Moving through the tables were human slaves, heads low, platters high, going from demon to demon to offer more delicacies. The demons ate greedily, as if all the free food supplied by Kalasariz in this spontaneous banquet had made them more ravenous than normal.

"Would the master wish more wine? murmured a voice at his elbow. It was Safar, dressed as a slave and bearing a jug. The other humans in the banquet area were his soldiers posing as slaves, all waiting for the signal to strike.

"Yes, please, Kalasariz said, offering his cup. It was refilled and Safar bowed humbly and stepped back.

"Why are you so polite to him? the demonwhose name was Quanasked. Are you drunk?"

"No, no, I'm not drunk, Kalasariz said.

"That's your problem, then, Quan said. You're distracted by a low level of spirited fluids. That's why you're spoiling our slaves, instead of giving them good solid blows for asking, instead of anticipating.

"Your cup was empty. He should have filled it!"

Quan turned to Safar. Do the same to me, you little human worm, he said, and I'll bite off your head."

"Yes, exalted one, Safar said, bobbing his head. Thank you, exalted one."

Quan turned back to Kalasariz. You see? That's how it's done!"

"I'll remember that, Quan, Kalasariz said. It's good advice."

A beautiful slave girlLeiria in disguisemoved along his table, bearing a tray of roasted kabobs. They smelled so delicious Kalasariz almost forgot the danger he was in. As she approached, hot kabob grease sputtering and splattering, his mouth filled with water.

He reached out a hand to grab a spear as she went by. Safar stepped between them, raising the jug and then leaning over, pretending to top up the wine cup.

"Don't eat the kabobs, he whispered, then withdrew.

Kalasariz suddenly found his mouth had gone dry thinking about what he'd almost done.

Beside him Quan munched with much gusto. This is delicious, Kalasariz, he said. You should try it!"

He waved the spear of savory meat beneath Kalasariz nose. The delicious odor, magically enhanced, was so powerful he nearly forgot himself again. He snatched his hand back just in time.

"I wish I could, he said, making a mournful face. It does smell wonderful. But I'm forbidden to eat lamb this month. My religion, you know."

All over the banquet area the other demons were gobbling down the kabobs, smacking their lips, wiping their chins and shouting for the slaves to bring more.

"That's the trouble with religion, Quan said with some sympathy. Always forbidding this and forbidding that. There's so many forbiddens that a poor fiend barely knows what to do."

He stripped the rest of the meat off the spear and popped it into his maw. He chewed mightily, then swallowed, a look of pure bliss on his face.

"You know the first thing I'd do, he said, if I were king?"

"What's that? Kalasariz asked.

"I'd banish religion. Toss it right out. Start my own religion. And the first thing I'd do after that is turn the forbiddens on their head. All that was forbidden would become compulsory. And everything that was compulsory would go the king's committee for a good long study."

He gave Kalasariz a friendly jab with his claw.

"I'll bet I'd be damned popular, he said. The most popular king in his"

And Quan broke off as his eyes suddenly glazed over and he pitched forward.

Kalasariz yanked his arm away and Quan's head struck the table with much force.

The banquet area was suddenly filled with similar sounds of demon heads slamming into wood. Then there was silence.

Kalasariz looked about and saw the demon guards had noticed something was amiss and were running forward.

Leiria shouted a war cry, ripping off her robe to show the mail beneath. She drew her sword and rushed the guards. Other cries rang out as Safar's soldiers revealed themselves and leaped into the fray.

It was quick, bloody work. Before Kalasariz knew it all the demons but three were dead. And Leiria, along with half a dozen human soldiers, was pressing in to end that annoyance.

Safar dumped Quan's corpse out of the chair and slid into it. He cleaned a winecup with his sleeve and filled it up.

"I won't ask you for a toast, he said to Kalasariz. Your friend was right. He indicated the dead demon slumped on the ground. You're much too long winded."

And Safar drank the wine down.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Safar slipped the stone idol from his pouch. He patted it, long soothing strokes like a child caressing a cat.

He leaned close, whispering, Behave yourself, now. We're in the company of the king."

Still stroking the idol, he walked over to Iraj, who was staring up at a painting, deep in thought.

They were in Alisarrian's cave, torch light reflecting off the luminous walls. The picture Iraj was musing over was the magical painting of the Conqueror in his heroic pose.

"I still feel like a boy, Iraj murmured to Safar.

Then he turned, a wry smile on his face. When we were here before, he said, I was hiding from my uncle and his friend. As it turned out, neither were more than petty chieftains. But at the time what I had to overcome seemed like the greatest problem in the world."

He gestured at the heroic figure of Alisarrian, who had Iraj's golden beard, but Safar's blue eyes. When I saw thatsomehow, for reasons I can't explainit made my dream of ruling all Esmir seem not so difficult. He shrugged. I mean, all I had to do is defeat my uncle, then Esmir would crack like an egg. It felt that easy.

"Now I see the picture differently. I see a man whose accomplishments I truly admire. I've stood in lesser boots and fought in lesser battles. It's difficult enough to hold on to what I've won, much less win more."

"I'm sure Alisarrian had similar doubts about himself, Safar said. Maybe even more so. He didn't have a great Conqueror to emulate, after all. You know it's possible because it's been done before. He didn't have that advantage."

"And the demons, Iraj said, brightening a bit. He also had to face the demons."

"Exactly, Safar said. Not only that, but no human king had ever defeated a demon army. You know that can be done as well, thanks to Alisarrian."

Iraj frowned again. Except Alisarrian was not only a great general, but a great wizard as well. I'm only good at war. I know nothing of magic."

"You've got me, Safar said.

"Sometimes that worries me, Iraj said. What if I didn't have you?"

"That's nonsense, Safar said. The Fates have apparently decided to put us together. Why worry yourself over something that couldn't have happened?"

"Yes, Iraj said, eyes gleaming, but what if you decided to leave me?"

Safar snorted. That's ridiculous, he said. Why would I do that? For money? You've made me rich. To be richer? Money doesn't mean anything to me anyway. What's next?

"Power? As in power over others? You know I have no such desires."

Iraj's mood lightened. The dangerous gleam in his eyes vanished. That's true, he said. You don't even have any respect for power. As I am always reminding you, my friend, when you give a kingly fellow like myself such a difficult time."

Safar grinned. I know you're human, he said. I saw the Ubekian brothers beating on you like a temple drum."

Iraj made a face. At the time I thought, wait'll I get to be king. I'll chop off your tiny heads. Now that I am king it doesn't seem so important."

Safar guffawed. Can you imagine their faces, he howled, if you came walking up to them right now and… the rest was lost in laughter.

Iraj joined him and the cave rang with the sound of the amusement of two old friends. But there was an edge to it and it went on too long. It was the kind of barely controlled laughter that grips people when they are facing a fearful task.