A thronged；