"I am sure, Pez. You have all, in not so many words, accused someone connected to the palace with murder. That in itself is abhorrent to me. The fact that the victim was a close friend of mine, someone I admired and respecteda"loved evena"for most of my life, makes me more determined to see his murderer pay. I will leave no stone unturned until I uncover the treacherous wretch. And when I do I will visit the penalty of a traitor onto his cursed body and leave him for the birds and insects to devour. He will have no burning ritual from Percheron, for he has desecrated my reign with this act."

Pez dropped his head, acquiescing. He had never seen Boaz like this, never heard his tone so terrible or commanding.

"What about the Spur's family?" Jumo asked.

"Yes, we must send a courier, but to where? We don't know anything about Lazar."

"I will go, Highness," Jumo said, his tone resolute. "I have no reason to remain here and I would welcome the diversion of tracking down his family."

Boaz nodded. "I understand. Organize what you need at the palace's expense. Now, the Valide Zara and Vizier Tariq will be waiting. I imagine both of you would prefer not to meet them." He nodded to Jumo and Zafira, who both looked grateful, if ruefully so. "Pez will show you how to leave here without using this entrance. May Zarab guide you across the waters, Jumo, and bring you back to us unharmed."

"Thank you, Highness," the man from the north replied, meaning it and bowing low in honor of the young Zar. Boaz, he knew, had treated him with courtesy and respect when he probably had not deserved it.

Boaz turned to Zafira. "I'm not sure how to offer an appropriate blessing to you, Priestess, except may your goddess keep you safe. You have my personal thanks for doing all you could to save the life of a man I called friend. I know he didn't die alone or without care and for that I am grateful. A donation will be made to the Sea Temple to acknowledge your commitment to Lazar."

"It is not necessary, Zar Boaz," the priestess replied gently, "and I fear the Vizier will not take kindly to the city donating a single karel to any temple of Lyana."

"You misunderstand me. The donation will be made from my personal coffers. I understand that he died beneath the altar of your goddess. Consider it a private thank-you to Lyana for watching over him in his hour of need."

Zafira nodded. She had not expected such grace or composure in one so young, or such tolerance. He was wise beyond his years to understand how dangerous it could be for her to become visible to those in power. No one had any time for the remnants of a bygone era.

With Pez's subdued guidance, she and Jumo took their leave through a small archway that led into the beautiful but simple Mirror Courtyard, which had won its name from the reflection in the grand pool, and through a series of corridors.

Boaz waited for his visitors to be well and truly out of sight before he sat down on a divan and privately grieved. His tears fell silently but his despair at Lazar's loss was intensely felt. With his father and the Spur gone, he had no adult male he could confer witha"unless one counted Pez, but the dwarf, Boaz understood now, had his own secrets. And apart from Pez, there was now no one left in the palace he could call friendano one except Ana. His heart lightened slightly. He had promised to bring her news of Lazar as soon as he received it. How would he ever be able to deliver these grim tidings without her hating hima"or worse, holding him responsible?

A soft knock interrupted his thoughts and Bin entered at the Zar's command.

"My Zar, the Valide is gettinga" The young servant paused diplomatically.

"Testy?"

"You might say that, Mighty One. She insisted I remind you that she and the Vizier await your pleasure."

Boaz smiled sympathetically at his servant. "Please inform the Valide that my day has been interrupted with some urgent news, which I am dealing with. Ask both herself and the Vizier to find some patience. I shall see them as soon as my time permits."

Bin blanched. "Are they to wait in the antechamber, my Zar?"

"Yes. And pass on no further demands to me from my mother, Bin." Boaz smirked slightly, despite his upset. "Take a deep breath and give her my message. Then come back in here."

"OH, THIS IS RIDICULOUS. I'm not a servant to be kept waiting like this," Herezah snarled at Bin.

The personal attendant made a soft noise of apology. "The Zar begs your patience, Valide. He has urgent matters to attend to."

"More urgent than the one he summoned us here for?" Tariq asked, an uncharacteristic insolence creeping into his tone.

"Apologies, Vizier. Please excuse me. I must attend to the Zar's duties," Bin replied, backing away from his two indignant superiors.

But Tariq had not finished with him yet. "And what, pray tell, servant Bin, is keeping His Highness from his mother?"

Even Herezah was surprised at the Vizier's defiance. Bin was only a servant but he was the Zar's eyes and ears too, and she knew how Boaz was starting to flex his wings, to build a loyal group of men around him. Bin might not take kindly to such a pugnacious attitude from another servant, no matter how lofty.

"I am not at liberty to discuss this further," Bin said, again apologetically, albeit firmly, and retreated more hurriedly to escape further interrogation.

Herezah turned to her companion once Bin had disappeared. "My, my, Tariq, it's not like you to be so belligerent. Aren't you feeling yourself today?" She smiled and the Vizier saw how her amusement mocked him.

It no longer affected him, of course. "Now that you come to mention it, Valide, no, I haven't been feeling myself today." He laughed, just as mockingly but gently so no offense could be taken.

