You rush over and kneel beside him. "Garsiv!" you cry. You can see the light in his eyes fading.

"The sword is strong, brother," he whispers. "Save the empire."

You grip his hand and watch as the life drains out of him. He's gone.

20.

"Long ago," Tamina says softly, "the G.o.ds looked down at man and saw nothing but greed and treachery. So they sent a great sandstorm to destroy all, wipe clean the face of the earth. But one young girl survived."

She pauses as if she's not certain she should keep going. You nod at her to continue.

"She begged the G.o.ds to give mankind another chance, offering her life in exchange. The G.o.ds looked down on her and, seeing the purity within, were reminded of man's potential for good. So they returned man to earth and swept the sands into the Sandgla.s.s.

"As long as the sand runs through it, time moves forward and man's survival is a.s.sured. The Sandgla.s.s controls time itself. It reminds us our lives are in the G.o.ds' hands. That we are mortal."

105.

You drag Princess Tamina to where your father's chambers are now located.

"I see you wasted no time making yourself at home," she says bitterly. "As if we had never been here at all."

"That's what happens to our enemies," you tell her. "You should have thought twice before making weapons to use against us."

You push her in front of the guard. "I have Princess Tamina here. I want her to speak to King Sharaman."

The guard announces you, and you step inside the chambers. You gaze at the man you called father. It is hard to accept Nizam's theorya"that he never cared for you the way he cared for his true sons.

"Father, I have found Princess Tamina. I am sure she will confirm our spies' information about the forges. You will see my brothers did not die in vain."

"I confirm nothing," Tamina declares. "These are all lies."

King Sharaman studies her. "Why would our spies lie to us?"

She shrugs.

You sigh. She is truly stubborn. You decide to speak up. "This seems to be very important to her." You give your father the Dagger.

"And what is this, princess?" he asks.

Her jaw clenches. She seems to be making a decision. "It is a ceremonial object. Somea"perhaps those insisting on digging up our citya"ascribe it certain . . . powers. But to Alamutians, it is simply sacred."

77.

"I believe our deal is going to work out quite well," Sheikh Amar says, drawing your attention away from the weapons.

You turn and see that the sheikh is watching Tamina. She's now wearing a skimpy, not very clean outfit and carrying a tray of fermented goat milk, which she is serving to the crowd. She does not look happy. One of the rowdy customers tries to grab her and she smacks his hand away.

"Full of life," the sheikh says. "Where did you find her?"

You quickly try to think of a good cover story. "In the slave markets of Lur," you reply. "I was bringing her to Herat to trade for a camel when she attacked me."

Sheikh Amar nods. "Camels are safer."

"n.o.ble Sheikh Amar," you say respectfully, "I appreciate your hospitality, but if you can give me the supplies we agreed on. . . ."

Amar nods, smiling. But his smile changes, and there's a new glint in his eyes. "It's odd, Persian," he says. "You bear remarkable likeness to the disgraced prince who fled after murdering the king."

Your heart leaps. He knows!

87.

It is dawn the next morning. You tear your blanket into strips and wrap them around Aksh's hooves.

"What are you doing?" Tamina asks.

"Garsiv can't be far behind us," you reply. "Aksh is the most famous horse in the empire. We need to obscure his tracks."

"Tracks where? Where are you going?"

"The holy city of Avrat," you say, swinging up onto the horse. "Where Persian kings are buried. My uncle Nizam will be there for my father's funeral. He's the only one I can trust. He'll listen to mea"see I was set up by Tus."

Tamina steps in front of the horse. "You're wanted for the king's murder. And you're going to march into his funeral, alongside thousands of Persian soldiers?"

"Step aside, Princess."

"Every road to Avrat will be covered with Persian troops," she points out.

She's right. You've thought about this all night. You figure you have two optionsa"go in disguise and take your chances on the main route, or avoid the roads and go through the Valley of the Slaves.

If you decide to chance it on the main roads, GO TO PAGE 82.

If you go through the Valley of the Slaves, GO TO PAGE 17.

You can't risk using the Dagger. If you run out of sand, you are not sure what will happen.

Instead, you use the Dagger to slash the lead viper's head off. Seso leaps to his feet and grabs one of his tri-bladed knives. He hurls it at another viper, but the evil creature ducks and coils again. In a flash, it strikes Seso, who collapses as the venom quickly works its way through his system.

The commotion wakes Sheikh Amar and Taminaa"just in time for each of them to be bitten by the deadly snakes.

Now those snakes turn to you.

That's it, you think, I've got to use the Dagger!

But just as you slide your hand down to hit the jewel, a viper lunges. It sinks its teeth into your hand. You cry in agony and drop the Dagger. You fall to your knees clutching your hand.

