All of the arrangements for the rescue of the Princess had been made. Patrols had been sent out to scour the foothills around Jadpat for any sign of the barbarian hordes, the Mazidarans, or the Princess. In the meantime, Lodar prepared for any contingency. The Emperor had Balder Khan send messengers to all of the Lakars in the Outer Army to prepare for possible attack by Mazidar. The Inner Army continued to move into Lodar to protect the city, taking up camp at the Tomb, the huge fortress and prison which dominated the east bank of the Otarand River.

Throughout all of this, Balder Khan struggled with his conscience and waited impatiently for an opportunity to meet privately with the Emperor. Such an opportunity was not forthcoming, since Mith Cor now busied himself preparing for the rescue of his daughter.

If Akkra was correct, and there was a conspiracy of the nobility to bring about the downfall of the Imperial Family, then Mith Cor was working right into their hands.

Each action taken, thought Balder Khan bitterly, only brings us closer to actual destruction. He had to start talking some sense into someone! But who? The Emperor was not willing to listen to reason. He certainly could not trust Rati Bajah, since Balder Khan believed the High Priest was behind the conspiracy.

Nar Sidthar.

Though Balder Khan personally disliked the Magar of the Inner Army, Nar had always demonstrated allegience to the Emperor. And since Mith Cor had given Nar Sidthar blanket powers to protect Lodar, it only made sense that Nar be given as much information to work with as possible. Perhaps the two of them, working as a team, might prevent the conspiracy from accomplishing its dastardly objectives.

It was certainly worth the effort to try. At this point, any action would be preferrable to passively standing around.

He asked several of the servants of the Imperial Palace where Nar Sidthar was. They informed the Conqueror that Sidthar had returned to his own palace to direct the search for the Princess. Balder Khan was surprised that the Magar would do that, since it made more sense to remain at the Imperial Palace. However, he shrugged off his concerns and headed for the stables to get his horse. Nar Sidthar's palace was quite distant, and Balder Khan did not want to depend on public carriers.

As he rode out of the palace area, he passed an incoming wagon, laden with hay. Something bothered him about the wagaon, but he could not put his finger on the cause of his concern. If he had noticed that under the peasant clothes of the wagonmaster and his crew were the robes of the priests of Att, he might have been more concerned. As it was, he put the thought out of his mind and rode quickly through the courtyard gate.

Nar Sidthar obviously was not expecting Balder Khan, nor for that matter anyone from the palace. It was obvious to Balder Khan that the Magar was putting on a pleasant front. He greeted the Conqueror like an old friend unexpectedly turning up at dinner time.

"Balder Khan, this is indeed a rare surprise. But I would have thought that you would already be heading south, to be with your warriors." The Magar's voice barely masked the contempt that Nar Sidthar felt for the Conqueror. "Did not the Emperor give you explicit instructions to do so?"

Balder Khan nodded, slowly and thoughtfully. "Yes, he did, Nar, but his orders were based on false information."

Nar Sidthar raised his eyebrows. He waved a hand, calling over a servant. "Bring us some wine," he ordered. He gestured towards a seating area. "Perhaps you should sit down and explain this to me. What do you mean, false information?"

"The Emperor believes that Nest-kor was abducted by the Mazidarans, specifically the Prince. Further, he believes the Prince is going to initiate an invasion by the mountain tribes from the north, presumably while there is an invasion by Mazidaran warriors from the south. Is this not correct?"

Nar Sidthar nodded impatiently. "Go on, wherein lies the error?"

"The error is in the information Reek Vel provided us. He claims that he discovered the Prince kidnapping the Princess. Suppose I told you that Reek Vel is lying, and that it was really he and Orse Jab who abducted Nest-kor?"

Nar Sidthar sat upright in his chair. "Balder Khan, this is a very serious allegation. You are accusing two of Lodar's finest noblemen of treason. That is a capital offense."

Balder Khan was not sure if the accusation was the capital offense or the crime of which he accused the two men. He shrugged off his paranoia, and continued. "Furthermore, I have reason to believe that Reek Vel and Dundar Gazi were not working alone. In fact, they are part of a secret society known as the Council of Twenty-two, whose objective is the overthrow of Mith-Cor and the establishment of a new Imperial dynasty!"

Nar Sidthar was stunned by the news. "I can't believe it," he muttered, shaking his head in doubt. "I just can't believe that anyone would be disloyal to our Emperor. Are you sure of your facts, Balder Khan?"

Balder Khan sighed in exasperation. "That is the problem, Nar. I don't have that many facts. Yes, I do have isolated bits of information gleaned from a variety of sources, but nothing concrete that I can go to the Emperor with. That is what is so frustrating! I know that this conspiracy is going on, I even have some strong suspicions as to who is involved in it -- but I don't have any proof!"

"Who else is involved?" asked the Magar.

Balder Khan started ticking off names on his fingers. "Rati Bajah. I am sure he is the ringleader of this whole conspiracy. Lak Kowen. Reek Vel. Dundar Gazi." He continued, naming another dozen names.

Nar Sidthar laughed curtly. "I'm surprised you don't have my name on your list, Balder!"

"I suspected you for some time, Nar Sidthar," said the Conqueror. "But your loyalty to the Emperor is unquestionable."

