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“I am a loyal servant,” Sabah replied

“Even servants share in the master’s rewards,” Mustafa said “In the courts of old, even a slave could become a trusted adviser”

Sabah had heard enough “Perhaps your tongue has been loosened too much, Mustafa”

“No,” his guest replied excitedly, “just enough I know the truth Jinn uses you just as he uses us He takes ives only what he has to We are at his beck and call If he stops the project, we shall perish If he asks for ive it”

“So it’s the money that disturbs you”

“No,” Mustafa said, “it’s the power Jinn will soon pass beyond our ability to control or even bargain with hienies of ancient tier necessary There’s good reason why the Jinns of old were cursed They were icians who could not be trusted If not held down, they oal”

Sabah took the o So far, Mustafa had stopped short of advocating betrayal, but that was clearly his purpose If Sabah was right, he’d been put up to it

“So a council has been taken auessed “Tell me who had the will to call it?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Mustafa said

“It matters to me”

“What should matter is your position,” Mustafa insisted “I ask you to consider why are you here in Aden instead of with Jinn at his genie’s cave in the desert?”

“Because he doesn’t need me at this time”

“More and ested “And ill you—the loyal servant—do when Jinn doesn’t need you at all?”

Sabah was taken aback, but the words struck hi

Mustafa continued, pressing, “When he was young, you controlled hied, you controlled hiiven hi, Sabah Now is the time to take To take what you have earned”