The Treasure

“Of course you are. You have a great zest for life, and you’re curious as a cat about everything around you. But so far you’ve only stood back and watched.” He smiled. “As I did at the house of pleasure for the first few months. Then I decided if there was a skill to be learned, I should apprentice myself wholeheartedly to the task. I found there were many paths both bright and dark to explore.”

Bright and dark?

“Ah, that intrigues you.” His gaze focused intently on her face. “If you like, I could lead you a little way on the dark path. Not too deep, or one can become-”

“No.” She pulled her gaze away and drew a steadying breath. “I told you I didn’t want to hear this.”

“But I feel it my duty to distract you. Skimming the dark waters holds a fascination for most people. Don’t worry, I’d hold you afloat. I’d never let you be pulled down.”

“Bright path, dark path. It sounds like Sinan.”

“Oh, no. It was all dark when I was with Sinan. He believed only in the dark pleasures. Far darker than any I practiced in Jebra’s house.”

She searched desperately for a way to shift the subject. “What task has Sinan set for you?”

“I don’t know. I only promised to come when he needed me.”

“You don’t know? You agreed blindly?”

He shrugged. “I had to find a way to get him to let us go. It can be no worse than other things I’ve done in my life.”

“It could be more dangerous.”

“It probably is. Sinan always gets his price in any bargain.”

And his price might very well be Kadar’s blood. She stared blindly out at the sea. “You’re such a fool.”

“The better to keep you entertained.” He was silent for a moment. “There’s something you should know. Sinan will try to use you.”

“He doesn’t need me to make you do his bidding. You’re all too willing.”

“He’ll still use you, if I can’t prevent it. It’s his nature to bend everyone to his will, and I don’t bend. It’s a battle that’s waged between us for years. It’s better if he believes you mean nothing to me.” His lips twisted. “If I can fool him. It may not be possible. I’ve only known one man more clever.”

“Who?” she asked curiously.

He shrugged. “Nasim. He was…” He searched for the right word. “Linked to Sinan.”

She frowned. “I’ve never heard you speak of him.”

“Because he doesn’t matter. That was a long time ago.” He switched back to the previous subject. “I think Sinan realized what you were to me all those years ago. He’ll be pleased with Balkir for delivering you into his hands.”

“He won’t use me. I won’t permit it.”

“I hope you’re right. I suppose it’s foolish to ask you not to interfere?”

“Why should I interfere? You’re the one who was idiot enough to promise to do his will. I wish only that Haroun and I are freed so that we may return to Montdhu. Be sure that is part of any bargain you make.”

“I’ll try. I can only promise that you’ll both survive.” He took her elbow. “Have you had enough air? I think we’d better go back to your cabin. That sailor aft has been eyeing you and edging closer for the past few moments. I don’t want to be forced to toss him overboard.”

She hadn’t been aware of anything but their conversation, but Kadar had noticed. Kadar always knew everything that was going on around him. Sinan wasn’t the only one who was uncanny. “I suppose I’m ready.”

“Astonishing,” Kadar murmured as he guided her back to the cabin. “Knowing how displeased you are with me, I thought surely you’d want to see me put to the trouble of ridding us of him.”

“Sinan will give you enough trouble when we reach Maysef. He needs no help from me.”

Sinan…

After Kadar had taken Selene back to her cabin, he returned to the rail to stare out at the sea. Selene’s last remark had stirred the uneasiness that had been growing in him during these weeks on board the Dark Star.

Something was not as it should be. When he had spoken to the sailors casually of Sinan, they had frozen and then made excuses to bolt away from him.

And Balkir’s slip of the tongue on the night of their departure. He had scarcely noticed it at the time, but it had evidently stuck in his memory.

Nas-Sinan.

Nasim?

The familiar chill swept over him at the unwelcome possibility.

But possibilities must be faced before they became realities that caught you by surprise.

He turned on his heel and strode to where Balkir stood at the front of the ship.

“There’s something you should know,” Kadar murmured as he helped Selene down the gangplank at Hafir. “It wasn’t Sinan who sent the Dark Star.”

“What?” she asked, startled. “But it had to-”

“Sinan is dead. He died years ago.”

Relief poured through her. She hadn’t known until this moment how frightened she’d been of facing that evil old man again. Joy followed on the heels of relief as she realized that the threat that had dangled over Kadar’s head all these years was gone. “Thank God.”

“It may not be an occasion for rejoicing. Nasim sent Balkir to bring me here.”

“Nasim?” He had mentioned Nasim, she recalled. “The man you said was linked to Sinan?”

He nodded. “Sheikh Jabbar Al Nasim.”

“What do you mean, linked?”

“When one of Sinan’s followers was deemed ready to walk the dark path, Sinan sent him to Nasim.”

“Why?”

“Training.”

“But I thought Sinan trained you.”

“He did. Nasim’s teaching was… different. Some called him a sorcerer. Sinan was able to go only so far. It’s not easy to take the final step on the dark path or lead someone else to take it.”

She didn’t like this. It seemed impossible that anyone could be more threatening than Sinan, but Kadar’s tone was making her uneasy. “He wasn’t at Maysef when we were there.”

“He has his own camp a day’s journey away. He seldom came to Maysef except during the training or when he wanted something from Sinan.” He paused. “And he always got what he wanted, Selene. I never saw Sinan yield to anyone but Nasim.”

“And does he now lead Sinan’s followers?”

He shook his head. “He was never interested in that kind of glory. He only wanted the power. According to Balkir, Nasim just comes and goes as he always did, watching the power struggles among Sinan’s followers. He always stood apart.”

“Then why does Balkir obey him?”

“He trained most of Sinan’s assassins, and it’s difficult to shrug off… I suppose the fear is still there. It’s hard to describe the influence he wielded. He held absolute control over us.” He stopped beside a small mare whose reins were held by one of Balkir’s sailors. “Don’t be frightened. It will be all right. I just wanted to warn you.”

Don’t be frightened? He had just told her that this man was even more evil than Sinan, and he expected her to be calm about it? “What does he want of you?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Balkir said he was only told to bring me and not to let me know Sinan was dead.”

“I don’t like it.”

“Neither do I,” Kadar said soberly. “Not at all.”

The fortress of Maysef was everything Selene remembered it to be: the castle strong, stark, forbidding; the white-robed followers moving ghostlike about the courtyard and dim halls. She hadn’t realized her memory of that first encounter was so clear and vivid.

“Wait here.” Balkir dismounted from his horse. “I must go and make my report to the master. I will send for you if he wishes to see you.”