Now all three vipers hiss as they circle the Dagger. Their tongues flick and dart. They grow blurry to you. The venom is doing its work. You collapse to the ground. This fight has come to its . . .

END.

"My name is Trila," you say. "A mere soldier."

"You say you were charged with finding me," Tamina sneers. "But you refused. You are clearly a man without honor."

"You will be the prize that restores that honor," you tell her. A movement catches your eye. You instinctively fling one of your small knives. An elderly man drops to the ground.

"You barbarian!" Tamina shrieks. "That man is a holy man! A Guardian of the Temple! And you killed him for no reason!" She pulls the Dagger from her waistband.

"Don't do it, Princess," you warn her. You bring your blade to her throat.

She laughs sharply. "Typical. You think violence is the only way."

You watch, puzzled, as she makes no move to strike you. She simply holds up the Dagger and presses a jewel on the hilt. Sand trickles out of the handle. You feel fuzzy. How strange! What kind of weapon has sand in it?

Your head clearsa"just as you hear Tamina say, "Typical." Then you feel a sharp pain in your chest. Looking down, your realize you've been shot by an arrow. You will never clear your name or see your father again. This is . . .

THE END.

Horrified, you stare as Garsiv drops to his knees.

"Garsiv!" you cry. You glance out the doorway and see the mist begin to swirl and twist, forming funnels.

Ha.s.sansins!

You rush outside to where the Persian soldiers are still guarding Tamina, Amar, Seso, and Amar's men, unaware of the grave danger they are in. "They're going to attack!" you shout.

You grab Tamina's hand; she grips the Dagger with the other.

Black stallions burst out of the funnels of mists and thunder toward you. Spurring their ma.s.sive steeds, the Ha.s.sansins' voices rise in a horrifying war cry. They draw their weapons, and your stomach clenches. You've never seen such a lethal a.s.sortment!

One swings a two-headed ax known as a halberd; another lashes the air with a bladed whip. One wears a bandolier filled with fire grenades. And then there's a giant man wielding a scimitar that looks large enough to block the sun.

"Stay behind me," you order Tamina. To the others you shout, "We have to protect the Dagger!"

The battle begins!

47.

Tamina looks worried, but then you realize it isn't because of what you've been saying. You turn to see what has her transfixed. A sandstorm is heading your way!

"We've got to move," she says.

You hold up the Dagger. "If you want the Dagger back, tell me everything. No more lies."

She nods. "But first can we get out of here?"

"Only a princess would think she can outrun a sandstorm."

You guide your horse to sit on the ground, then use the saddle blanket and a sword to create a tent. You and Tamina huddle together inside.

"What secret lies beneath your city?" you ask. There must be something that Nizam believes will help him take the crown, you think.

Tamina is quiet for a moment, considering. Then she says, "In Alamut rests the beating heart of all life on earth. The Sandgla.s.s of the G.o.ds."

Outside the wind howls.

96.

As the man and Tamina speak, you are able to recognize a few of the words the princess uses: clothing, journey, trade. But the rest is indecipherable. Then you hear something surprising: demon.

The group all looks at you. "Did you say I was a demon?" you demand.

"Of course not." She points at two children heading toward you holding armfuls of clothing. "Just giving them reasons to trade."

The caravan sets up for the night. You follow the boy and Tamina follows the girl into the lean-tos the nomads have quickly put into place. When you emerge, you see your armor being handed around and Tamina's elegant gown draped around an old woman's shoulders. You tuck the Dagger safely into your cloak.

Tamina appears wearing the dark skirts and cloak of the Shakshi.

As several men make a fire, the rest of the group chants, draws symbols in the sand, and makes odd gestures in the air.

"They have rituals for everything," Tamina explains.

Then they do something even strangera"they bury your armor!

"That's valuable stuff," you exclaim. "If they don't want it, I'll take it back."

The Shakshi stare at you. Several make gestures around you; others cower. Even more bizarrea"Princess Tamina begins to dance.

"What are you doing?" you demand.

"Diplomacy," she says through gritted teeth. Then she smiles at the group, and they all smile back at her. You, on the other hand, they don't seem so crazy about.

49.

"And what about the Dagger," you press.

"Given to the girl whose goodness won man his reprieve," Tamina replies. "It's meant to be used in defense of the Sandgla.s.s. The blade is the only thing that can pierce the gla.s.s and remove the Sands of Time. The handle only holds one minute."

You look down at the weapon. "But if one were to place the Dagger in the Sandgla.s.s and press the jewel b.u.t.ton at the same time . . ."

"Sand would flow through endlessly," Tamina confirms.