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It was the laughter that took Alvar past his own breaking point。 Before he was aware of forming the thought； he had released Husari and was running。
Too many people in between。 A thronged； roiling street。 Only a dozen strides； but they were too far。 The girl stood； smoke billowing around her； defending her burning home and her small brother against two men with blades。
No one else seemed to have seen them； there was too much panic all around。 The nearer of the two men feinted with his blade； then drew it back to thrust as the girl overreacted badly。
〃No！〃 Alvar screamed； from the middle of the street； battering a path across a tide of fleeing people。 〃No！〃
Then he saw； in the shadows and flame； the man's knife hand snap backwards uncontrollably。 The Asharite cried out； dropped his blade。
And the whip that had caught him immediately coiled and lashed out again； catching the second man across the throat； opening a red gash。 Alvar looked up and saw Rodrigo at a window above； leaning out with his whip。 Alvar didn't break stride。 He came up to those two men and chopped them down like animals； a rage in his heart。
He stood there； fighting for control； and looked at the girl。 She eyed him in terror。 Was she twelve； thirteen？
〃Where are your parents？〃 he gasped； trying to master his voice。
〃They are dead；〃 she replied； her voice flattened out。 〃Upstairs。 Men came in with torches and a spear。〃 Her eyes were too wide； opening on a world given over to horror。 No tears。
She ought to be crying； Alvar thought。 He looked up again。 Rodrigo was shouting something； and gesturing to the next doorway： he couldn't hear the words。 The child behind the girl was no more than four years old。 He was crying in harsh； convulsive bursts； scarcely able to draw breath。
〃e with me；〃 Alvar snapped； his voice sharp with urgency。 He bent down abruptly and picked up the little boy and then pushed the girl out of the doorway with a hand on her back。 A burly figure came rushing up to them； an axe raised。 Still holding the small child； Alvar twisted away from a blow； pivoted； and thrust his reddened blade into the man's chest。
There was a huge； roaring sound behind him。 He looked up。 The girl's house was alight now； flames in all the upper windows。 The whole of the Kindath Quarter was on fire。 He carried the terrified child and guided the girl towards the doorway Rodrigo had indicated from above。
He gasped with relief when he got there。 Jehane stood in the doorway with two people who had to be her parents。 Rodrigo came hurtling down the stairs。
〃Where's Ammar？〃 Jehane asked quickly。 He couldn't ever remember seeing her look so frightened。
〃Don't know。 Think he's holding the gate with the guards。〃
〃Husari's right over there；〃 Rodrigo said。 Alvar looked back。 Ibn Musa was wielding his blade again； fighting a slow retreat in the street； letting the running Kindath stream past him towards the square。
〃We have to get out。 It's all going up；〃 Alvar gasped。 He was still carrying the little boy。 He handed the child over to the nearest person； who happened to be Jehane's mother。 〃Is there a way out？〃
〃There is；〃 Jehane said。 〃We have a long way to go to get there； though； and…oh； thank the god and the moons！〃
Ammar ibn Khairan； bleeding from a gash in one arm； came running up。 〃The Muwardis are here；〃 he snapped。 〃This will end soon； but we have to be gone before they round everyone up！〃
Alvar； a day ago； half a day； would have been unable to conceive of how tidings of the arrival of the veiled ones could ever have brought him relief。
〃Jehane； which way？〃 It was Rodrigo。 〃Past the sanctuary？〃
〃No。 The other way！ There's a place in the wall； but it's on the far side of the Quarter。〃 She pointed past where Asharites were still streaming in pursuit of her kindred。 Even as he looked； Alvar saw a running woman clubbed down from behind。 The man who had felled her stopped running and began beating her where she lay。 Alvar took a step towards them； but felt Rodrigo's hand grip his arm。
〃We cannot save them all。 We must do what we can。 What we came to do。〃 The Captain's eyes were bleak。
〃Let's go；〃 said Ammar ibn Khairan。
〃These two e with us；〃 Alvar said flatly； gesturing to the children。
〃Of course they do；〃 said Eliane bet Danel。 〃Can you get us through？〃
〃Yes we can；〃 said Alvar； speaking before ibn Khairan； before the Captain。 〃No one is going to stop us。〃 He looked at the two leaders。 〃I go first； with your permission。〃