The Magar of the Inner Army clapped Balder Khan on the knee. "I am certainly relieved that at least the two of us can trust each other, Balder Khan. I too have been suspicious of recent goings on, though I never would have guessed that it was as extensive as this. But we still come back to the key issue: what proof do we have?" He stood up and paced around. "Tell me more about why you believe Reek Vel is lying."

"A couple of days ago, I received a message from a spy I had watching the Emissary, who we later discovered to be Prince Akkra. Apparently Akkra knew this person was associated with me, since he passed on a message to me through this spy. I was to meet Akkra on the road to Jadpat at midnight last night. This I did."

"But that only confirms Reek Vel's story!" exclaimed Nar Sidthar. "That clearly puts the Prince in the same local."

Balder Khan shook his head. "I have no doubt that the Prince was out there, since I spoke with him. Nor do I doubt that Reek Vel saw him. Surely the Mazidaran did have an encounter with Reek Vel and Dundar Gazi, and I am pretty sure that Akkra killed Dundar Gazi. Despite Jab's prowess with a sword, I am pretty sure Akkra is not the dandy he pretends to be."

"But I still don't see the proof," protested Nar Sidthar.

"It should be quite evident. You will recall that Reek Vel claimed he and Dundar Gazi followed the Prince out of the city to the post house where they tried to rescue the Princess?"

Nar Sidthar nodded, as Balder Khan's logic suddenly dawned on him. "Yet, if Prince Akkra met with you, he could not have been the person Dundar and Reek were following!"

"Exactly! This means that either they followed someone else who abducted the Princess and they are trying to blame the Mazidaran, or they themselves are the culprits and it was the Mazidaran who discovered them."

Nar Sidthar nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense, Balder Khan. But one thing still puzzles me. Why was Akkra out on the Jadpat road anyway? That is in the opposite direction from Mazidar."

Balder Khan agreed with him, excited now that he had an understanding ally. He could almost envison the two of them making their case before the Emperor. "That's because there really are barbarian tribes up in the mountains, though I still don't know where they are. That was why Akkra wanted to meet with me, to explain what they were doing and to ensure that we in Lodar did not misinterpret their actions."

The Inner Army Magar was suddenly suspicious. "What actions? What are you referring to?"

"In a couple of days, thousands of barbarians -- men, women, children, and their animals -- are going to cut across the northern parts of Lodar, heading for the Nasilam Steppes. Akkra wanted to make sure that we knew about this ahead of time so that we could prepare for it."

Nar Sidthar's jaw dropped. "How do we prepare for something like that? What makes you so sure that their intentions are peaceable? How could you even know that such an event is going to occur and not inform the Emperor?"

"Calm down, Nar Sidthar," said Balder Khan. "We prepare for it by readying our warriors. However, we hold them back and do not attack unless it becomes obvious that their intentions are not peaceful. As for telling the Emperor, in the current state he is in, do you think he would have listened to reason?"

Nar Sidthar regained his composure. "No, I guess he wouldn't have. He probably would have reacted just as I did. But I can tell you, Balder Khan," he admonished. "You are balancing on a fence, between loyalty and treason. If I were you, I would watch out. Not everyone is going to be as willing to hear you out as I am. If this information gets to the wrong ears, you might loose your head before you get a chance to relate all of the facts."

Balder Khan nodded. "That has occurred to me, Nar Sidthar. Knowing whom to trust and not to trust is very difficult these days. However, now that we can work together, I feel more confident that we can approach the Emperor and ensure the safety of the Empire. I suggest that we see Mith Cor right now."

"No, no, Balder Khan," laughed Nar Sidthar. "Don't be so impetuous! There are still too many loose ends. Consider, if we went to give this information to the Emperor right now, how would he react? As you pointed out to me, he wouldn't listen to reason until Nest-kor is safe. What we have to do is locate her, and then we can go before the Emperor. Don't you agree?"

"But every moment we postpone action gives the Council of Twenty-two more time to act!" protested the Conqueror. "We can't waste any more time."

"Just until morning," suggested Nar Sidthar. "My warriors are checking out the details of Reek Vel's story, and I should have a report before midnight. In the morning, we can gather our allies together and make show a united front to the Emperor. That way, if the alleged members of this infamous Council try to indict us, we will have sufficient allies to stay their hand. And who knows, if Prince Akkra is really not the enemy of Lodar that Reek claims, he might bring Nest-kor back to Lodar on his own."

Balder Khan stared at Nar Sidthar dubiously, then let his shoulders droop in resignation. "I suppose you are right, Nar Sidthar. After all, I am only a warrior, used to action. You are more familiar with the intricacies of politics than I am. I can only trust to your judgment."

Nar Sidthar smiled. He stood up and held out his arm. "Then we're agreed? We go see the Emperor in the morning?"

Balder Khan rose and slowly clasped Nar's arm in bonding agreement. "Agreed, " he said, though his voice lacked any conviction.

Nar Sidthar escorted Balder Khan to the entrance hall. A servant scurried off to get the Conqueror's horse. As they were waiting, Nar Sidthar put a hand on Balder Khan's shoulder.

