Byzantium

'You expect me to rely on the word of a slave?' demanded the amir.

'Even as my life depends upon yours,' I said. 'For my part, I have seen enough to know that you are a man of honour who makes no vow he cannot fulfil. Whatever promise you undertake, I will trust it with my life.'

This response pleased him inordinately. His smile was so quick and genuine, that his anger now seemed to have been mostly bluff. I had surprised him, but his greater interest lay in learning the truth. Threats were simply the quickest and surest way to obtain it.

Turning to Kazimain, he adopted a gravid air once more, saying, 'It is shameful for a woman of a noble house to marry a slave.' He paused, fingering his bearded chin thoughtfully. 'We cannot allow our kinswoman to bear such a disgrace. Therefore, I suppose we must do something about the rank of this man whose proposal of marriage you have accepted.'

Turning to me, he proclaimed, 'Aidan, you came to me a slave, but from this day you shall call no man master. With Allah, All Wise and Compassionate, as my witness, I return to you your freedom.'

'Thank you, Lord Sadiq,' I said, bowing with genuine gratitude.

'You are free, my friend,' he said. 'Go in peace.'

I do not know if this last was said to trick me, or confuse me into making a blunder, but I told him, 'I am content to remain at your side as long as you will have me. I would consider it both duty and joy to serve you in some small way.'

Sadiq beamed with pleasure. 'The choice is yours.' Motioning to Faysal, who leaned near, he said, 'The apartments vacated by my former advisor have been unused these past two years; see that they are prepared at once. Also, the silver formerly paid for these services will from this day be paid to Aidan.'

'Lord Sadiq,' I protested quickly, 'I ask nothing more than I have already been given. I am a man of simple needs; it is more than enough.'

'You, my friend, are a man soon to acquire a wife and, in due course, Allah willing, many children. Your days of simplicity are, I fear, quickly approaching an end. In any event, I could not possibly allow my kinswoman to marry a fellow lacking the means to support her properly.'

'I am overwhelmed by your generosity, my lord, but-'

The amir raised an admonitory hand. 'Try me in this,' he insisted. 'I know whereof I speak.' He stood and spread his arms wide. 'Now then, allow me to be the first of many to extol your impending marriage, and offer my felicitations.'

Kazimain ran to her uncle, throwing herself into his embrace. She kissed him on both cheeks and kissed his hands also. I followed, stepping forward somewhat awkwardly-still trying to comprehend what had just happened to me-gripped his hands and embraced him. Kazimain thanked him, and I thanked him; she kissed both of us many times and, with tears gleaming in her eyes, proclaimed it the happiest day of her life.

Then, before I could speak even a word to her, she darted away, saying that she must tell everyone what had come about. She disappeared from the hall in a rush.

'I believe you must be touched by God,' the amir said, watching her go. 'The man who has won Kazimain's heart has claimed a treasure worth many kingdoms. One day you must tell me how you accomplished this remarkable feat.'

'That is a secret,' I replied, 'I shall guard with my life.'

Lord Sadiq laughed at this, turned and commanded Faysal to have refreshments brought to his private rooms. Placing his hand on my shoulder, he led me from the reception hall saying, 'And now, my friend, I think it time we began telling one another the truth.'

54

The amir poured the cool sweet lemon water into golden cups, and passed one to me. He had dismissed Faysal and the other servants so that none should overhear. Leaning back on his cushions, he eyed me shrewdly and, after a sip from his cup, said, 'You may speak freely. On my honour, no harm will come to you. If I placed so much as a finger to the tip of your nose, Kazimain would have me boiled in oil.'

'I am your servant, Lord Sadiq. I will tell you anything you wish to know.'

'Then begin by telling my why you are doing this.' Before I could ask what he meant, he added, 'Are your feelings for Kazimain genuine?'

'What I feel for Kazimain,' I answered, 'I have never felt for any other woman.'

The amir smiled. 'You are most adept at paring the truth to its finest point. But come, let us be done with this childish game. Since you remain reluctant to speak openly, perhaps you will allow me to begin.' He sipped from his cup, watching me over the rim. When he finished, he placed the cup on the brass tray, touched the back of his hand to his mouth, and then said, 'All you told me of the Armenian treachery, I repeated to Abu Ahmad. While he agreed that it explained much, he determined that it was necessary to test the validity of this information. Thus, inquiries were made through means available to the khalifa.'

'Yes?'

'And it was learned that all you said was true.'

'If all I said was true, then obviously, I must be a spy-is that what you thought?'

His sly smile returned. 'It was determined that an additional test was required,' he explained. 'After all, who else could know so much? Only a spy of the emperor could possibly command such intimate knowledge.'

'Would such a spy,' I asked, 'also arrange to have himself sold as a slave? Would this same spy arrange his own death at the hands of his torturers?'

'Misfortunes abound,' answered Sadiq, 'even for the emperor's spies. No doubt you were caught in Nikos's treachery along with the others and thus prevented from carrying your information back to the emperor. If I had not discovered your whereabouts, you surely would have died.'

'I am truly grateful to your highness,' I told him sincerely.

'Yes, and you have taken wonderful advantage of your position,' he continued. 'But let us make a bargain between us: I will give you a thousand denarii in silver, and I will see you safely to Trebizond where you can board a ship to take you back to Byzantium-or wherever you wish to go.' He leaned forward. 'All this is yours if you tell me what I wish to know.'

Growing wary, I said, 'Why do you suggest this bargain?'

'So that you will know that you do not have to marry Kazimain merely to obtain your freedom. Tell me the truth and I will let you walk free. Do you agree?'

'Very well,' I acceded, 'I agree. What do you wish to know?'

'The truth-are you a spy?'

'Yes, I am.'

'I knew it!' The amir's fist struck the brass tray, upsetting the cups and spilling the drink. 'I knew it!' he cried-as much in relief as vindication.

'I am a spy,' I confessed again, 'but perhaps not in the way you think.'

'I must know the truth,' Sadiq insisted. 'It is of utmost importance, believe me. Who is your master? What is his purpose?'

'Everything I have told you is the truth. I was indeed a slave to Harald Bull-Roar when he came to raid Constantinople. It so happened that while we were there I was able to perform a small service for the emperor-'

'So he freed you, and took you into his service,' suggested Sadiq.

'No, lord, he did not. He might have, but that is not his way. Instead, he made the Danish king part of his mercenary force and sent the Sea Wolves to guard the eparch and the merchant ships on their voyage to Trebizond. He said that if I performed a certain task for him, we would discuss my freedom when I returned.'

'What was this task?'

'To watch and listen to all that was said and done in Trebizond during the peace mediations and to bring him word if I should discover anything suspicious regarding the eparch.'

'The eparch!' wondered Sadiq, plainly surprised. 'Did he doubt the eparch's loyalty?'

'He did not tell me why, but he seemed to me a man deeply concerned with trust and loyalty. I think he