The man turned to the soldiers. “Take her!” he said.

The soldiers began to move.

“Stop,” said Alai. Quietly but clearly.

The soldiers stopped. They looked miserable and confused.

“He doesn’t know what he’s saying,” the man said to the soldiers. “Take the girl and then we’ll discuss it later.”

“Do not move except at my command,” said Alai.

The soldiers did not move.

The man faced Alai again. “You’re making a mistake,” he said.

“The soldiers of the Caliph are witnesses,” said Alai. “The Caliph has been threatened. The Caliph’s orders have been countermanded. There is a man in this garden who thinks he has more power in Islam than the Caliph. So the words of this infidel girl are correct. The Caliph is a holy figurehead, who allows his servants to keep him within walls. The Caliph is a prisoner and others rule Islam in his name.”

Peter could see in the man’s face that he now realized that the Caliph was not just a boy who could be manipulated.

“Don’t go down this road,” he said.

“The soldiers of the Caliph are witnesses,” said Alai, “that this man has given a command to the Caliph. A challenge. But unlike the girl, this man has ordered armed soldiers, in the presence of the Caliph, to disobey the Caliph. The Caliph can hear any words without harm, but when soldiers are ordered to disobey him, it does not require an imam to explain that treason and blasphemy are present here.”

“If you move against me,” the man said, “then the others—”

“The soldiers of the Caliph are witnesses,” said Alai, “that this man is part of a conspiracy against the Caliph. There are ‘others.’”

One soldier came forward and laid a hand on the man’s arm.

He shook it off.

Alai smiled at the soldier.

The soldier took the man’s arm again, but not gently. Other soldiers stepped forward. One took the man’s other arm. The rest faced Alai, waiting for orders.

“We have seen today that one man of my council thinks he is the master of the Caliph. Therefore, any soldier of Islam who truly wishes to serve the Caliph will take every member of the council into custody and hold them in silence until the Caliph has decided which of them can be trusted and which must be discarded from the service of God. Move quickly, my friends, before the ones who are spying on this conversation have time to escape.”

The man wrenched one hand free and in a moment held a wicked-looking knife.

But Alai’s hand was already firmly gripping his wrist.

“My old friend,” said Alai, “I know that you were not raising that weapon against your Caliph. But suicide is a grave and terrible sin. I refuse to allow you to meet God with your own blood on your hands.” With a twist of his hand, Alai made the man groan with pain. The knife clattered on the flagstones.

“Soldiers,” said Alai. “Make me safe. Meanwhile, I will continue my conversation with these visitors, who are under the protection of my hospitality.”