Chapter Seventeen
They had materialized in a wood of pine trees and cottonwood and aspen. Directly at their backs was a small river, or large stream; it chattered away in the darkness, rushing over a bed of smooth stone.
Ahmar pointed off to his left. “That way.”
“How far is the house?” Qadim asked.
“Close. Less than a quarter of a mile. I did not want to come in too near the property for fear that Hasan might hear us. Next to the river like this, the sound of the water masks most noise.”
That it did. Qadim was actually surprised to see how high the river was running, for in the more southern parts of the state, rain hadn’t fallen for many days. But he was glad to hear the water rushing past, for it was as Ahmar had said — it was difficult to hear much else over the sound it made.
“T
