he said. "I'm a citizen of Qasama, wounded while defending this city, who desperately needs help escaping."
One of the Djinn stirred but said nothing. Akim's expression remained unreadable. "Are you asking for our help?" he asked.
"This is ridiculous," Haafiz snapped before Daulo could answer. "Doctor, remove Daulo Sammon and take him to the departure area. You, Marid Akim, will deploy your Djinn as ordered."
"That may not be possible, Your Excellency," Akim said, his eyes still on Daulo. "Daulo Sammon is one of the leaders of his village. The provisions of the war act clearly state that warriors must assist such leaders wherever possible."
"When it does not interfere with other duties," Haafiz said. "Don't quote the law to me, Marid Akim. I wrote the law."
Daulo had a second flicker of inspiration—"And if I come under that provision," he said, "it would seem to me that a Shahni of Qasama would be even more firmly under Djinni protection."
"I don't need their protection," Haafiz spat. "I've given them their orders, and they will obey them."
Abruptly, he stood up and leveled a finger at the young Djinni behind Akim. "You—Djinni Ghushtre—by order of the Shahni you're hereby promoted to Ifrit and given command of this unit. Escort Marid Miron Akim and Senior Advisor Moffren Omnathi to the staging area and prepare them and your Djinn for combat."
"Wait a moment," Daulo said, frowning as he focused on the deep age lines crisscrossing Omnathi's face. "Advisor Omnathi is to be part of the attack? Why?"
"Djinni, you've been given an order by a Shahni of Qasama," Haafiz said, ignoring Daulo's question. "You will carry it out."
Ghushtre hesitated, his eyes flicking uncertainly to the back of Akim's head—"What about me?" Daulo put in, trying one last time. "I'm a village leader. What about you, Shahni Haafiz?" He waved a hand behind him. "For that matter, what about the rest of the civilians at the departure area? They're city dwellers—once outside the wall they'll be helpless. Where will they go? How will they find food and shelter? They need an escort of trained warriors."
"We need no such escort," Haafiz scoffed, his eyes still on Ghushtre. "Travel supplies are available at the departure area, and there are straight and clear roads to Purma and the towns and villages around it."
"There are still the dangers of the forest," Daulo pressed. "And those of the invaders."
"Ifrit Ghushtre, I give you one final chance," Haafiz said, again ignoring Daulo. "Obey my order, or be executed where you stand for treason."
"There will be no executions," Akim said firmly. "Nor will there be any such charges against my Djinn. I am the Marid, and decisions of discipline are mine. All honor or shame is ultimately gathered to me."
Haafiz glared down at him. "And your decision, Marid of the Djinn?" he demanded.
Akim's eyes flicked down to Daulo's wheelchair. "Daulo Sammon, are you able to walk?"
"For short distances, yes," Daulo said. "But my strength and stamina aren't yet fully returned. I don't know how far I can go before they give way."
Akim grunted. "For now, stay in the wheelchair—you should be able to cross most of the city in it. Djinn, your first priority is to escort Shahni Haafiz and Village Leader Daulo Sammon to safety. Accordingly, you are ordered to remove your combat suits—"
"Miron Akim, I warn you—" Haafiz began.
"—and report to the departure area," Akim said, his voice deathly calm. "Collect what food and water is available and assure that the civilians and medical personnel are prepared for travel. Moffren Omnathi and I will follow in a moment with Shahni Haafiz."
"Marid Akim—"
"You have your orders, Djinn," Akim said. "Carry them out."
There were twenty civilians, including five women and three children, waiting in a tense atmosphere when Daulo, the doctor, and the six Djinn arrived at the departure point. Accompanying the group were two other doctors and three medical attendants. As Omnathi
One of the Djinn stirred but said nothing. Akim's expression remained unreadable. "Are you asking for our help?" he asked.
"This is ridiculous," Haafiz snapped before Daulo could answer. "Doctor, remove Daulo Sammon and take him to the departure area. You, Marid Akim, will deploy your Djinn as ordered."
"That may not be possible, Your Excellency," Akim said, his eyes still on Daulo. "Daulo Sammon is one of the leaders of his village. The provisions of the war act clearly state that warriors must assist such leaders wherever possible."
"When it does not interfere with other duties," Haafiz said. "Don't quote the law to me, Marid Akim. I wrote the law."
Daulo had a second flicker of inspiration—"And if I come under that provision," he said, "it would seem to me that a Shahni of Qasama would be even more firmly under Djinni protection."
"I don't need their protection," Haafiz spat. "I've given them their orders, and they will obey them."
Abruptly, he stood up and leveled a finger at the young Djinni behind Akim. "You—Djinni Ghushtre—by order of the Shahni you're hereby promoted to Ifrit and given command of this unit. Escort Marid Miron Akim and Senior Advisor Moffren Omnathi to the staging area and prepare them and your Djinn for combat."
"Wait a moment," Daulo said, frowning as he focused on the deep age lines crisscrossing Omnathi's face. "Advisor Omnathi is to be part of the attack? Why?"
"Djinni, you've been given an order by a Shahni of Qasama," Haafiz said, ignoring Daulo's question. "You will carry it out."
Ghushtre hesitated, his eyes flicking uncertainly to the back of Akim's head—"What about me?" Daulo put in, trying one last time. "I'm a village leader. What about you, Shahni Haafiz?" He waved a hand behind him. "For that matter, what about the rest of the civilians at the departure area? They're city dwellers—once outside the wall they'll be helpless. Where will they go? How will they find food and shelter? They need an escort of trained warriors."
"We need no such escort," Haafiz scoffed, his eyes still on Ghushtre. "Travel supplies are available at the departure area, and there are straight and clear roads to Purma and the towns and villages around it."
"There are still the dangers of the forest," Daulo pressed. "And those of the invaders."
"Ifrit Ghushtre, I give you one final chance," Haafiz said, again ignoring Daulo. "Obey my order, or be executed where you stand for treason."
"There will be no executions," Akim said firmly. "Nor will there be any such charges against my Djinn. I am the Marid, and decisions of discipline are mine. All honor or shame is ultimately gathered to me."
Haafiz glared down at him. "And your decision, Marid of the Djinn?" he demanded.
Akim's eyes flicked down to Daulo's wheelchair. "Daulo Sammon, are you able to walk?"
"For short distances, yes," Daulo said. "But my strength and stamina aren't yet fully returned. I don't know how far I can go before they give way."
Akim grunted. "For now, stay in the wheelchair—you should be able to cross most of the city in it. Djinn, your first priority is to escort Shahni Haafiz and Village Leader Daulo Sammon to safety. Accordingly, you are ordered to remove your combat suits—"
"Miron Akim, I warn you—" Haafiz began.
"—and report to the departure area," Akim said, his voice deathly calm. "Collect what food and water is available and assure that the civilians and medical personnel are prepared for travel. Moffren Omnathi and I will follow in a moment with Shahni Haafiz."
"Marid Akim—"
"You have your orders, Djinn," Akim said. "Carry them out."
There were twenty civilians, including five women and three children, waiting in a tense atmosphere when Daulo, the doctor, and the six Djinn arrived at the departure point. Accompanying the group were two other doctors and three medical attendants. As Omnathi
Similar Books