Herezah lifted an eyebrow in query and noticed, as she paid him a moment's genuine scrutiny, that the Vizier didn't have quite the same curve to his back as she recalled. She'd gotten so used to Tariq's stoop that it never occurred to her that he might have the capacity to straightenaand yet he certainly seemed to be sitting more upright. "What an odd thing. You seem to be your full height again," she said, unable to miss any opportunity to offer a couched insult.

"Thank you, Valide Zara." Tariq's eyes glittered beneath his bushy brows. "I've discovered a marvelous new tonic. It's doing wonders for my health."

"You must share your new potion with me. There's not a woman alive who doesn't want to know how to look younger," she replied, frowning slightly. Was it her imagination, or was there a new intensity in Tariq's manner?

"I certainly shall," he agreed.

"Does this remedy have a name?"

"Oh yes, but it's my secret for now," he replied, chuckling softly to himself.

Herezah didn't understand his amusement but determined she would look into ita"if there was a newly discovered herb for youthfulness, her physic would surely know it.

"Why do you think we have been called by your son, Valide?" Tariq asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"I have no immediate idea. I thought it might be about a private meeting he had with one of the odalisques that terribly incensed Salmeo. But now that you're here, I have to assume the topic is of a more formal nature. Have you any notion?"

The Vizier nodded slyly. "I think the Grand Master Eunuch will have a lot more to worry about than an unscheduled rendezvous by the Zar with a concubine, Valide Zara."

Her attention was riveted on him now. Since when did the Vizier have the audacity to intimate he knew something about her son that she didn't? "What do you mean by that?"

He shrugged, self-assurance evident in the gesture. "You asked if I had a notion and I do." He replied playfully enough that she could not be entirely offended.

Nevertheless, Herezah didn't want to play. It was perplexing enough having Tariq behave with such confidence without him having information about her son that she did not already know. "Tell me," she ordered evenly, troubled but careful not to display her frustration. "If you're going to enjoy the patronage you've always desired from me, Tariq, you'd better start remembering your place. Don't toy with me, Vizier."

"Valide, I would never do such a thing," he said, feigning surprise at the suggestion. "I just don't want to spread rumors without evidence. It is not my place to comment on Salmeo's position."

"But you just did!" she hissed. "Now, what do you know?"

"I only suspect; I know nothing," he replied. This was true. Since claiming Tariq, Maliz no longer had his omniscient view of the world. It took all of his presence and energy now to be Tariq, to work his body, to think within him, to effect the mannerisms he had studied for so long. Being the ancient Sewer Rat had required little effort, particularly as the skeletal old man did nothing more than lie still, slowly rotting away. For two centuries Maliz had roamed from frail body to frail body, never giving himself entirely over to any of them, simply killing the soul and then hovering within the host, refusing to fully claim it. Although this lack of immersion meant he could barely move the bodies, the freedom did permit him to project himself outside the body for short periodsa"which was how he had communicated so effectively with Tariq's mind. Alas, no longer. He was the Vizier nowa"wholly. When the Vizier's body died, he would die with it, and then his spirit would have to lie dormant in another series of frail bodies until he felt the rising of Iridor again. So from now to the moment of his next death, Maliz had only Tariq's eyes to see with and his ears to hear with. He would definitely need to increase the network of spies the Vizier had already set up if he was to keep abreast of even half of the information he'd previously had access to.

Before becoming the Vizier, Maliz had witnessed the conversation between the Deputy Inflictor and the apprentice. It had been a chance occurrencea"he had been hurrying back to the old man's body when he'd overheard the exchange. There had been no mention of Salmeo in the conversation, of course, but Maliz knew who they referred to as "the highest authority." He understood the blackness of the man's soul, admired him for it.

Herezah persisted. "I want you to tell me what you suspect, Vizier."

Maliz pasted an expression of capitulation on Tariq's face. "Valide Zara, I have no proof but I believe we have been called to hear about the fate of the Spur."

"Lazar?" Though she hid it well, he did not miss the tinge of hope in her voice. "I can't imagine why it's taken so long."

"Can you not?" He raised an eyebrow now. "I think the delay is because he has died."

Shock hit her eyesa"the only part of her face he could see. "What?" she breathed.

"I'm sure his injuries weren't lost on you, Valide."

She was silent a moment. Her eyes continued to betray her alarm but she did her best to hide her true feelings. "What has Salmeo got to do with all of this?" she asked with disdain.

"Everything, Valide. I suspect he not only chose the weapon wielded against the Spur, but also who would wield it."

"You heard what had happened to the Inflictor, what he said."

"I heard only the excuses of a young man not ready to take on the role of delivering punishment, Valide."

"And you think this was deliberately contrived?"

He shrugged, annoying her once again with his secretiveness. Usually Tariq fell over himself to share his thoughts with her, desperate to impress her. "I am making a personal observation, Valide. I make no accusation."

"But Salmeo's absence suggests you might be very much on target."

He pulled a face of resignation. "We must be patient. I'm sure we'll learn soon enough."

He was right. A few moments later, Bin returned. "The Zar will see you now, Valide Zara, Vizier Tariq. If you'll follow me."

