Saladin and the other two children had stayed at the cantina for a while but Sali had soon grown bored. He had not had the courage to actually try to steal an ale, so he found himself just crawling around the tavern floor under tables, staying out of sight and watching the drunken European soldiers stumbling about.

He had been relieved when Gordon had come sneaking down the steps, the red-haired girl in tow. “We should get back,” he had said.

They returned to the hotel the same way they had come, though Saladin did not recognize much. The girl took over leading when they reached the bazaar, and Saladin realized that with all the sights and sounds and smells that he had been too distracted to pay attention to their route. He was grateful for the girl’s lead, even if she was qu...

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