They glanced at each other。 He saw something in both faces： a kind of acknowledgment。 〃You lead；〃 said ibn Khairan。 〃Jehane guides。 Let's go。〃
Alvar stepped from the doorway in the direction Jehane had indicated。 They had to go straight into the stream of the attackers…those who would destroy people； small children； with sickles and axes and cudgels。 With utter savagery。 The Asharites were terrified themselves； he tried to remind himself。 There were invaders approaching their walls。
It didn't matter。
Nuances were not for this evening。 At the descent of twilight in the burning Kindath Quarter of Fezana in Al…Rassan； Alvar de Pellino went forward with a shield and a sword and an undivided heart； and he could not be stopped。
Banishing ambiguities； everything but the need to be swift and deadly and sure； he led their small party into the path of the advancing mob and he carved a way with his blade for the others to follow。
He became aware that Husari was with them now； that the merchant had sheathed his blade and was guiding the blind physician who was Jehane's father。 When they reached the head of the street； Alvar felt the presence of Rodrigo at his side in the stinging smoke and the heat。 He knew； without looking back； that ibn Khairan would be guarding their rear。
They dealt with a sudden swirl of assailants in the open space。 Alvar blocked a blow； chopped his sword at someone's knees。 Turned and cut back the other way； even as the first man was falling。 He had never moved so quickly in his life。
There was a vast； cracking sound； an entire building collapsed across the way in a shower of sparks and a rush of flame。 They felt the heat as a wave。
〃That way！〃 Jehane cried。
Alvar saw where she pointed。 Led them； slashing with his blade。 Went through thick smoke and the heat of the fires； past the running figures of Kindath and their pursuers； forging a path against the flow。
Jehane signalled again and then again； and one more time； and finally they came to a place at the other end of the Quarter； a dead…end laneway leading only to the outer walls。
Alvar looked back。 No one was following through the smoke。 There was blood in his eyes。 He didn't think it was his own。 He swiped at it with his forearm。
Rodrigo was beside him； breathing quickly but calm as ever。 The Captain gave him a searching glance。 〃Bravely done；〃 he said quietly。 〃I could have done no better。 This is truth； not flattery。〃
〃Nor I；〃 said ibn Khairan； ing up to them。 〃I knew you were a soldier。 I never knew how much of one。 Forgive me that。〃
〃I'm not；〃 said Alvar； but he rasped it under his breath； and he didn't think they heard。 With the fever gone； the white rage； it was gradually ing to him how many terrified people he had just sent to their god。 He looked at his sword。 It was clotted with blood。
It was quieter here。 In the distance they could hear new sounds； a change in the noise。 The Muwardis had e。 They would care nothing for the butchered Kindath but would be ruthless in suppressing the violence。 And the fires would have to be contained or Fezana would be at the mercy of the Jaddites outside。
But I'm a Jaddite； Alvar thought。 He knelt and began wiping his slippery blade on a clump of weeds by the wall。 This is good for us。
It didn't feel that way。 He stood up and sheathed his weapon。 He looked at the others。 The little boy was quiet now； clutching the neck of Jehane's mother。 She had carried him all the way here。 His sister stood close by； her face white； eyes still wide； still without tears。 Jehane's father was stone…faced and silent； a hand on Husari's shoulder。
It was Husari who was weeping。
Alvar felt his heart twist for his friend。 This was Husari's city； he would have known so many of these maddened people； he had probably killed men he had known all his life。 Alvar opened his mouth and then closed it。 There was nothing he could think of to say。 There were places into which words could not go。 Not the words he knew。
Jehane was on her knees； scrabbling at a stone in the wall。 It came loose。 She reached in a hand； swore as a scorpion scurried away； and pulled out a key。 She stood up。
〃Over here；〃 she gasped。 She ran a short distance along the wall to a clump of raspberry bushes。 Ducking in behind them； she dropped to her knees again； inserted the key and pulled； hard。
A small； low section of the stone wall swung outwards。 The hinging mechanism was ingenious； they had no time to admire it。
〃Is this；〃 said Eliane； 〃one of the ways out your friends taught you？〃
Jehane glanced up at her mother。 〃How do you know about them？〃
Eliane's expression wa