"One last bit of advice," Nar said. "I don't think we should bring Shanti Raj in on this."

Balder Khan raised his eyebrows. "You don't trust him?" he asked. "I hadn't gotten any indication that he sided with any of the factions that seem to be involved with the conspiracy."

"One never knows," said Nar Sidthar. "He is in a useful position to aid any such conspiracy. And I keep wondering, if Shanti Raj can be trusted, why did the Emperor want my Inner Army warriors in Lodar? Perhaps because Shant Raj's Imperial Guard cannot be trusted?"

Balder Khan whistled. "By the balls of Att," he said, "I hadn't considered that. But you may be right, you may be right."

The Conqueror's horse was brought to the front of the building and Balder Khan departed. Nar Sidthar stared at the doorway for a few moments, then went back into the room where he had met with Balder Khan. "My lords," he called. "He is gone."

Lak Kowan and Rati Bajah entered the room, their faces grim. Lak Kowan poured himself a large goblet of the wine. "What's your opinion, Nar Sidthar?" he asked. "Do you think he represents an immediate danger?"

Nar Sidthar nodded. "Yes, Lak, I do. But I think we face a more immediate danger." He looked towards Rati Bajah, who stood there rubbing his chin. The High Priest nodded.

"Yes, Nar, you are right. We do have a more immediate danger than Balder Khan. Reek Vel. If he is picked up by the Conqueror and tortured into confessing, we will all be dead." He looked at the other two, his face grim. "He must be silenced forever."

"Can you take care of that?" asked Lak Kowan.

Rati Bajah gave him a sideways look of disgust. "We will do whatever is necessary to ensure the success of our mission, Kowan." He turned abruptly to leave, his crimson robes flashing in the flickering light of the lamps. He was stopped by a question from Nar Sidthar.

"Rati Bajah, when do we move against the Emperor?"

The High Priest smiled. "It is being done even as we speak, Nar Sidthar. Prepare yourself, for by dawn, you may be the next Emperor of Lodar." He bowed deeply, an action that effectively hid both the trace of sarcasm in his voice and the flicker of contempt that swept across his face. Then he was gone to arrange the death of Reek Vel.

There was silence for a few moments after the High Priest departed. Then Nar Sidthar took a long swallow of the wine. "I don't like it," he finally announced.

Lak Kowan looked puzzled. "What don't you like, Magar?"

"Killing Reek Vel. He is a member of the Council. I just think that it is a bad precedent to murder our allies, just because their usefulness is over. I just wonder where the killing will stop."

The Slaver laughed. "Don't get sentimental on us, Nar Sidthar. You have never hesitated to put someone to the sword if they might prove dangerous. The same is true of Reek Vel. It is regrettable, but I agree with Rati Bajah. If he talks, we all die."

Nar Sidthar nodded slowly. "I know, Lak, but I still don't like it. I just don't like it."

Balder Khan left Nar Sidthar's palace wondering if he had done the right thing in telling the Inner Army Magar about his suspicions. He finally decided that he did not have any choice in the matter, although he did realize now that Nar could use the information against Balder Khan.

The Conqueror returned to his own palace and went to the chambers occupied by Isma. She was preparing for bed when he found her. He told her to get dressed again.

"Why?" she questioned, though she immediately began to change.

"I think there might be trouble in Lodar," he replied. "I would prefer if you were safely out of the city." He helped her select appropriate clothes for her trip. "Would your parents mind if you spent some time in their village?"

"No, they have been wanting me to visit for quite some time. I had been hoping that we could get our own lives in better order before I saw them again, but perhaps this would be a good time to see them."

Balder Khan pulled her gently towards him. He put his hands on each side of her face, tilted her head back, and kissed her. "Isma, we will get our lives in order, real soon," he said. "This situation should only last a few weeks at the most. When it's over, I will come and get you. Then we'll either return to Lodar to get married, or we will leave the Empire entirely. Go someplace where we can start over."

Isma coughed dubiously. "And where can the Conqueror of Lodar go to start over?" she asked.

Balder Khan shrugged. "I don't know. Perhaps to Mazidar. They may need a good warrior or two."

"Are you serious?" she asked. "Could you trust the Mazidarans?"

He nodded. "Yes, Isma, I think I could. I also think that if anything serious happens, you could go to Mazidar and seek the protection of the King. I imagine he knows his son well enough to honor your claim."

Isma pushed Balder Khan playfully away. "You're not still jealous, are you?" she asked.

"What do you mean still jealous? I was never jealous at all. I knew that fancy-talking dandy couldn't compare to me!"

Isma smiled coyly. "Well, that's true, but those Mazidarans do have some interesting techniques that we could do well to adopt in Lodar."

"What techniques?" roared Balder Khan. "You show me what that conceited Mazidaran did, Isma!"

Isma danced away from his grasp. "I'll show you when you come to my parent's village, Bal. Until then, you'll just have to use your imagination."

He caught her and they embraced. Their kiss lingered longer than they intended, each perhaps knowing that this might be the last time they saw each other for quite a while. Finally, Isma pulled herself away from Balder Khan. "I must finish packing if I am to leave tonight, darling. You'd better do what you have to do also."

