Chapter 37
It behoves not a Prophet to take captives
Until he has sufficiently suppressed the enemies in the land.
You merely seek the gains of the world whereas
Allah desires of the Hereafter.
Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
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—Quran 8:67
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ATURDOKHT
Aturdokht glanced south, towards the Halifian gathering where her father had gone to rally support. The problem was simple. She was the widowed daughter of an aging shaykh whose refusal to remarry had put every man, woman and child within her tent group at risk. All she had to do was marry her least objectionable cousin. So why, oh why, did she want to run away?
She glanced down at the shiny, black tek-no-lo-gee she carried, gripped in both hands. Jamin said the talisman carried a map to get to the lizards, but she'd never been able
