The Desert Spear

understand it,” Inevera said, “save that Sharak Ka, the final battle, is coming, and soon. We dare not let the future go unguided. I have watched you since you first took the bido, my sweet. You are Krasia’s best hope of salvation, and I will seize for you every advantage, even at the cost of my body’s honor, or your own.”
    Jardir looked at her with wide eyes. Words failed him as surely as his limbs continued to do. Inevera bent and kissed his forehead, her lips soft and cool. She rose to her feet, looking down sadly as he continued to twitch helplessly on the floor.
    “Everything I do, I do for you, and for Sharak Ka,” she said, and left the room.

CHAPTER 6
FALSE PROPHET
    p.
333 AR WINTER

    “ THE CHINARE PROVING ideal slaves,” Jayan said. “Even the least of them put such high value on their own lives that they will never muster the courage to resist. Truly it is a great conquest, Father. Your glory knows no bounds.”
    Jardir shook his head. “To shift a few grains of sand is no more a sign of great strength than to see the sun a sign of great sight. There is no glory in dominating the weak.”
    “Still, it is a great boon to us,” Jayan pressed. “Our victory is complete, and at no cost to ourselves.”
    Across the room, Abban snorted at his tiny writing desk.
    “You have something to add,
khaffit
?” Jayan demanded.
    “Nothing, my prince,” Abban said quickly, looking up from his ledgers. He stood and braced himself on his camel-headed crutch, bowing deeply. “It was but a cough.”
    “No, please,” Jayan said. “Tell us what amused you so.”
    Abban’s eyes flicked to Jardir, who nodded.
    “There may have been no loss of
dal’Sharum,
my prince, but there has definitely been cost,” Abban said. “Food, clothing, shelter, transportation. Keeping such a vast army as ours on the move is costly beyond measure. Your father may control the riches of all twelve tribes, and Everam’s Bounty besides, but even his wealth has an end.”
    Asome nodded. “The Evejah tells us:
When a man’s purse is empty, his rivals grow bolder.
”
    Jayan laughed. “Who would dare oppose Father? Besides, why should the Shar’Dama Ka pay for anything? We have conquered this land. We can take whatever we wish.”
    Abban nodded. “That is so, but a robbed merchant has no capital to replenish his stock. You can take all the chandler’s candles, but if you do not pay at least their cost, you will find yourself sitting in the dark when the last one burns out.”
    Jayan snorted. “Candles are for weak
khaffit
scroll worshippers. They make no difference to warriors in the night.”
    “Wood and steel for spears, then,” Abban said patiently, as if speaking to a child. “Cloth for uniforms and fired clay for armor. Leather and oil for saddle harness. These things do not appear from thin air, and if we steal every seed and goat now, there will be nothing to fill our bellies a year hence.”
    “I do not care for your tone, pig-eater,” Jayan growled.
    “Be silent and attend his words,” Jardir snapped. “The
khaffit
is offering you wisdom, my son, and you would be wise to take it.”
    Jayan looked at his father in shock, but quickly bowed. “Of course, Father.” His eyes shot daggers at Abban.
    Jardir looked to Asome, who had stood quietly through all this. “And you, my son? What say you to the
khaffit’s
words?”
    “The unworthy one makes a fair point,” Asome conceded. “There are still those among the
Damaji
who resent your rise, and they would use any privation of their tribesmen as excuse to sow discord.”
    Jardir nodded. “And what would you do to attend this problem?”
    Asome shrugged. “Kill and replace the disloyal
Damaji
before they grow bold.”
    “That would sow discord of its own,” Jardir noted. He looked to Abban.
    “It’s too costly to keep our army together in the city,” Abban said. “And so they must be dispersed into the hamlets.” Jardir’s sons looked at the fat merchant incredulously.
    “Disband our army? What foolishness is this?” Jayan demanded. “Father, this
khaffit
is a coward and a fool! I beg you, let me kill him!”
    “Idiot boy!” Jardir snapped. “Do you think the
khaffit
speaks words unknown to me?”
    Jayan looked at him in shock.
    “One day, my sons,” Jardir said, looking from Jayan to Asome and back, “I will die. If you have any wish to survive the days that follow, you must listen for wisdom from every side.”
    Jayan turned to