come back." There was so much he wanted to tell her, so much he
realized now he had not said about how he loved her as he had never
loved another woman in his life since--

Since his mother.

They were two people who had been utterly alone in the world, who had
both lost everyone precious to them. All they truly had was each other.

_Oh, God, let me come back to her. I ask this not for my happiness, but
for hers._

"I know I will see you again." She smiled suddenly. "Can you find your
way to me?"

He looked up at the building and then at the street. Bulking large
against the stars was the huge square shape of an arch, which had been
built over a thousand years ago, he was told, by a Roman general to
commemorate his conquest of Jerusalem.

With this talk of stars and portents, he felt it must mean something
that this victory arch should be here in Benevento. Were not these wars
of Muslim and Christian that had shaped his destiny wars over Jerusalem?

He said, "I will ride through that arch, and you will be on the third
floor of the house with the carving over the door of San Giorgio slaying
the dragon."

She smiled, her teeth white in the lantern light. "That is the Archangel
Michael overcoming Satan."

"How am I to tell one Christian idol from another?"

She pushed at him. He saw the tracks of tears glistening on her cheeks.
His own eyes burned.

"Go quickly now."

He turned, fearing the sight of his tears might break her heart, as hers
had broken his. He set his foot in the stirrup and vaulted into the
saddle of the brown Arabian Husain was holding. He waited for Husain to
mount his own horse and then started down the street. He kept his face
set toward the triumphal arch. He dared not look back.

* * * * *

In her room, Sophia went through her chest and found her icon of Saint
Simon Stylites. She kept the icon hidden when Daoud was around. He
believed that praying to saints' images was idolatry, and she especially
did not want him to see her praying to a saint named Simon. She knelt,
clasped her hands, and prayed to the desert saint.

_Oh, holy Simon, bring him back to me. You who dwelt in the desert, you
who know what it is to be alone on your pillar, keep safe this man who
came alone out of the desert. Protect him from the swords and spears and
arrows of his enemies. He is not of our faith, I know, but I love him
so, and is not Love another name for God?_

She pres