'Ride up to his front door and ask for Nayyib.' I set the stud into a walk.
'Tiger, be serious.'
'I am being serious. Sometimes the only way to get what you want is to ride up to the front door and ask.'
'Umir may set some sword-dancers on you!'
'Or not.' I rode under the archway and into the paved courtyard with its tiled fountain. 'Do you want the kid or not?'
Del kept her mouth shut. She held the gelding a few steps behind the stud, undoubtedly examining every visible nook and cranny in Umir's walled gardens. I suspected she had unsheathed and now held the sword across her saddlebow. That belief was confirmed when I caught a metallic flash of light thrown against the white-painted walls.
I halted the stud beside the fountain, marking how much room there was for him to pivot and take off if given the order. Del knew better than to crowd him, so there was no chance of a collision. I reached down to the pouch behind my right leg and undid the thong, flipping back the flap.
'Umir!' I shouted, as the stud rang a shod hoof off courtyard pavers. 'Umir the Ruthless!'
As expected, it was a servant who came out to see what the ruckus was all about.
I greeted him politely. 'Now, go fetch your master. Tell him we have business to transact, he and I.'
The servant opened his mouth to refuse—I looked about as disreputable now as I did when Rafiq and friends had brought me in—then thought better of it. He departed.
After making us wait just long enough to notice, Umir put in an appearance. He wore a costly gold-striped robe, gem-weighted belt, soft kidskin house slippers. His expression was austere. 'I do not conduct business out here in the heat and dust.' His eyes assessed my condition, found it lacking. 'I am a man of refinement.'
Cheerfully, I told him what he could do with his refinement. 'You have someone here, Umir. A young man, name of Nayyib. In fact, you're very likely guesting him in the same room I occupied. Have you replaced the bedframe, yet, or is it still missing a leg?'
'I have no guests at present,' Umir retorted. 'All of the sword-dancers have left to look for you.'
'Well, too bad for you I decided to come here on my own. Makes them all look kind of bad, doesn't it? Especially after I outdanced Musa.' I flicked a glance past him, toward the depths of the house. 'We've come for Nayyib. Have someone saddle his horse while someone else escorts him out here.'
'Why should I do any such thing, Sandtiger?'
'Because you want your book back.'
His eyes sharpened. 'You have it? With you?'
I reached into the pouch, closed my hand on the cover, and dragged it out.
The tanzeer took a hungry step forward. 'Give it to me!'
I smiled. 'Nayyib first.'
Umir turned and snapped out an order to an invisible servant. Then he swung back. 'Let me have it.'
I rested the fat book atop the saddle pommel. 'Not until the kid is brought out here and is mounted on his horse.'
'You don't have any idea what that book is!' Umir said. 'Don't be a fool—let me have it!'
'No wonder you don't conduct business out here,' I observed. 'The sun boils yours brains.'
'The boy is being brought!'
'Fine. Once he's mounted and on his way, you'll get your book back.'
A white indentation circling Umir's mouth appeared on his face. Pale eyes were icy with anger. 'Do you expect this to lift the reward I've placed on you?'
'As I understand it, the reward was for my return—alive. Well, here I am. How about you pay up?'
'Pay you the reward?'
'Call it a delicious irony,' I suggested. I traced with two fingers the scuffs in the leather binding. 'The Book of Udre-Natha.' I turned back the cover, began to riffle pages. 'Interesting.'
'Don't touch it!' Umir cried. 'You'll soil the pages!'
I pinned down a page with a forefinger. 'What do you suppose this says?'
'Don't read it!' He glared up at me. 'Not that you could. I doubt you can read your own language.'
'Just a big, dumb sword-dancer, am I?' I shrugged. 'Ah, well. We can't all be born tanzeers.'
'Chula,' he spat.
I continued turning pages. 'Hmmm . . . what do you suppose this means?'
Umir couldn't control himself. 'Stop it! Stop it!' Hands reached out. 'Give it to me!'
I looked beyond him as I saw movement in the doorway. Nayyib, escorted by Umir's servant, exited the house. His near-black hair was sticking up all over his head as if he'd been rousted from a nap. In fact, his eyes looked a little bleary, too. Had Umir drugged him?
I looked at the tanzeer. 'Horse.'
'Coming,' he retorted.
And so it was, as another servant led the bay around from the stable block. Bridled and saddled, saddlepouches and botas tied on, ready to go.
I glanced at Nayyib. He was in a sad way, blinking woozily out at the sun-washed courtyard. Umir's little joke, to drug the boy. And neither Del nor I could chance giving him a hand, or we'd endanger the entire rescue. 'You,' I began, 'have caused me no small amount of trouble. How about you get up on your horse and head out of here? Now.'
Nayyib nodded vaguely, scrubbing vigorously at his stubbled face. But didn't move.
I pointed. 'That horse right there.'
'Neesha,' Del said, still waiting behind me. The tone was a complex combination of relief, concern, and command. And something I couldn't identify.
Umir glared at me. 'The book.'
'When the boy is mounted and heading out of here.'
Nayyib finally bestirred himself to walk haphazardly to his horse and stick a foot in the stirrup. With great effort he pulled himself up. I heard the sound of a burnous seam ripping as he fell into the saddle. I wondered if I'd have any teeth left by the time we exited the courtyard. Already my jaw ached from clenching it.
'Go,' Del told him, as Nayyib lifted reins.
The stud, taking a closer look at the bay, suddenly filled the courtyard with a ringing neigh. I winced.
Del's voice again: 'Neesha. Go.'
Neesha went.
'You too, bascha.' I heard retreating hoofs clopping agains the pavers. Then I smiled down at Umir. 'Your book.'
I thought he might send a servant to take it from me. But Umir came himself, lower lip caught in white teeth as he reached up for it.
'I've locked it closed,' I told him, 'for safety.' I handed over the book. 'It may take you a few weeks or years, but eventually you'll figure out how to open it.'
Eyes wide with alarm, Umir attempted to undo the latch holding the book closed. 'No—no —'
'A little insurance,' I remarked, 'in case you felt like trying a spell on me when I wasn't looking.'
He hugged the book to his chest, staring up at me. 'But—how did you do this? It requires a spell to lock it!'
'Let's just say I picked up a few things while visiting an island paradise.' I tossed him a jaunty wave as I backed the stud toward the opening in the wall. 'Happy reading, Umir.'
Outside the walls, I found Del and Nayyib waiting. I motioned them to ride on as I headed past them.
Del's face was white. 'I can't believe you did that.'
'What—give him the book? Why not? It worked, didn't it? Nayyib-Neesha is now our guest instead of Umir's.' I glanced at the boy. 'Are you drugged? Did Umir drug you?'
Owl-eyed, he shook his head.
Suspicion stirred. 'Drunk?'
His tone was excessively grave. 'I believe so, yes.'
I swore deeply and decisively.
