to go to work, but when she came home after sundown, she found that Kheem was
suffering from a high fever. According to her mother, Kheem had also had
convulsions. Alarmed, Masha set out at once for Doctor Nadeesh’s house in the
Eastern quarter. He admitted her and listened to her describe Kheem’s symptoms.
But he refused to accompany her to her house.
‘It’s too dangerous to go into the Maze at night,’ he said. ‘And I wouldn’t go
there in the day unless I had several bodyguards. Besides, I am having company
tonight. You should have brought the child here.’
‘She’s too sick to be moved,’ Masha said. ‘I beg you to come.’
Nadeesh was adamant, but he did give her some powders which she could use to
cool the child’s fever.
She thanked him audibly and cursed him silently. On the way back, while only a
block from her apartment, she heard a sudden thud of footsteps behind her. She
jumped to one side and whirled, drawing her dagger at the same time. There was
no moon, and the nearest light was from oil lamps shining through some iron
barred windows in the second storey above her.
By its faintness she saw a dark bulk. It was robed and hooded, a man by its
tallness. Then she heard a low hoarse curse and knew it was a man. He had
thought to grab or strike her from behind, but Masha’s unexpected leap had saved
her. Momentarily, at least. Now the man rushed her, and she glimpsed something
long and dark in his uplifted hand. A club.
Instead of standing there frozen with fear or trying to run away, she crouched
low and charged him. That took him by surprise. Before he could recover, he was