"n.o.ble Dastan," she calls, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Abandoning a helpless woman in the wilderness? What does your precious honor say about that?"

You stop and take a deep breath. "Give me the strength not to kill her," you mutter as you wait for her to climb up behind you.

You ride for hours and finally stop. You get down off the horse and scoop up a handful of sand. You refill the handle of the Dagger.

Tamina dismounts and watches you, amused. "Without the right sand, it's just another knife. Not even very sharp."

You press the jewela"nothing happens.

"This sand," you say. "Do you have more of it?"

"Of course not," Tamina says.

You study her, trying to figure out if she's telling the truth. "How can I get some?"

Tamina smirks. "By standing on your head and holding your breath."

31.

"Someday I will be king, Dastan," Tus continues calmly. "When I am, I will need to know you will obey my rule." He studies you a moment. "Can I count on you to do this for me?"

As much as you hate the idea, you nod in agreement.

He leaves, and a short while later you arrive at the princess's chambers.

"I'm to present you to the king, Your Highness," you explain. She scowls and strides out the door. You have to jog a bit to keep up. Her eyes go to the Dagger in your belt, then back ahead.

"So I'm escorted by Prince Dastan, the Lion of Persia," she says haughtily. "Must feel wonderful winning such acclaim for destroying a peaceful city. Then again, you are a prince of Persia. Senseless and brutal."

You are surprised by her outburst but keep your cool. "A pleasure to meet you, too, Princess. And allow me to offer that if punishing enemies of my king is a crime, it's one I'll gladly repeat."

Tamina snorts. "He's thickheaded as well."

You've had enough. "Don't make the mistake of thinking you know me."

She gives you a snide sideways glance. "Oh? And what more is there?"

A guard stands at the entryway. "Wait here with Her Highness," you instruct him. You turn to face her square on and add, "If you can manage it, I suggest a hint of humility when you're presented to the king. For your own good."

9.

You left the oasis quickly, and now you've been riding at a punishing pace for miles.

"It's safe to stop," Sheikh Amar calls.

You slow down to allow the others to catch up with you. "They won't stop," you say. "They track and kill. That's what they do."

"What who does?" Amar demands.

"Those vipers were controlled," you explain as the horses all slow to a walk, "by a dark secret of the empire. Ha.s.sansins."

The others stare at you.

"For years, they were the covert killing force of Persian kings," you continue. "But my father ordered them disbanded. Nizam must have disobeyed my father's order and secretly kept the Ha.s.sansins intact. We can't stop," you finish urgently.

"Perhaps you can't, but we can." Shiekh Amar signals his men to turn around.

"We could use your help getting to the temple," you say. He knows of the quest you and Tamina are on.

Amar laughs. "Not only do you draw trouble like flies to a rotten mango, you're also insane." He starts to turn his horse.

"There's gold at the temple," Tamina blurts out.

Amar stops and looks at her. You can tell he's tempted.

"More than ten horses can carry," she adds. "It'll be yours after you help us. Tax free."

Amar never pa.s.ses up a deal. He and his men are back on board.

56.

You need to get back to the princess. You say a silent good-bye to your brother, sad that it took such evil to make you both realize the bonds of brotherhood. Slowly, you get back up.

But when you turn, you see Princess Tamina coming toward you. She looks dazed and distraught.

"I'm sorry," she says.

You can't imagine what she would be sorry for. Then it dawns on you. "The Dagger?" you ask.

"It's gone."

She stares down at the ground. "*Protect the Dagger. No matter the consequences.' That was my sacred calling. That was to be my destiny."

She seems so defeated, helpless. This is not the Tamina you have come to know. With the Dagger gone, what is there to do now? You realize with a jolt that the Ha.s.sansins' mission was to retrieve the Dagger and return it to Nizam no matter what the cost.

Maybe you should return to Nasaf. Nizam could easily have gone there to install himself as king, and you can't let that happen.

If that's the path you choose, 85.

But what if Nizam has gone to Alamut to pierce the Sand-gla.s.s of Time? Then you should go there. If that is your plan, 26.

You wish you could keep the Dagger; there's something special about it. But it is less a question and more a demand. You have no choice. Pulling the Dagger from your belt, you hand it to Tus. He holds it up, turning it in the flickering torchlight.

Nizam suddenly appears. "He delivered you the city and its princess," your uncle says to Tus. "I think that's homage enough."

Tus looks at the Dagger, then at you. He gives the Dagger back. "I suppose it is," he says with a shrug.

You shoot your uncle Nizam a grateful look. He smiles back.

"I have wonderful news for you," Nizam says. "Your father has interrupted his prayers at the eastern palace to join us. He'll be here before tomorrow's sun sets."