"About time, young man," the Vizier grumbled, winking at Herezah. "The Valide is being kept from the important business of the harem."

Herezah tried to keep the confusion from her face. She couldn't believe the audacity of the man. He had never winked at her before, never even acted playful before. What in Zarab's name was happening to the Vizier?

ONCE THEY WERE CLEAR of the Zar's rooms and well away from prying eyes, Pez, who had been singing and skipping since leaving Boaz, led Jumo and Zafira into his own chamber, where he became instantly serious.

"Tell us everything," he ordered the priestess.

"I told the Zar everything in front of you. I have nothing more to tell."

"Well, how about why you're hiding Ellyana?" Pez pressed.

"Or the fact that you said Lazar died in the Sea Temple when I know only too well he was taken to the Isle of Stars." Jumo's grief had hardened into anger but Pez was glad to see the little man had it under control.

Zafira dropped her gaze. "It is true that Ellyana requested that her presence not be spoken about. It is not necessary that anyone hear about her or the island."

"Why?" Jumo demanded. "I hope she hasn't forgotten my promise."

"That you'd come looking for her?" Zafira asked. When he nodded, she gave a sad smile. "You won't find her, Jumo. She isa" And here Zafira hesitated.

"She is what?" Pez asked, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

"I would have thought you of all people would know," she replied, looking at her dwarf friend.

He stared at her for moments, his thoughts in turmoil.

"What does she mean?" Jumo asked.

Pez had his secrets but the death of Lazar changed everythinga"he had thought the Spur would be part of Lyana's struggle for supremacy. Lazar was one of the critical supports Pez had hoped he could count on. Lazar's death felt so wrong and now Pez felt as though he were suddenly part of a covert group hiding facts about his death. Ellyana, Zafira, and he alone knew the truth about where Lazar had spent his final hours, and why the women hid this fact he didn't know. He had always trusted Zafira and there was no reason not to trust her now, yet she was confusing him.

Jumo was glaring at him, so Pez felt obliged to answer. This time he told only the truth. "Ellyana came to me once. It was a long while ago. I was in the harem and she came in with the Bundle Women. She looked different then. She was not interested in any of the odalisques or wives, not even the servants. She was interested only in me."

"But everyone thinks you're a dozen goats short of a herd," Jumo queried, "so why you?"

"That's my point," Pez answered. "She knew otherwise. And it terrified me."

"What did she say?"

Pez looked vaguely embarrassed. "Well, I don't really understand it, Jumo." He hesitated, scratched his large head. "She said I had to discover who I truly am."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know," he lied.

"Anything else?"

Again Pez hesitated, considering all the strange events that had occurreda"most recently Lazar's death.

Jumo tired of the protracted pause. "Lazar is dead because of Ellyanaa""

Zafira leaped in. "That's not fair, Jumo. Ellyana did everything within her power. There are other things afoot. Things I don't understand yet, but I know Ellyana is involved. We must trust her."

Jumo rounded on the priestess, relishing the opportunity to release some of his anger. "You're talking in riddles, Zafira. Let's speak plainly here. Ellyana is hiding something and you're helping her do it. And now Lazar is dead!" Though his voice cracked on the final word, it did not break, and Pez and Zafira could see how he was fighting his emotions. "He was rallying, I tell you. I could feel it, even if I'm no doctor. That moaning and groaning was Lazar fighting and don't try and tell me otherwise. Lazar and I have a bond that goes back a decade. You don't spend as much time together as we did and not know each other inside out. Lazar would not have given up the fight."

"He didn't," Zafira said, her voice suddenly cold. "His circumstances beat him."

But Jumo was not ready to let it go. "Pez, when I asked you if there was anything else about Ellyana, you hesitated. Do you want to tell me everything?"

"Why do you say that?" Pez asked.

"Because I'm sensing secrets all around me. I feel as though no one is being entirely honest. Lazar is dead, his body already disposed of, and Ellyana has gone. Is this not ringing any alarms in your mind, Pezaor is it just me who smells something rotten?"

Pez secretly agreed with Jumo but wasn't ready to declare it. "When Ellyana arrived with the Bundle Women, she was young, very beautiful, but she kept herself hidden. When we spoke I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, for she seemed suddenly old. No, not old; ancient. It was most unsettling."

Jumo said nothing, simply held the dwarf in a stare that seemed to look right into his heart.

"I forgot about her," Pez lied, hating the deception but needing some time to sort his thoughts privately. "But then she reappeared at the Sea Temple when we all met her. I didn't recognize her at first."

"Yes, I remember your surprise," Jumo admitted, frowning. "So she has been deliberately following you, do you think?"

"I have no idea," Pez answered truthfully. "Have you met her previously, Zafira?

"I met her for the first time when Jumo did," she replied, "although ever since, I have felt strangely comforted by her. Do you remember our conversation upstairs in the Sea Temple, Pez, when I said I felt something was happening and that I was involved but I couldn't say what it was or why?"

"I do. You seemed unsettled, unsure."

"Well, I think Ellyana has some answers."