Jebel’s head shot up, and Bastina winced. She smiled shakily. “What I mean—”
“Sabbah Eid,” Jebel interrupted, his brown eyes lighting up.
“No,” Bastina groaned. “Don’t even think—”
“Sabbah Eid!” Jebel exclaimed, and leapt to his feet. “Bas, you’re wonderful!” He bent and kissed her forehead, then ran off before she could say anything else, leaving her to sit in the dust, cursing herself for the suicidal notion that she had inadvertently placed in Jebel’s dizzy head.
CHAPTER THREE
The high maid Debbat Alg was watering flowers in one of her father’s gardens. Debbat enjoyed gardening. It was her only pastime, apart from looking beautiful. Her servants did most of the hard work — sowing, seeding, digging — but Debbat often watered and pruned in the spring and summer evenings.
She was examining a cluster of pink roses near a wall, when somebody hissed overhead. Looking up, she was astonished to spot skinny Jebel Rum in a tree, grinning down at her like a cat.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Debbat shouted, taking a step back.
“Quiet!” Jebel pleaded. “I need to talk with you. I have a favor to ask.”
Debbat’s eyes narrowed. “You disappeared swiftly this morning,” she chuckled wickedly.
Jebel pretended he hadn’t heard. “I need your help.”
“With what?” Debbat snorted. “Getting down out of that tree?”
“No. I want to quest, but I need permission. Your father—”
“Wait a minute,” Debbat interrupted. “You want to quest?”
“Yes.”
“Quest where? For what?”
Jebel paused for effect, then said, “To Tubaygat, to petition Sabbah Eid.”
Debbat’s jaw dropped. “You’re mad!” she squealed.
“I’m going to become the new executioner,” Jebel said. “I can’t win the mukhayret as I am, so I’m going to quest. I’ll work my way north to Tubaygat, ask Sabbah Eid to give me inhuman strength and make me invincible, then return. Nobody can stop me winning then.”