"Iridor has risen?" Ana asked carefully. She must not betray anything she knew.

"I don't know. I am told it is all playing out very differently this time. I know only what I am permitted. Perhaps it is the same for you?" Ana said nothing and Arafanz continued. "But I want to assure you that I am not your enemy, even though it may seem that way." He bent to pick up the clay pieces of her goblet. "Can I pour you another?"

She shook her head. Her anger had fled, had been replaced with confusion and no little despair.

"Then at least share some supper with me. I am your protector."

Ana didn't want to mention that she already had one of those. One she loved with all her heart. "You have a funny way of showing it. Why did you leave me to rot in that room?"

"I have been away. That room kept you safe. Away from prying eyes and also away from temptation."

She gave a mirthless burst of a laugh. "Temptation? In my condition?"

"I didn't mean you. You are the only woman in this fortress. I believe that men, no matter how firm their resolve, can be undone by a woman."

"So, for all your claims of loyalty, your men would undermine you in a blink if I offered my affections?" she baited.

He regarded her sadly. "Some might, others would. Men think they have power but it is not always so. It's women, I fear, who hold the ultimate power. Power over our bodies, power over our seed and what becomes of it, power over our hearts and souls. Another reason why Lyana is right to be our god. This morning's demonstration was important to impress upon you that we are serious in our intention and that these men are loyal to their cause. I think I ordered it as much for their sake as yours. They needed to be reminded that our cause and our lives beyond the fleshly ones of this existence are more important."

Ana shook her head, disbelief in her expression. "You've stolen me from my people. The deaths haven't impressed anything upon me save your cruelty. Don't you think I realize how serious you are?"

"No. Until this morning you had no reason to fear me, or my men, as much as you fear us now. Now you know that nothing earthly can stop us. We are committed to Lyana's cause. She will prevail this time. Not only Maliz but the followers of Zarab will die."

"Lazar will stop you," she warned, unable to help herself.

Arafanz nodded. "He will try. And how sad it is that he and we are working toward the same cause."

"Lazar works only for Zar Boaz and the good of Percheron. He does not share your crusade."

"Not knowingly perhaps, but he shares the same ideals; he admires Lyana. If he were with us right now, he might well see the sense in what I am proposing."

"Never! He would never be disloyal to the royals, and he will protect Boaz to the death. For all your spying, you don't seem to know the Spur all that well if you think he would ever condone senseless murder of any Perchereseor anyone, for that matter."

"Then, alas, he will die too. But let us stop this talk of death, Ana. You are what...? Perhaps nearing three moons with child? I am informed you became pregnant the first time you lay with your Zar." Ana felt herself blush at both his knowledge and his candor. "We have up to another six moons together before anything can happen. You are my guest and your welfare is my concern."

"I want nothing from you," she said as coldly as she could.

"We shall see," Arafanz said, summoning one of his hooded men. "Now, let me organize some food. You carry the most important life in all of Percheron in your belly, and if you won't eat for yourself, I insist you eat for him."

"How can you be so sure my child is male."

"Ellyana told me."

Maliz, the demon who hid beneath the facade of Grand Vizier Tariq, couldn't really have cared less about the petty mortal war that was certainly coming, but recently he had decided that his next body would be that of Boaz. And so preserving the life of the present Zar and perhaps even his delectable harem, was of some concern.

The Zar's invitation to sup together had eventuated and now Boaz leaned back against silken cushions. They had begun eating very late, although Maliz noticed the Zar hardly touched his food.

Boaz reached for a fig, nibbled on it. "Have you heard that the Valide is bringing the Spur into the palace? She's determined to ensure his return to good health."

"Yes, my Zar, I'd been informed," the Grand Vizier replied, his own supper appetite still not sated even after a plate of rice blended with chicken and vegetables, a pyramid of lamb cubes on skewers crusted with herbs and cooked over an open flame, and the jug of the fermented mare's milk he habitually took with his evening repast. He ladled some thick meaty soup into a bowl. "You are not eating much, Highness."

"Forgive me. I am not hungry tonight."

Maliz thought that Boaz had likely not been hungry since he first heard of what had unfolded in the desert. "You must keep yourself nourished, Majesty. You health is now more important than ever and you look extremely thin." He had no intention of inhabiting a frail Zar's body if it could be helped.

Boaz nodded, distracted. He put the uneaten fig aside and took a draft of watered wine instead. "I'm going to send a party into the desert to find Zaradine Ana."

"I assumed you would, Highness. In fact, I'm more surprised at your patience."

"I've had to be patient, for I can't find her without Lazar and he has not been well enough to have anything close to a discussion with. But I'm hoping my mother's efforts will return his vitality."

