“Why not? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing—at least, nothing that hasn’t been wrong all along. We saved young Murrah from death today. That’s wonderful, I’m delighted for her—but who is there to save me? Nothing’s changed. I’m still half in the world of the living, half in the grip of death. Rescuing Murrah only makes it more obvious how precarious my own life is.”
“Your father’s trying very hard to fulfill the prophet’s vision,” Prince Ahmad said. “He’s a mighty wizard, he should be able to do it.” Even as he said this he felt an inner sense of guilt, knowing that Muhmad had said Jafar would lose his daughter even if he succeeded with the Crystal of Oromasd—but he had to do what he could to keep the girl’s spirits up.
Selima gave a half smile, as though at some private joke, but all she said wa
