"Kalim, you frightened me. I didn't expect—" She drew a trembling breath and drew herself up proudly as she saw his forbidding expression.

"You should not be wandering in the streets."

"No harm has come to me."

"I'm responsible for your safety—and your behavior—while the majiron is gone." His lips tightened. "From now on you will not leave the palace."

A flare of anger seared through her. "I will go where I wish."

He smiled mirthlessly. "And you wish to go to the house of Yusef Benardon."

Her eyes widened in shock. "Merde, have you been spying on me, Kalim?"

"I have only been doing my duty to the majiron." He paused. "It aroused my curiosity when the grooms at the stable said you hadn't taken Pavda out since the majiron left the city."

"So you followed me today."

"For your own protection." He inclined his head. "Naturally, I assumed you were on your way to a special shop or to the bazaar to buy trinkets."

"Why would you assume that?"

"I should not, I realize, considering who you are. Western women seldom have innocent pleasures in mind when they leave the safety of their husband's chamber."

Her gaze narrowed on his face. "What do you mean?"

"I think you know."

"Say it."

He smiled crookedly. "Yusef is young and strong, a bull of a man. The ladies have always liked him."

"Go on."

"The Majiron is away, and Western women do not like to wait for their pleasures."

"I believe you know very little about Western women," she said hotly.

His smile faded. "Enough to know that I will not permit my friend to be dishonored in the eyes of the El Zalan. You will not go again to Yusef's house."

"I will go where I please."

"Go again and you will find him dead."

Her eyes widened in shock. "What?"

"I cannot touch you without the majiroris permission, but otherwise my authority is absolute. I can dispose of Yusef." He paused. "As I would any threat to the majiron."

She shook her head dazedly. "Just because I visited him?"

"Because you've spent the past three afternoons alone with him. I admit you have been discreet, but if it continues, it will become known, and the majiron will suffer shame."

"And a man dies to prevent that from happening?"

"Casual infidelity is not sanctioned here as it is in your own country." His eyes glittered in his stern face. "And Galen will not tolerate it in you. He allows you much freedom, but he won't allow you to take another man."

She drew a trembling breath, trying to smother her fury. "You insult me."

He gazed at her impassively.

"Would you believe me if I told you that I have not been unfaithful?"

"Lies come easily to Western women."

"Impossible." She threw up her hands. "I refuse to waste breath denying your foul accusations." She turned on her heel and strode quickly up the street.

"You will not go back to Yusef's house, he called after her.

"I'll do exactly as I choose." She glared back at him over her shoulder. "I won't allow you to interfere in my life, Kalim."

"Visit him again and I'll deliver his head to you in a basket."

Stunned, she gazed at him, a shiver running down her spine. For the first time she believed he actually would carry out his threat. "You're a savage without conscience."

"At times." He smiled. "But be warned that Galen taught me from boyhood. Compared to him when he is enraged, I'm quite tame."

"Is he here?" Tess burst onto the terrace, her gaze searching the shadows beneath the pepper tree. "Did he come back?"

"An hour ago." Viane's delighted smile lit her face as she hurried out of the aviary. "It's the third time, Tess."

"And you fed him the grain?"

Viane nodded. "As soon as he perched beside Roxanne."

"Only an hour?" Tess frowned. "He didn't make very good time. I released him from Yusef's roof over two hours ago. He must have been meandering."

Viane laughed. "What difference does it make? I think it's magical that he found his way home at all."

"It's instinct, not magic." Tess shrugged. "But perhaps feeding the grain will help make him more eager. The Count said that was the secret of training them." Another frown wrinkled her brow. "But I'm beginning to believe pigeons are very stupid. Yusef's house is only an hour's walk away. I almost made it on foot before he got here."

"On foot?" Viane's eyes widened. "You walked through the town? You know that is not fitting. I would never have—"

"I was quite safe." Tess mentally cursed her unruly tongue. She hadn't meant to let Viane know that she hadn't ridden Pavda through the town. Viane was anxious enough that Tess moved about without Galen's permission, and now she would fret. "The first time I rode Pavda to Yusef's house, the jouncing seemed to upset Alexander. It took a terribly long time to quiet him before I felt I could release him."

Viane shook her head. "Well, as long as you took the groom—"

"I think Alexander's ready for a longer test."

Tess broke in quickly.

"What did you have in mind?" Viane asked warily. "Yusef’s house is almost at the city gates."

"Then it's clear we must go beyond the city gates," Tess said lightly.

"No! It's forbidden for the women of the household to go beyond the gates."

"Galen often took me for rides outside the city."

Viane frowned. "You know he wouldn't permit you to go without him, even accompanied by a groom. We must be satisfied with Yusef’s house until Galen returns. Then perhaps we can persuade him—"

"Persuade?" Tess made a face. "Its another word for plead, and leaves a bitter taste in my mouth."

"Galen has been very lenient with you. No other woman is permitted such freedom," Viane said soberly. "You must understand it's not usual for women to ride abroad with their men, much less alone. I'm sure Galen has been criticized for indulging you so."

"He doesn't appear to mind."

"He's accustomed to fighting battles," Viane said. "Since my father died, he has tried to bring to Zalandan all that is good of the West. Many do not like to be driven from the old ways."

"Like Kalim."

"And me."

"You?"

Viane nodded. "In that way Kalim and I are alike. I find the old ways have grace and reason."

"It's reasonable to be imprisoned in this chamber as you've penned in your birds?"

"Their pen is beautiful, and they will never know hunger."

"Or freedom."

Viane's eyes were suddenly twinkling. "Alexander knows freedom whenever you loose him on the wind."

"But even then we tie him to us with bribes of food so that he'll return to his cage." Tess shook her head. "If he wasn't so stupid, he'd fly free and fend for himself."

"But then you would have no messenger bird."

"True." Tess suddenly scowled as she remembered her last meeting with Kalim. "You're not at all like Kalim. He's an uncivilized beast."