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Even to Yoseh it seemed that Fa'tad was sending in every man he had. And thatjust did not make any sense. What was so damned important about that Shu maze?
"Nothing, I'll bet," Nogah said. "Just Fa'tad tying to get Cado to think hethinks it's critical. Maybe so Cado will take it away and make a fool ofhimself looking for something that isn't there."
"What difference does it make?" Medjhah asked. "We get paid the same whetherwe dig around or we don't. Why worry about it?"
Somebody else said, "Yeah, kid. What you getting fussed for?"
Nogah: "He hopes we're on the job a month. You didn't see that veydeen slip hewas making sheep's eyes at yesterday."
Medjhah: "Oh, she was tender, my brothers! Young and sweet. Her eyes were likealmonds toasted and glazed with honey. Her lips were a bed of rose petals."
Yoseh snapped, "Knock it off, you guys."
Medjhah: "Best of all, she wasn't very bright. She was making calf eyes rightback at him."
Nogah: "Sounds too good to be true. If she can cook I'm going to take her awayfrom him."
Yoseh's protests only made the ribbing worse.
Veydeen in the streets paused to stare, startled by Dartar laughter. Yosehsaid, "You're ruining our image."
He became tense as they passed through the acropolis, in the shadow of theCitadel. In an operation this size, how much chance Nogah's troop would end upwhere they had been posted yesterday?
Nogah must have arranged something. He broke off the column at the same alley.
As Yoseh helped unload he kept glancing at that doorway down the street. Everyglance provoked a wisecrack.
The house was closed up this morning. The crone was not in her usual place onthe street. Had his daring yesterday raised her bile? Had she sealed up thefortress till the siege of the maze was over?
Nogah flailed his injured arm to work out some of the stiffness. Already someof his cousins were pushing into the alleyway. Another six men, assigned byJoab, arrived and dismounted, turned their animals over to Yoseh. Yoseh asked,
"You're not going in there today, are you, Nogah?"
"Of course."
"But you're injured. Send me instead."
"I wouldn't do that. You'd miss your little veydeen doe." He laughed andmarched into the shadows of the alley. Yoseh started after him.
"Hold it, little brother!" Medjhah snapped. "Come over here."
Yoseh went, reluctantly.
"You got a lot to learn about keeping yourself alive, kid. First rule ofsurvival is don't ever volunteer for anything. Where volunteers get sent menget killed."
"Why does he keep me out of the maze?"
"He doesn't want you to get hurt."
"I'm not a child, Medjhah."
"You're no seasoned warrior, either. Qushmarrah isn't the mountains. Right nowyou're an apprentice. When Nogah is sure he can trust your judgment andability to follow orders he'll find something exciting for you to do." Medjhahsettled on a saddle he had pulled off one of the camels, leaned back againstthe wall.
Veydeen surged around the knot of animals, casting sullen glances at theDartars impeding traffic. Medjhah ignored them till a trio of young wives camepast, stealing glances at the mysterious nomads. He singsonged, "Come close, come closer, said the fox to the little hens. I ca
The tallest woman lifted her nose and lengthened her step. The other twogiggled and whispered behind their hands and hurried to catch up. As she wasabout to fade into the crowd the tall one paused to look back.
Medjhah tossed her a wave. "We'll see that haughty beauty again before the dayis over."
"How do you know?"
"It's my irresistible charm. Veydeen women just can't stay away."
"More like they were carrying market baskets and they'll have to come backthis way to get home."
"That, too. But I'll bet you right now she comes along this side of the streetand gives me a chance to tell her more about the fox and the hens."
"You think so?"
"It's a game. Teasing game. Flirting game. She and I both know nothing wouldcome of it even if that was what we wanted. No Dartar is going to introduceher to any mysteries. Can you see sneaking into a woman's home and bed dressedlike this? Nobody would notice a Dartar who went calling while a woman's manwas away?"
"Get veydeen clothing. Step back there in the alley and change. Once you're inthe crowd nobody would notice you."
Medjhah looked at him oddly. "I never thought of that."
Yoseh shrugged. It seemed obvious to him.
Medjhah said, "We were talking about adventures before those hens came byflaunting themselves. Look at me, Yoseh. Perfectly content to sit here leaningagainst a wall, watching camels. You want to know why? Because Nogah has foundme enough adventures already. Don't go looking for trouble. You might findit."
Yoseh nodded. There was sense in that.
They watched the women go to market for a while, Medjhah flirting whenever onewould allow it.
The door down the street opened and the crone came out, followed closely by awoman whose face made Yoseh's heart jump. Then he saw that she was not thegirl. Her mother, perhaps. At least her older sister. The look was there, buttime had weathered it.
The women carried baskets. The crone eyed him narrowly as they passed. After aglance the other paid him no heed.
Medjhah did not exercise his charm upon her. When she was out of sight helaughed. "Heart going pitty-pat, little brother? Here's your big chance. Justwalk over there and start talking. But what if her father is there? What ifshe has brothers? What if she spits in your face and screams for help?"
Medjhah laughed again.
It was as if Medjhah could read his mind.
"Eh, don't worry about it, Yoseh. Come sit in the shade and watch the crazyveydeen. The parade is endlessly fascinating."
But the doorway down the street was open an inch. He could see the white of aneye pressed to the crack. Somehow, that shook the roots of the daydream, asthough reality threatened to intrude and force him to live out the fantasy.
His spirit was restless. That communicated itself to his flesh. He began topace.
Azel was plagued by an unaccustomed flux of the spirit. He was restless, uncomfortable, almost haunted as he moved through the Dartar infestation. Whatthe hell were they doing? Why the hell couldn't they leave the labyrinthalone?
He fretted as he drifted through the press of Char Street. He did not like thefeelings plaguing him. It was almost if he were suffering a premonition ofdisaster.
He slipped into the old man's house as quickly as he could. Almost too quicklyto pay attention to safety. And that bothered him, too. A man dared not putcaution aside.
The old man was in his bed. Azel said, "I'm here. Again. You seem determinedto use me up."
He frowned. He did not like what he heard from his own lips. It was not likehim to complain.
"Things have begun moving quickly. It ca
"What is it this time?"
"The man you tracked to Government House. He turned out to be an officer ofhigh standing among the Herodians. We want to turn him to our own advantage.
We have him under control now but we don't expect our leverage to hold up."
"This is where I come in."
"The boy you took the other day is his son. We have informed him that we havethe child in our control. I want you to convince him of that fact."
"How?"
"Take him there. Show him the boy. Then get the child into our hands as soonas possible. Have him be the next one examined."
"That's asking for trouble. If I take the man inside he might recognizesomething. And the woman isn't going to accept that without a squawk. Nor willshe be pliant about who she takes for examination. It pleases her to imaginethat she's the driving force behind everything and that we're parasitichangers-on trying to profit from her researches. She tolerates us because shefinds us useful occasionally."