Only a few stars glimmered through the overhanging clouds. Three figures lurched out of the darkness. “Begone!” I growled. They sang a few drunken snatches of song, laughed, and staggered on. We turned a corner and walked almost straight into a group of bravos. One raised a hand as though to command us to halt, but he stared at us and backed away. The others fell into a whispered discussion. My sword was bare in my hand, and the bundle over one shoulder looked remarkably like a corpse, for the bound singing girl struggled only intermittently. She mouthed something into her gag, then let out a muffled scream. Suddenly the thieves retreated to the mouth of the alley from which they’d come. They did not follow us. We must have seemed on an errand more villainous than theirs. A few hundred feet more brought us to the door Dabir sought. He bade me step to one side and pounded on it. “It is Dabir,” he called. “Open up!” After several moments of pounding, Jamilah’s student opened the door and peered at Dabir, who pushed wide the door and strode past him.