You hope your father isn't angry that Tus and Garsiv disobeyed him and laid siege to the city. You can tell from Tus's expression that he's worried about the same thing.

7.

You have to get Tus to believe you. "I've seen its power with my own eyes," you tell him. "If we don't stop him our world could end."

He studies your face, considering, struggling to determine the truth. Finally his expression changes and you can see ita" Tus believes you! At that very moment, Nizam strides into the chamber. "I see Dastan has returned."

He notices the Dagger and a glimmer appears in his eye. Moving quickly, he slashes your brother with a sword.

"Tus!" you cry.

Now Nizam comes after you. You spin, but not quickly enough. He slashes your arm and you drop the Dagger. A gigantic Ha.s.sansin picks it up and hands the Dagger to Nizam.

"Oh, Dastan," Nizam sneers. "Always charging in, so desperate to prove you're more than something the king sc.r.a.ped off the street." He strides out of the room.

You lunge for him but are stopped with a swift blow from the Ha.s.sansin.

"No!" Tamina screams from the balcony.

The Ha.s.sansin whirls around to face her. This gives you your chance. You pull Tus's prayer beads from his hands. You leap up behind the Ha.s.sansin and wrap them around his throat. You tug with all your mighta"until the Ha.s.sansin drops to the floor.

"Let's go!" you shout to Tamina. "Nizam's on his way to the Sandgla.s.s. I'm sure of it!"

81.

"Uncle, I swear, I didn't murder King Sharaman," you declare once again.

"I'm sure you didn't," Nizam says, still studying the Dagger. He turns and smiles. "But none of that matters now."

"What do you mean?" you ask.

"You'll never know," he declares.

"No!" Tamina shrieks. "Don't do it!"

Nizam lunges forward, catching you off guard. . . .

You blink. Your head feels funny. Then you feel a pain and look down. Your uncle's sword has stabbed you. This is . . .

THE END.

You have to move quickly. Who knows what Nizam is going to do? He could use the Dagger and change the past at any moment. He could also install himself as king before you can make things right.

The moonless night is dark, but you don't care. You'd know the route to the royal compartments with your eyes closed. The inky darkness is a relief to youa"it provides the cover you need to make your way through the silent sleeping streets safely.

You hear footsteps and press yourself against a wall. It is only the night sentries making their rounds. They pa.s.s without noticing you, and you quickly make your way to a secret entrywaya"a door you and your brothers used when you wanted to shirk your duties or just get away from the pressures of royal life.

You find the stone that opens the hidden doorway and press it. With a tiny creak, the door pops open an inch. You tug it open all the way and slip inside.

And come face-to-face with three armed guards. All with swords pointed right at you.

108.

You rush out outside the room, looking for Tamina. Without that dagger, there's no way your uncle will believe you.

You spot her rounding a corner. Leaping off a balcony, you take off running.

You quickly catch up with her as she's about to slip into a hidden door that leads into a darkened pa.s.sageway. You shove your foot into the opening as the door closes. "Not so fast, Princess," you say. "Give it back."

"Never!" Tamina declares. She tries to slam the door shut, but you're too strong.

"Perhaps you'll give it to me." You whirl around to discover you are surrounded by the king's guards. Your uncle Nizam comes toward you. The guards bind your hands.

Tamina turns to run, but the guards are too quick. One fires off an arrow and it pierces her shoulder. She shrieks and stumbles and tries to keep running, but it's no use. A guard drags her out of the pa.s.sageway.

Nizam takes the Dagger from her. "So this is what all the fuss is about," he comments, holding it up.

23.

You can see Tamina's deep faith has been shaken. Alamut it is.

"We make our own destiny," you tell her. Then, with every ounce of determination you can muster you add, "We'll get the Dagger back."

Sheikh Amar and Seso join you, partners in your plan now. Together, you all head to the Holy City.

When you arrive, you find Alamut is now littered with work sites. Nizam's men are digging, searching for secret armories and forges. Although the men don't know it, you know they're really digging to find the Sandgla.s.s of Time.

Tamina hurries over to you after questioning her loyal maidservant. "They've broken through the first level of tunnels," she tells you. "Your brother Tus is still in the city. Nizam is keeping the Dagger in the High Temple." She points to the imposing structure in the middle of the city.

"Then that's where we'll go," you tell her.

75.

You race across the courtyard to open the inner gate while your men work on the outer one. The guards must have heard because suddenly arrows rain down on you.

"Archers!" you shout. "Return fire!"

You reach the inner gate, carrying your own shield and wearing Bis's on your back. This is a critical moment. You get into position and hear a sizzling whoosh above you.