Radetic stared too. He wondered what the wizards of the mountains thought of recent events. Presumably they would pursue tradition and ignore their neighbors. They had been up there since time immemorial. They bothered no one who did not bring them trouble. Even the mighty Empire had let them be, and they had remained aloof from its death throes.

Haroun murmured, Megelin, Im afraid.

Ali started to make a cutting remark.

Hes right, Ali. Its a time for fear. We have to fear Nassef for his sword, and El Murid for his Word. They make a deadly combination. And we must fear this, too: that the Sword might become master of the Word, rather than the reverse. Go, then, and try to capture the whirlwind.

Ali frowned. Old Radetic was in one of his ambiguous moods.

Ali was cast more in the mold of his uncle than of his brother or father. He was no thinker. Haroun understood Radetic plainly.

Yousif had reached el Aswad only hours behind the returning family caravan. His force had been savaged, and he had come within a mouses whisker of death.

The caravan had not come through unscathed. Yousif had left no guards. Disorganized bands of Nassefs pickets had tried their luck plundering.

Even Megelin Radetic had taken up arms in the running fight.

He gripped his left bicep. He had taken a light saber slash. The wound still ached.

He smiled. How he had amazed his assailant with his counterattack!

Fuad still could not assimilate the fact that his brothers tame intellectual knew which end of a sword to grab. Nor did he know what to make of the fact that the teacher had taken charge of old men, boys, women and camel drovers and had whipped hell out of tough young warriors.

Radetic found his incredulity amusing. He had told Fuad, We study more than flowers at the Rebsamen. The remark referred to Fuads bewilderment the time when he had discovered that Megelin was cataloging and making color drawings of desert wildflowers.

Ali descended from his perch. Megelin?

Yes?

Im scared too.

We all are, Ali.

Ali glared at Haroun. If you tell, Ill pound you.

Haroun snatched up a jagged rock. Come on, Ali.

Boys. Save it for El Murid.

He asking for it, Haroun replied.

You little snot

I said knock it off. Haroun, come on. Ali was here first.

Ali stuck out his tongue.

Radetic strolled away wondering what Haroun did fear. People did not intimidate him. Lets go back to the castle, Haroun. Its time we did a little studying.

El Aswad was a regional name which popular usage also applied to its capital fortress. The Imperial builders of the original featureless square stronghold had called it the Eastern Fortress. Under the Empire it had been the headquarters of a major military command.