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Night Thirteen

The Spice Market

Tarek had noticed the man at the spice market. Not because he was suspicious in appearance — on the contrary, he was too ordinary, too nondescript. That was precisely what had alerted Tarek: the man was too perfectly invisible. And truly invisible people are never so by accident.

— The Catholic Monarchs have agents everywhere, said Ibn Rachid. Since the fall of Granada, they seek to recover what has fled — jewels, libraries, scholars. And certain manuscripts in particular.

That night, Youssef did not sleep. He sat with the manuscript before him and thought of his father. Baaddi had known the manuscript would be dangerous. That is why he had separated the heart from the body. That is why he had chosen Youssef — not because he was the strongest or the bravest, but because he was the most discreet.

✦ Night Fourteen awaits you — The Betrayal ✦