Reluctantly, he allowed her to resume packing. "I'll come and get you as soon as I can," he promised.

Isma smiled. "I know you will," she said. "Now let me finish. Did you make arrangements for horses for the trip?"

He nodded. "Everything is ready. I will send two of my best warriors with you as guards. I'd send more, but a larger group would draw too much attention."

"I understand," she said. She looked at him longingly. "Bal, don't get hurt or killed," she admonished.

"I don't intend to," he replied, laughing. "Now I'd better go and let you finish. There are still a lot of loose ends I've got to tie up before I go see the Emperor."

They kissed once more, then Balder Khan reluctantly left the room.

Nar Sidthar had said that if Balder Khan wanted to convince the Emperor to trust the Mazidarans, he needed direct proof that someone else had abducted the Princess. One sure way to get such proof would be to get the perpetrators to confess their guilt. One of them was dead; but the other still roamed the streets of Lodar.

Balder Khan sent out nearly thirty men to comb the city, seeking the whereabouts of Reek Vel. The obvious places were eliminated almost at once. He was not at his residence, nor the palaces of any of his relatives or close associates. His servants only reported that he had gone out with no definite time of return given.

A couple of hours later, one of Balder Khan's spies returned with news that Reek Vel was at the Golden Cup Tavern, a somewhat disreputable place where the ale was cheap, the women were willing, and the company was often limited to the better elements of Lodaran society. The shopkeepers, clerks, and government bureaucrats had possession from late afternoon until mid-evening. From mid-evening until the early hours of morning, the Golden Cup was one of the playgrounds of the young nobility.

Balder Khan slipped quietly through the doors, trying to be unobserved. Fortunately, the Tavern was quite crowded tonight, much more so than usual. He took a corner table, ordered a flagon of ale from the well-endowed and well-exposed barmaid, then began to search the crowd for Reek Vel. It did not take Balder Khan long to find him. Reek Vel was the center of a boisterous group in a rear corner of the building. Even from this distance, Balder Khan could hear the young nobleman boasting of his conquest over the Mazidaran Prince.

The barmaid, leaning over so that the full benefit of her cleavage might inspire Balder Khan's tipping tendencies, delivered the flagon of ale the Magar ordered. "Don't see you in here very often, sweetie," she said. "New to the area, are you?"

Balder Khan, trying to hear the conversation on the other side of the room, waved her off. Absentmindedly, he dropped a few coins on the table, hoping that she would be satisfied. She scooped up the coins, glared at him in disgust, pulled her blouse back up over her breasts, and hurried over to influence a more susceptible customer.

Balder Khan picked up his flagon of ale and headed slowly towards the back of the room, moving cautiously through the boisterous crowd. As he approached Reek Vel's table, the six or seven members of Vel's party became silent.

Reek Vel looked up to see the Conqueror standing next to the table. At first he was intimidated by Balder Khan, but the wine had given him extra reserves of confidence. "Look who has come to join the party!" he exclaimed.

Balder Khan pushed one of the nobles out of his chair and sat down across from Reek Vel. "I would like to talk with you, Reek Vel. In more private surroundings."

Reek Vel blanched. "If you have anything to say to me, Balder Khan, you may do so here. I have nothing to hide."

"I think you do," said the Magar. "I think your story about following the Prince, trying to rescue the Princess, and barely escaping with your life, I think all of that is a pack of lies."

Reek Vel shook his head, beseeching his friends for support. Most of them were silent, waiting for the outcome of this strange conflict. "We did follow the Mazidaran and we did try to rescue Nest-kor. It was a hopeless task, since there were so many of them."

Balder Khan shook his head. "I don't think so, Reek Vel. I think what happened is this. You and Dundar Gazi abducted the Princess, took her out of Lodar and headed for the mountains. Doesn't Gundar have some property near Jadpat? However, an early summer storm forced you to seek shelter, which you did at a post house. Everything was alright until someone else sought shelter there -- the Prince of Mazidar. Undoubtedly, you tried to keep your nefarious crime secret, but somehow the Prince discovered it. You fought, he killed Gazi, and you escaped." Balder Khan smiled confidently. "Isn't that a more accurate version of what happened?"

Reek Vel was starting to perspire heavily. "No," he shouted, "it's all lies. We tried to rescue her! In fact, Balder Khan, you're part of the plot against the Emperor! We have proof! The Mazidaran left a note addressed to you--" Reek Vel stopped, realizing that he had mentioned something he had been ordered not to reveal.

Balder Khan saw the young man's hesitation. "What note, Vel? You haven't mentioned any note to the Emperor. Why would you leave such an important fact out of your story? Unless the note also implicates you and your dead compatriot." Balder Khan smiled, as he saw Reek Vel whiten. "That's it, isn't it? That's why you haven't produced this bit of incriminating evidence! Because in that letter, the Prince did mention who had abducted the Princess. Of course you couldn't let the Emperor see that."

"You have no proof!" shouted Reek Vel, jumping up and trying to pull out his sword. "You have no proof!"

Balder Khan was already on his feet, his sword drawn, by the time Reek Vel finished his exclamation. "But my friend, we do have proof. We have a witness. Surely you haven't forgotten the watchman who lived in that post house? He tells a tale very different from yours, Reek Vel."

