“They are djinni,” she said. “There can be no mistaking that. I don’t know what race they are, though by the power they radiate they could be Marids or even Shaitans. They do not want me checking any closer than I did, and they threatened great harm if I ventured nearer. I don’t want to seem cowardly, but your orders did say—”
“I know, and I think none the less of you,” Jafar soothed. “I won’t ask you to fight Marids or Shaitans without knowing more about them and having a trick or two in reserve.”
“Why are they here, following us?” asked Umar bin Ibrahim.
“That, O priest, they would not tell me,” Cari replied.
“Perhaps they’re minions of Aeshma,” Selima suggested. “He wouldn’t want us succeeding in our quest.”
“But why would Aeshma send spies?” Jafar wondered. “Wouldn’t he deal with
