“Cast your talismans one more time,” urged Rania. “Let’s see how long it will take Mustafa to recover fully. How long before he’s back teasing us? Perhaps this will be the summer when us girls finally take charge.”

“The chance would be a fine thing,” said Huda.

“I heard your mama makes Mustafa sit three times a day with a warm poultice strapped to his foot. So, while he’s laid up, you can show me how to throw his spear. By summer’s end, I might even be as good as you.”

“As good a shot as me? I don’t fancy your luck.”

Huda giggled and cast the runes across the sand again. She scolded herself for putting so little faith in their friendship. After all, blood oaths were stronger than distance and time, weren’t they?

* * *

“Huda, are you okay?” Ally peered at her from the passenger’s seat. “I’m sorry, I should have realized you’d be worried about Rania’s mom too.”

“I’m fine.” Huda stared doggedly at the freeway unfurling before them. That wasn’t enough to banish the tears from her eyes. “It was the weeping willow back at the nursery. I’m allergic, you see.”

Ally eyed her doubtfully.

“I dropped off some food at the hospital for Rania’s mom,” she said. “I’m not sure what else I can do. . . .”

“Pray for her.” Huda worked hard to keep her voice level. Why is it, she thought, that we Iraqis are the least pious Muslims in the Middle East, yet we have the most cause to pray for Allah’s mercy?

They sped on, across the southern fringe of Baghdad. Below the freeway, mud-brick huts were scattered about like dice: one-room, crumbling cubes baking in the sun. Dust coated everything. Even the leaves on the poplar trees.

“So this aerobics class I’m taking you to, is it popular?” asked Huda, desperate to change the subject. “Have you met anyone interesting at this class?”

“There’s Barbara, she’s from Germany. Inez is from Colombia. They’re both working for the UN’s oil-for-food program.”

In her head, Huda repeated the names, Barbara, Inez. Abu Issa usually paid a bonus for details like that, money she stashed away to pay for Khalid’s passport. She prayed that the names would keep him satisfied and that he wouldn’t ask about traitors or homes razed to the ground.

“You must enjoy this aerobics if you’re coming back for the third time this month.”

“Fourth time, actually.”

“Fourth time?”

The wind thrummed against the windshield.

“Well . . .” Ally looked sheepish. “It was a last-minute thing. The phone was dead, and I couldn’t call Abdul Amir. So I hired a driver near the Karadah market.”

Huda’s jaw unhinged.

“You went in a stranger’s car?”

“Don’t worry. Hatim is a lovely guy. His wife is a teacher. They’ve got two little girls.”