ence that seemed to stretch on forever. Finally, Qutuz turned away.

"I must allow you to discipline the Bhari Mamelukes--or not discipline
them--as you see fit, Bunduqdari. That is your responsibility."

"Thank you, My Lord," said Baibars with just a hint of sarcasm.

He turned to Mahmoud. "Take him away."

Daoud crossed the field, walking beside Mahmoud, wondering how his
khushdashiya, clustered together around what had been their goal, would
greet him.

_I have killed Kassar_, Daoud thought. _I have taken a life._ It was the
first time, and he felt glad and proud.

But he would gladly give up this proud moment to have Nicetas back. His
grief for Nicetas was sharp as ever, not at all eased by vengeance.

_Is it wrong to have done as I did and to feel this way?_

A sharp voice rang out behind them. "Mahmoud!"

Daoud and the naqeeb turned together, and Daoud was amazed to see that
Baibars, splendid in his red satin robe and green turban, was
approaching them. Daoud and Mahmoud rushed to stand before him, rigid
and trembling.

"Mahmoud," Baibars said, "when we return to Raudha Island tonight, you
will issue this fool the steel helmet of a full-fledged Mameluke,
trimmed with black fur."

He swung that searching blue eye back to Daoud. "Tonight at the Gray
Mosque I will perform the ceremony that frees you. You will be a part of
my personal guard from now on."

Dizzy with exultation, Daoud fell to his knees and pressed his forehead
to the cool brown earth before the emir. Tears burned his eyes and
dripped to the ground.

"May God praise and bless you, Emir Baibars!" he cried.

"Get up," Baibars said briskly. "Had you let your friend go unavenged, I
would no longer be interested in you."

As he scrambled to his feet, Daoud saw Mahmoud smiling through his
beard.

"You learned well the lesson I tried to teach you."

Dizzy, Daoud tried to grasp what had been going on in the minds of these
men without his realizing it.

Baibars said, "Now you must learn to kill with more grace and subtlety.
I shall see that you are trained by masters, as I did when I sent you to
Sheikh Abu Hamid al-Din Saadi."

_And I must go to Sheikh Saadi again_, thought Daoud. _That he may tell
me if I did wrong._

* * * * *

Now it was over ten years since Kassar had killed Nicetas and Daoud had
killed Kassar. And though Daoud had never felt guilty for killing
Kassar, he understood what Saadi meant a