Thunderbird, Book 2 by Sonia Nimr

Author:Sonia Nimr
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Published: 2022-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

7.

Hana arrived at Sheikh Abu Sinan’s. According to Abu al-Fawaris, this man knew everything about the library. But it took ages before Hana could make the old sheikh understand what he needed to know: whether there was any secret path or underground vault that led to the library.

The sheikh was very, very old, and since Hana had to repeat every sentence two or three times, his time and patience were running thin. The sheikh would speak for long stretches, repeating himself and then forgetting what he had just said. He kept asking Hana what he wanted, and what reason he had for visiting. Finally, just before Hana had totally lost both hope and his temper, the sheikh mentioned a cellar and a key.

After an explanation, questions, and clarifications, Hana understood from the sheikh that there was no underground tunnel or secret route to the mosque or library—not even to the courtyard of the Noble Sanctuary. However, there was a small basement room directly beneath the library, which had been used by scribes in olden times to bind books and repair damaged covers. The sheikh limped out of the room, and it was a long time before he came back—such a long time that Hana nearly lost his mind. But finally he returned, carrying a key. Hana understood this was a key to the door that went from the library into the basement.

Quickly, before the sheikh could restart his explanation of everything he had already said, and before he could ask Hana who he was and why he was visiting, Hana thanked the man and snatched the key from his hand. Then he went out into the alley.

Once he had closed the door behind him, he let out a sigh of relief. He told Asqul, who had been hiding in his bag during his visit to the sheikh, “All that just to learn that there is no secret way in. We wasted so much time, and now still we have to find the closest place to the Noble Sanctuary—or the mosque—and dig from there.”

Asqul lifted his nose into the air, rotated his head in a complete circle, then gestured to another alley. “What’s over there?” he asked.

“That leads to the Blacksmiths’ Souk,” he said. Then he cried out, joyfully, “What a clever mouse you are! Abu al-Fawaris’s shop! Ha!”

Asqul burrowed back down into the bag, saying sharply, “I am not a mouse. I am going to stay here, and I’m not moving. Why don’t you go and find someone else to dig? Yes, yes, go and find a mouse to dig for you.”

Hana opened his bag. He picked up Asqul and cupped him in his hands, using every word of apology he’d ever learned.

“I accept your apologies,” Asqul said, his voice still tight with anger. “But beware—”

“I will never do it again,” Hana said. “You are a gentleman and a noble.” And he walked with Asqul on his shoulder until they reached Abu al-Fawaris’s shop. The shop’s front door was not completely closed, so Hana pushed at it.

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