“I shall draw the casts immediately and let you know upon the morrow,” bin Nard promised, and withdrew to his chambers to accomplish the task.
True to his word, he returned to Shammara the next day with his forecasts. “As I believe I explained to you before,” he began, “we in Ravan live in an unusual situation. Because our city is protected by the magical spells of Ali Maimun, any readings regarding the city are clouded by strange uncertainties. Prince Ahmad is now beyond the city, and all the signs I see say that the path of his life will never intersect with that of Ravan again. The heavens appear to be telling me that Prince Ahmad will never return. I cannot see further than that; he is beyond my scope, I’m afraid.”
“And what of me and Haroun?” Shammara asked. “What will happen to us?