"He's part of the plot against the Emprire! He works with the Mazidaran," protested Reek Vel. He searched the faces in the crowd who were watching the drama unfold between him and Balder Khan. Most of the faces reflected confusion, though a few were beginning to show signs of shock. Reek Vel knew he had to act quickly, or the crowd might turn against him. Using all of his strength, he hefted the table up, spilling the contents on the Conqueror. Then, using the table as a shield, Reek Vel raced towards the exit.

Balder Khan jumped back as the table tilted, and while a few cups of ale spilled on him, most of the items on the table crashed harmlessly on the floor. He caught a glimpse of Reek Vel trying to escape towards an exit, but Balder Khan quickly cut him off. The twang of their swords touching sent a signal to the patrons of the Golden Cup to move back, which many of them hastened to do. The room began to empty as the wiser members of the group got out of harm's way. The majority, however, remained to watch the excitement of the swordfight.

Reek Vel and Balder Khan circled, testing each other's blade. Reek Vel knew immediately that he was no match for the Magar. All he could hope for was some mistake on Balder Khan's part, a mistake that would have to come quickly, before Reek Vel lay dead on the floor.

"All you have to do, Reek Vel, is to confess to the Emperor your part in the adbuction of the Princess." Balder Khan's blade circled ever closer to Reek Vel's eyes. The young nobleman tried to bat Balder Khan's blade away, but to no avail. The Conqueror's blade kept returning to taunt and intimidate.

Suddenly, someone leaped onto Balder Khan's back. The Conqueror had only a momentary glimpse of a knife blade slashing downwards towards his heart. He lunged forward, forcing the assailant to roll over his back. The man crashed to the floor where Balder Khan's blade found a ready target. The point of the sword bit deeply into the man's chest, and he was dead almost before he finished his fall.

No sooner had Balder Khan killed one, than another was attacking him from behind. This one was more cautious, using a sword instead of a knife. Balder Khan felt a sharp pain as the sword plunged into the small of his back, just missing the kidney. He screamed in outraged pain as he spun around to confront the second attacker. Two more blades joined the attack, and the room was filled with the loud ringing of tempered steel on tempered steel.

Reek Vel, seeing that the Conqueror was occupied, tried to escape. His route was blocked by Balder Khan, who in spite of the three men trying to kill him, was still able to maneuver between Reek Vel and the door.

One of the young nobles tried a desperate lung, but paid dearly for it as Balder Khan's blade plunged through the opening of the eye and skewered the man's brain.

By now, the crowd had decided that this fight was in earnest, and more began to hurry towards the door. No one wanted to be around when the Imperial Guard arrived. After all, killing noblemen was a crime in which the suspect was punished first, and questions of guilt or innocence determined later.

Balder Khan lunged, parried, and lunged again. Another nobleman fell to the ground, clutching his belly, trying to hold his guts in. Now there were only two, Reek Vel and a companion who was wondering why he had decided to help Reek Vel. It was obvious that Vel was guilty of something. So deciding, the man dropped his sword and raced for the door.

Balder Khan let him go. He turned to face Reek Vel. By now the room was deserted, all the patrons having fled. Even the tavern owner, tightly clutching the cash box, and his employees had departed before the Imperial Guards arrived.

"It's just you and me now, Reek Vel," taunted the Conqueror. "All I need from you is a confession. We can do it here, or we can go back to my palace where my interrogators can induce more cooperation from you. Which will it be, Reek Vel?"

Reek Vel searched the room desperately seeking some form of succor, but none was to be found. "The Guards will be here any minute!" he exclaimed. "You'll never get away with it."

"By the time the Guards get here, all they will find is your corpse. If I don't get a confession from you, you are no use to me. As far as I am concerned, you're just another sniveling kid who tried to prove his manhood by engaging in a duel with me. Now, talk!" The Conqueror's blade bit deeply into Reek Vel's arm. The nobleman watched in terror as blood poured down his sleeve.

"Alright, alright!" he shouted. "I'll tell you what you want to know. Yes, we did it--"

There was a whistling sound and then a loud thunk. Reek Vel crumpled to the floor. Balder Khan spun around to see who had thrown the object, but all he saw was the flash of a crimson robe of a priest of Att as the assassin escaped out the door. Balder Khan turned towards Reek Vel. The young nobleman lay on the floor, his breastbone shattered by the steel star. One of the points of the weapon had apparently punctured Vel's heart. He tried to say something, but only blood bubbled from his mouth. His body convulsed, and he died.

Balder Khan wasted no more time in the tavern. He hurried over to the door, checked the street outside, and raced for his horse. He had just dug his heels into the horse's sides when he heard the shout of the Guards as they spied him making his escape. Fortunately for him, they were all on foot, so it did not take him long to put considerable distance between him and the Golden Cup.

He used back alleys and circuitous routes to return to his own palace. He was frustrated with himself for having allowed Reek Vel to be killed. He should have realized that the conspirators would not allow Vel to live, once it became obvious that someone might see through his story. It was a damn stroke of ill luck that the Priests of Att chose that moment to murder him.