"So you're sending him back into the desert?"

"I plan to."

"What about the Galinsean invasion? Do you not think the Spur is best left in the city once he's well?"

"If my wife is carrying Percheron's heir, I think that child is more important to our future than any of us realize."

"I don't agree, my Zar," Maliz cautioned, his interest in the soup forgotten. He could not risk Boaz being so uncaring of his people's livesall Zarab worshippersor especially of his own. "Ana, lovely though she is, is but one of your women. You have several dozen, of which at least thirty must be ready for bedding. Get more of these girls with childstart tonight, Majestysire ten new sons upon them, and if need be, secure them somewhere outside of Percheron. The royal line must be preserved, I agree, but you are in a position to do so now without compromising the realm's security. We need Lazar here, my Zar." He held Boaz's gaze steadily.

Boaz regarded his Grand Vizier with a cool stare. "Perhaps I haven't made myself clear, Tariq. It is only the heir in Ana's belly in which I'm interested."

This intrigued Maliz. He knew Boaz was fascinated by his new Zaradine but he hadn't realized that the young Zar was so smitten that he had ruled out any other relationship and even other heirs by another wife. Despite his exasperation with the young ruler, he responded calmly. "But, my Zar, you had her executed no fewer than four moons ago. If not for Spur Lazar's theatrics, she would certainly have succumbed."

"That was then, when she was neither my Zaradine nor the carrier of my heir. She was merely an odalisqueand may I remind you that it was not I who called for her death. The harem, as you know, has its own rules and internal politics. In these matters of punishment I have little say. My only role in that whole sorry affair was to make the pronouncement of her deathand I can assure you that did not please me. In fact, it sickened me."

"You hid your despair admirably, Majesty." Maliz didn't succeed in hiding the sarcasm in his tone.

Either Boaz didn't hear it or he chose to ignore the bite of his Vizier's reply. "I would have shamed my father had I done anything other than veil my true feelings. I had no choice politically but to follow the ways and laws of our land."

"So it is different now" the Grand Vizier began, but Boaz cut him off.

"Of course it is! I have secured her future by making her my wife. Now she is mine and the child of hers belongs to me. I will declare him my heir immediately if necessary."

The Grand Vizier frowned, unsure of why there was so much vehemence driving the Zar's words. His eyes narrowed slightly as he regarded the young ruler and his curious choice of words. What was at play here that he didn't understand? Something was not right, he was sure of itthere was an undercurrent that he couldn't pinpoint. He moved on carefully. "Of course, Highness. That is your prerogative," he soothed. "I can see now why you are giving this your priority. How can I assist you?"

Boaz drained his goblet before answering. "I want you to help the Valide in any of her needs regarding Lazar."

"You have my word."

"I assume none of our networks have revealed anything about this Arafanz or the Razaqin he speaks of?"

"None yet, but I am meeting with someone shortly who may know something."

"Who?"

Maliz put a soft expression of sympathy onto the Grand Vizier's face. "Ah, Majesty, you know I can't reveal the sources of information. We have discussed this previouslythat I don't wish to compromise the Crown in any way. You are always furnished with whatever information I can discover."

Boaz nodded, showing he understood. "Then the moment Lazar is fit, he will be sent to find her. I'm giving him another four moons at most. I cannot wait any longer. The child will be due and I don't want it born in the desert."

"They why risk waiting? Send other men."

The Zar shook his head firmly. "I trust no one else to survive the desert or survive whatever fight might be involved to wrest her back from that madman's clutches."

"You will send Lazar alone?"

"He is as good as a dozen menyou should know that from what he did to save your life, Tariq. And it seems obvious now that the more people involved in any desert party, the more vulnerable it is. Lazar was right. He warned me at the beginning of the journey to Galinsea that he wanted no more than Ana, Jumo, himself, and perhaps one other."

"No one could know that Arafanz would strike, Majesty, not even Lazar."

"He could not know it. But he understood better than any of us the dangers. Look at what happened to Jumo. That could have been you, Tariq."

Maliz let the lightly couched insult pass. "And should Lazar perish in this attempt to find the Zaradine?"

Boaz surprised the older man by shrugging. "Then he dies. We all die, Tariq," the Zar said, with condescension. "Even Lazar would put Ana and especially the child first, I'm sure."

Maliz hesitated, caught by something in Boaz's voice, but before he could respond, the Zar burst out, "Zarab strike me! What does Arafanz want? He takes my wife, my heir; he makes no claims upon us for their ransom. What is he aiming to achieve?"

