✦ ✦ ✦

Night Sixteen

The Cedar Refuge

They left Fez at dawn. Ibn Rachid accompanied them to Bab Mahrouk — the same gate through which they had entered. He took Youssef by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes: — Your father was proud of you. He told me. He said you had the hands of a scribe and the heart of a poet.

On the second day, they reached Imouzzer. And everywhere — on doors, walls, pottery — geometric patterns. Diamonds, crosses, broken lines. Tifinagh symbols.

Hamza stopped before a door covered with these patterns and said: — It is the same writing. As in the manuscript. — Yes, said Youssef. We are getting close.

✦ Night Seventeen awaits you — Fatima's Tears ✦