Balder Khan froze. Perhaps it wasn't ill luck at all, he thought. Only one person knew of Balder Khan's suspicions regarding Reek Vel. Nar Sidthar! Suppose the Inner Army Magar was part of the conspiracy. That would explain the coincidental timing of Reek Vel's murder. Nar Sidthar had notified his co-traiters, the Priests of Att, that Balder Khan was after Reek Vel. They followed Balder Khan until they found the young nobleman. When it was apparent that Balder Khan wasn't going to kill him, they did so. And given the circumstances, they would be sure to drag up enough witnesses to implicate Balder Khan in the young man's murder.

By the brazen balls of Att, he thought, they don't even need witnesses. He would not put it past them to use false witnesses. Why even use legitimate eyewitnesses, who might be confused by facts.

As he approached his palace, he noticed that something was wrong. The sky was lit up in a peculiar way. Coming closer, he realized that there was a huge fire near by. He could now smell the smoke and begin to hear the muted shouts of distant people. With increasing dread, he urged his mount to go faster. As he neared his palace, he stared in horror as huge sheets of flame raced skyward. A mob surrounded the walls of the palace, which had been knocked down in several places. The gates were wide open, and there was evidence of a struggle. He began to notice the bodies of his warriors drapped in various positions of death, fallen where they tried to deny access to the palace to some unknown enemy.

Balder Khan rode through the mob, unmindful that someone might recognize him. He passed through the gates and stopped just inside them. Half of the palace had already been consumed by fire. The main portion was just going up in flames now. An intense wall of heat battered at him.

He could still hear screams of the dying coming from the palace, their cries remarkably discernable despite the roaring sound of the fire.

With increasing dread, he forced himself closer. As he neared, he began to see hundreds of bodies cluttering the main courtyard. Most of them were members of his Hawk Lakari, brave warriors who had died defending the palace. But among them were many of his servants and employees, people who had been butchered as they tried to escape.

Frantically, he searched for the body of Isma, but he could not find it. His search was cut short by a shout from the crowd.

"There he is! That's Balder Khan!" A shout went up and stones were hurled in his direction.

Balder Khan did not hesitate a second. He whirled his horse around and raced for the crowd, his sword out and sweeping a path on each side of him. The crowd parted in terror, crushing their own members in their individual haste to get out of the path of the battle-trained horse. Balder Khan continued to cut at the faces on each side of him, ensuring that no one tried to pull him off his horse.

He came to the edge of the crowd, then he was free. His horse's hooves left sparks flying as he whipped the animal to its top speed. Within minutes, the burning palace was far behind him. He slowed, trying to sort out his options. Apparently, the elimination of Reek Vel was not the full extent of their plan. The attack on his palace must have been timed to occur as soon as he left it. And such an attack would not be mounted within the city walls unless it had the support of the Emperor.

Yet if the Emperor was now against him, who could he turn to? It seemed that the entire nobility was involved in this conspiracy. He was even beginning to suspect that the Emperor was in on it!

Then he recalled that Nar Sidthar had indicated his distrust of Shanti Raj. Balder Khan suddenly decided that any enemy of Nar Sidthar was a potential ally of Balder Khan's. He turned his horse in the direction of Shati Raj's palace.

He approached Shanti Raj's palace cautiously. He noticed a strange bustle of activity. Imperial Guards, in full battle dress, patrolled its walls. Squads of warriors rode in and out of the palace gates. Those returning looked like they had seen battle. The thought occurred to Balder Khan that it might not be safe walking into Shanti Raj's palace. If Mith Cor had turned against Balder Khan also, Shanti Raj would only arrest him.

It was a chance he would have to take, although he had no intention of being foolish about it.

He rode surreptitiously past the gate until he was on the far side of the palace. Here there were several buildings both close enough and tall enough to provide potential access to the palace grounds. He entered the tallest of the buildings and climbed up until he was on its roof. Once there, the idea seemed considerably less appealing. The parapet seemed too far away. However, he did not have a lot of options, so judging the distance as carefully as he could, he raced across the roof and leaped into space. He crashed into the side of the wall, just barely getting an arm over the edge of the parapet. He clung desperately for several seconds while he tried to regain his breath. Then, slowly, he pulled himself over the edge of the wall until he was on the walkway. He sat with his back against the wall, breathing heavily.

He saw a wavering light approaching him from one end of the parapet. A guard was coming towards him to investigate the noise. Balder Khan searched for a means to escape, but there were only two directions to go -- and both of them led to Imperial Guards.

Then he noticed a third route. Brushing against the wall were the upper branches of a large tree that grew in the garden courtyard below. Balder Khan searched for a branch that would support his weight. In the dark, it was impossible to tell. Well, he would just have to take his chances. As the guard came closer, Balder Khan jumped off the wall, aiming for the branches below.

He caught hold of one and clung tenaciously. It swayed violently under the impact of his body, then suddenly there was a snapping sound. The branch dipped abruptly, then broke. Balder Khan lost his grip. He started to fall through the branches, and though he tried to clutch at them, he could not get a handhold. With a loud thump, he hit the ground. For a brief moment, he was conscious of a thousand sharp pains in his body, then darkness descended on him.

