TWELVE
"I have not left the palace for weeks, and now Vega's found herself a mate, she's not leaving the nest any time soon. I want to go hunting, and to hunt I need a new bird. A hawk this time, smaller than Vega, and not so heavy." Anahita looked from Haidar to Asad. "I saw a new caravan come into the city last night. A new caravan means new birds, or at least I hope so, and who knows what else. Who's coming?"
Asad and Haidar exchanged a glance. "As long as we don't end up spending hours at the goldsmith again," Asad began.
"We weren't there for hours. And it would have been a much shorter visit if you hadn't been fondling that new blade of yours and scaring the man," Anahita said.
"I was testing the edge!" Haidar protested.
"Mm. Testing the edge while wagering how many blows it w
