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he hissed. “Who were these men and fork-tongued monsters?”
    Ruha shook her head. “I don’t know;’ she whispered. “What color were their keffiyehs?” Kadumi pressed. “Did they ride the long-wooled camels of a northern tribe? If they are a Qahtani enemy, I will know them from your description:’
    Ruha looked straight into Kadumi’s eyes. “They weren’t Bedine;’ she said. “I don’t even think they were from Anauroch:’
    The youth sneered doubtfully and declared, “That cannot be:’ He studied her for a moment with accusatory eyes, then demanded, “If everybody else is dead, how did you survive?”
    Ruha pushed herself from beneath the camel. “What do you suggest?” she snapped, standing. “Do you insult the woman whom you are duty-bound to honor?”
    Cowed by her sharp tone, the boy retreated two full steps, shaking his head. At the same time, the camels echoed Ruha’s indignation and roared with impatience. They could no doubt smell the oasis and were anxious to quench their thirst in its pool.
    Remembering the oneeyed man and his two guides, Ruha quickly turned to calm the camels. Until now, she had not worried about being overheard by the three strangers, for she and Kadumi were far enough away from the oasis that their voices would be muffled by sand dunes. A camel’s bellow was a different matter. A roar like the ones the creatures had just voiced could be heard miles away.
    “We’ve got to keep the camels quiet,” she said, urgently grabbing the nose of the nearest one. “There are three strangers in the oasis:’
    Kadumi did not move to help her. “Just three?” he scoffed, stepping toward his brown riding camel. “I have my bow and plenty of arrows. They shall pay the blood price:’
    Ruha moved to the boy’s side and caught his arm. “No;” she said. “They weren’t with the fork-tongues:” She told him about how the oneeyed stranger had appeared in the caravan’s wake last night, then of spending the morning watching the man and his short companions in camp.
    “It does not matter whether their hands bear the blood of battle or the blood of desecration;’ Kadumi insisted. “They deserve to die:’ He pulled his arm free of her grasp.
    From his stubborn tone, Ruha realized that the boy was looking not so much for vengeance as an excuse to vent his anger. Unfortunately, remembering the sharp instincts of the oneeyed man, Ruha knew that allowing Kadumi to attack would mean his death. As the youth reached for his arrow quiver, the widow slipped between him and his camel. “They are three and you are one:’
    Kadumi sidestepped her and snatched his quiver off the saddle.
    Wondering if her husband had been as stubborn and foolish in his youth, Ruha grasped the boy by both shoulders. “It is foolish to attack;” she said. “Even Ajaman would not have tried such a thing:’
    Kadumi ignored her and tried to pall free. When she did not release him, he drew his jambiya. The boy’s anger took Ruha by surprise, and she found the curve of his knife blade pressed against her throat.
    His lower lip quivering in anger, Kadumi yelled, “Ajaman is not here!”
    “But you are, and you are dishonoring your brother by threatening his wife;’ Ruha countered. “You must protect your brother’s widow for two years. If you get killed, who will take care of me?”
    Tears of despair welled in the boy’s eyes. After a moment of self-conscious consideration, he rubbed the tears away and sheathed his jambiya. He turned from her and stared at his camels for several minutes. Finally he said, “I will take you to your father and return to kill the defilers later. Anyway, from what you have said, it appears that the fork-tongues are moving toward the Mtair Dhafir’s oasis, so we should try to warn them:’ The youth looked westward. “I have extra camels, and they are all strong. We can ride hard, and perhaps we will reach the Mtair Dhafir ahead of the fork-tongues:’
    The widow shook her