Balder Khan opened his eyes to face a blinding light and a terrible throbbing pain in his head. He tried to sit up, but the pain only intensified. He lay back down and attempted the impossible task of trying to stop the room from spinning.

"He's waking up," he heard someone say. The voice was soft and melodious. He forced his eyes opened, despite the bright light, until he could see who was talking. Slowly, objects receded from the brightness into shadows, then shapes, and finally shapes with definite contours and colors.

He saw a woman of striking beauty, with hair the color of molton copper, skin as fair and pure as porcelain, and eyes of brightest blue. He could not recall ever having seen her, though he was sure he should know of her. Perhaps she was one of the fabled Angels of Compassion who cared for warriors felled in battle.

Except he had not exactly fallen in battle. As he recalled, he had fallen from a tree. But perhaps even the gods made mistakes.

"Am I alive?" he asked, feeling foolish even as he spoke the words.

"Oh, yes, Balder Khan," laughed the spectacular phantom. "As soon as the medicine we gave you wears off, you will definitely know that you are alive."

"Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Tathi. Do you remember what happened to you?"

"I fell from a tree, didn't I?"

"We did find you under a tree, and I am told by several witnesses that they did see you attempt to land on it from one of the walls. Actually, the tree probably broke most of the impact of your fall, else you would have had a lot of broken bones."

"Is anything broken?" he asked, trying to move his arms and legs. Although there was some pain, he found that everything functioned.

"We think you might have a cracked rib, but everything else seems intact. We've taped up your chest, but I would not recommend any hard horse-back riding for quite some time."

Shanti Raj walked into view. His face was haggard, and his eyese drooped with worry. However, he appeared to brighten up when he came near the bed Balder Khan was on. "Good, good, you're awake finally. We were worried about you, Balder Khan. That was a risky way to get into the palace. Why didn't you just come in through the front gate, like any honest visitor?"

Balder Khan struggled to pull himself up into a sitting position. The pain was now down to a tolerable level. "Would you have greeted me with open arms, Shanti? I need to see the Emperor, but he seems to have turned against me. There is a conspiracy afoot, Magar, and I needed to find out what part you played in it before I put myself at your mercy."

Shanti Raj looked searchingly at Balder Khan. Finally he said, "Then you really don't know, do you?"

Balder Khan looked at him quizzically. "Know what?" he demanded.

"The Emperor is dead," said Shanti Raj. "He was murdered last night." He hesitated, then added, "He was killed by the Mazidarans, though there has been a lot of talk amongst the nobility that you were behind the plot to assassinate Mith-Cor."

Balder Khan let loose a string of epithets that made Tathi blush and even Shanti Raj wince. Shanti Raj tried to calm him down. "Cursing the nobles won't vindicate you," he said. "We need information. What do you know of this situation?"

Balder Khan shook his head. "Nothing much. Only that my palace has been burned to the ground and my servants all butchered. I did not see any of the Outer Army warriors that were stationed there. I can only assume that they had already departed for the south."

Shanti Raj nodded. "What about the Mazidarans?"

Balder Khan laughed bitterly. "The Mazidarans didn't kill the Emperor. I'll wager that they were all killed by Inner Army guards who discovered the murder taking place."

Shanti Raj was surprised. "Yes, that is what happened. How did you know that if you weren't involved?"

The Conqueror ignored the question. "Haven't you considered it odd, Shanti Raj, that your Imperial Guard did not discover the Emperor's death? That it was Inner Army warriors who came upon the Mazidaran's? And further that not one single Mazidaran survived to confess to the crime?"

Shanti Raj was tongue-tied. "My warriors have been searching the city for clues to Nest-kor's whereabouts. We were very short of staff at the Palace, so Inner Army warriors were rushed in."

Balder Khan nodded. "Yes, very convenient, isn't it? I will also bet that Prince Akkra was not among those dead Mazidarans."

Shanti Raj shook his head. "According to Reek Vel, Prince Akkra is in the mountains."

"That's probably the only honest statement Reek Vel made. He and Dundar Gazi abducted the Princess." Tathi and Shanti Raj gasped in surprise. Balder Khan went on. "I met with Reek Vel at a tavern not far from here. With a little persuading, he finally admitted to me that he was involved in a plot against the Empire."

"Where is he now? We need to bring him before the Council of Ministers. They must hear of this."

Balder Khan tentatively put his legs on the floor and tested his weight on them. "Impossible. He's dead."

"Did you kill him?" asked Tathi.

"No, I didn't kill him. He was killed by a priest of Att before I could get him out of the tavern." The Conqueror stood up, standing shakily, but on his own. "What is really disturbing, Shanti Raj, is that only a few people knew I was going to look for Reek Vel. All except one of those people I trust implicitly. That person was Nar Sidthar, Magar of the Inner Army."

"You think Nar Sidthar is invovled in a plot against the Emperor?" asked Shanti Raj. "I simply cannot believe that, Balder Khan!"

"Now I am almost sure of it. He may not have plunged the knife into Mith-Cor's heart, but he directed the hand that did so."

"But what of the Mazidarans? There are witnesses that saw them kill the Emperor and his servants."

Despite Tathi's attempts to restrain him, Balder Khan stood up and tried to walk around. He wobbled a bit, but leaned on Tathi's shoulder for support. "Tell me this, Shanti Raj. Were all of the Mazidarans killed?"