"Perhaps he wants her, Highness," Maliz offered. "He seemed to know when and how to strike effectively; he knew precisely who we werein fact all about the individuals in the royal party. This was no opportunistic attack that hoped to yield a few jewels, my Zar. I believe Ana was always his intended prize."

"But why, Tariq? She is one woman, not worth risking so many men for."

"Is she not, Majesty? You staked your whole realm against her name in sending her to Romea. You entrusted her with the lives of all of your people by choosing her as your emissary. The future of Percheron rested with this young woman."

Boaz looked down, nodding. "And nothing has changed. She holds Percheron's future in her womb. If I die, that child is all we have."

"You are not going to die, my Zar. I shall see to it," Maliz assured with far more determination driving his sentiment than the ruler could appreciate.

Boaz found a rueful smile. "Thank you, Tariq, but I fear even your faith cannot spare me a Galinsean sword."

Maliz nodded. He could not win this argument, based more on passion rather than good sense. "We must redouble our efforts to protect you, my Zar," Maliz replied.

"Salazin, your most elite of the Mutes, perished. And I think we have lost our finest of the royal guard in the desert," Boaz said.

"Many lives were lost, yes, and I regret that Salazin was one of them, Highness, but still we must intensify the guard of the Elim about you."

"As you see fit, Tariq," Boaz replied, waving his hand as if it meant little to him.

The demon hesitated, confused by Boaz's reaction. "What else troubles you, Highness? It cannot be all about Zaradine Ana. Let us presume she is safe."

"And Pez?"

"Ah, Highness. Forgive my candor but I would hazard the dwarf is likely dead. What use was a babbling imbecile to us"he held up his hand as Boaz looked up angrily"other than as the harmless amusement that brought such pleasure to your father and yourself alike?" Maliz tried hard to make it sound like the compliment he had contrived but still it came out a sugared insult.

Boaz batted the fig off his plate in a rare show of peevishness. "Oh, he was so much more, Grand Vizier, but none of you knew it!"

Maliz felt all of his internal alarms begin to sound. He carefully kept his voice even, his body language unchanged from the languorous position he had adopted, his fingers loose around the goblet of wine he had been twirling. "I don't understand, my Zar. What do you mean?" He frowned casually and nearly hurled the goblet across the room with unfettered rage when Bin suddenly interrupted them.

"Zar Boaz, please forgive me, Majesty," the servant said, appearing in the chamber, bowing and shuffling and unable to be still.

"Really, Bin," the Grand Vizier snapped, "hasn't his Highness any time to himself to eat?" Maliz slammed down the goblet before he answered the urge to hurl it at the secretary.

Boaz gave his Grand Vizier a quizzical look at the tone of and aggression in the admonishment. "It's all right, Tariq. I told you, I'm not hungry anyway. I'll hear this news outside in the salon. You'll have to excuse mewe were finished anyway, I'm sure."

Maliz felt his gut twist with fury but he pasted an avuncular smile on his face. "Of course, my Zar."

He watched the tall young Zar move away from the supper table and the huge salon doors close behind him.

"What is it, Bin? Please don't tell me Galinsean warships have been sighted?" Boaz held his breath and couldn't believe it when the servant smiled.

"No, my Zar, I bring only good tidings. Pez has been found."

The Zar leaped to his feet. "Pez? Alive?"

The servant nodded, grinning widely now at His Majesty's pleasure. "And rambling as usual, my Zar, making no sense but thrilling everyone that he's back. He is unharmed. Very disoriented, very thin, but he is whole."

"Where is he?"

"He demanded to see the elephants, Majesty, and then he insisted he be taken to the the florack bushes in your father's private garden. He wanted to pick some of their petals we gather. He plans to throw them at the stars...or so he told me. I thought it best to let him have his way, Highness."

"Is he there now, in the gardens?"

"He is, Highness. I'm sorry we didn't rush him straight here, my Zar, but I didn't want to risk upsetting him. I know how you've missed him and I imagine he's terribly confused. It seemed wiser to keep him calm for you."

"You did well, Bin. I shall go to him immediately. This will be a private time for us. No one is to be permitted. No one! See to it."

"At once, Highness."

5.

Pez saw Boaz burst through the courtyard doors, and watched his friend cross the distance in four strides to lift him hugging him tight, laughing and weeping at the same time.

"I thought I'd lost you," Boaz gushed.

"What a welcome. I should obviously get lost in the desert more often, Highness."

Boaz laughed, wiping at his eyes. "If you tell anyone I wept, I'll have you impaled."

It was the dwarf 's turn to smile, his features going through that curious change that made him lose all the ugliness for which he was famed. "I'll write a song about it and sing it loudly everywhere."

"Not that anyone would understand your gibberish," Boaz followed up.