"Of course," replied the Magar indignantly. "Even Inner Army warriors would not allow such a crime to go unpunished."

Balder Khan smiled. "And how many Inner Army warriors died in this battle?"

Shanti Raj stared at Tathi and Balder Khan in wonder. "Why, none! The only casualties were the Mazidarans, the Emperor, and some of his servants."

"Witnesses, you mean," corrected Balder Khan. "The Mazidarans did not kill the Emperor. The Emissary may have appeared to be a fop, but he was an experienced warrior. I will wager each of his party was among the best Mazidar has to offer. It is highly unlikely that our warriors would not sustain some casualties against them."

Shanti Raj whistled. "I find it hard to believe, Balder Khan, but what you say makes some sense. The pieces fit together." He shook his head. "I cannot believe that Nar Sidthar is involved."

"Why not?" asked the Conqueror. "He is distantly related to the royal family, so has a legitimate claim to the throne. He has the means and opportunity to carry out an insurrection. But I don't think he is the leader of the revolt. I think he is being directed by others."

"Who?"

"Rati Bajah, the High Priest of Att. Remember that Reek Vel was killed by a priest, so we know they are involved. The question is, how much are they involved?"

Shanti Raj shook his head. "I think the question is, what do we do now? There are riots in the city, Inner Army warriors are pouring in constantly, and we don't know whom we can trust."

"We know whom we cannot trust," said Balder Khan, his voice tense with anger. "We cannot trust the priests, the leadership of the Inner Army, and a great many of the nobility. We must think of what their plans are and then determine how we can counter them."

"If they have killed the Emperor, then they must plan on replacing him," suggested Tathi.

"That's right," agreed Balder Khan. "However, we know they haven't? Why not?"

"It's obvious," said Shanti Raj. "Nest-kor would come to the throne as the Empress of Lodar. As long as she still lives, they cannot act."

"So our first order of business is to find the Princess before the revolutionaries do."

"But where is she?" protested Tathi. "No one can find her."

"My hunch is," said Balder Khan, "that she is with Prince Akkra." Briefly he related his encounter with Akkra on the road to Jadpat and his suspicions about Akkra's subsequent encounter with Reek Vel and Dundar Gazi at the post house. "My assumption is that Nest-kor is with Akkra at the camps of the barbarians."

Shanti Raj sat down on the cot and put his head in his hands. He looked up, his face even more haggard than before. "Let us assume that Akkra is telling us the truth, and that there is no barbarian invasion. Let us also assume that eventually he will return Nest-kor to Lodar. What will happen then?"

Balder Khan shrugged. "If the revolutionaries control the city, we are lost. If we control it, we might win."

Shanti Raj nodded. "Exactly my thoughts, Balder Khan. Unfortunately, we only have Imperial Guards here. They are not sufficient to counter the tens of thousands of warriors that Nar Sidthar has brought into Lodar. All of your troops have been sent to the south to protect against the supposed attack by Mazidar. I don't see how we can hope to have the city under our control."

"There are some possibilities," said Balder Khan slowly as he considered various options. "First, we have to get you and Nar Sidthar allied together."

"What? You expect me to work with a traitor?"

"Only temporarily, Shanti Raj. Until I can bring my Outer Army warriors back up here. Then, if a battle becomes necessary, I will have sufficient manpower outside the city, while you will be able to strike from within. Consider the alternative. If Nar Sidthar thinks you are not loyal to his cause, he will systematically decimate your Imperial Guard. Even if you were to realize what was going on, he outnumbers you five to one. The only way your smaller numbers can be effective is if they use the element of surprise."

"I see what you're getting at. It will be tough, since I cannot say that Nar Sidthar and I have ever been close. But he has no reason to distrust me, so I might be able to pull it off."

"You have to pull it off. We need the time, time to get my warriors up here, time to locate the Princess." Balder Khan was now able to walk around the room without any support. His chest still hurt, but he ignored the pain. "The sooner we get started, the more likely we will be to succeed."

"Just one moment, Balder Khan," said Shanti Raj, holding up his hand. "I still want to explore different scenarios. I had assumed that Prince Akkra was being sincere with you. But suppose that is not the case. Suppose instead that he is duping you. What would happen if he really does intend to invade Lodar?"

Balder Khan stopped walking around the room and turned to stare at the Magar of the Imperial Guard. "If Akkra has the Princess as hostage, and if he really is going to invade Lodar, we are lost. But in that case, Shanti, I would rather have all of our warriors up here. Most of our population is in the north. If the southern city-states are conquered by Mazidar, we can always win them back. But if we lose the northern heartland of the Empire, we have nothing left."

Shanti Raj nodded. "Yes, you are right. So it does not matter what the barbarians do, does it?"

"Not as far as our immediate plans are concerned. If they do invade, however, Mazidar and Prince Akkra will have a day of reckoning! But I think we have to worry about that issue when it comes up. If we do not control Lodar and its environs, we wouldn't be able to repel any barbarian invasion."

Shanti Raj nodded in agreement. "Let us finalize the details and work out a timetable, Balder Khan. We might save this situation yet!"