Subh and Jalila considered the first meeting of the group as a productive one, all happened within the expected and Subh had enough confidence that people were the correct ones and, therefore, her choices had been proved as correct and always knew she ran little risk of defection.

They were just analyzing the behavior of those present when Subh addressed the insistent looks from Hamid to Jalila for causing a reaction of the maid and friend.

— You are urging Hamid and I still do not understand why.

— Just why it was the stage of your life when I saw you happier and so you need to give an opportunity of rapprochement so that he can explain himself.

— There aren't possible explanations, but since you do not let this quiet, I will retaliate saying my cousin did not take his eyes off you, did you notice? He almost seemed bewitched. Then he observed for you, I can say that was even a relevant quote, but what he really wanted was to make him present, it is not his style, you impressed him. He does not have much history with women and his impetuous behavior surprised me.

Come on, be smart, all looked at me, mainly because they could not see me well, after all, I was the center of attention because they wanted to hear the reasons why I called them. But what do you mean? He is chaste, still a virgin and he like boys?

— For God's sake Subh, how can you assume that? I meant that he's shy, not much of an experience with love. After all, like Hakam, he lived to this day stuck in books and did not have time to meet women.

— Interesting, I like that. He's not athletic nor is he a man that is imposed by the physical, but those blond hair and those intelligent blue eyes are attractive.

— So, you noticed him?

— I did not die yet Jalila, I gave birth twice and am not a Helena, but many men still would arm a Trojan horse for me and so I'm still looking around.

— Of course, my dear, you are beautiful, you are the magnificent Subh, the Sayyda Al-Kubra, said smiling and lovingly hugging her friend making both laugh uncontrollably.

Retaking control, Subh returned to the behavior of those present at the meeting and referred to Abbot Herrera.

— The only thing that made me insecure, even after your meeting report with the Abbot, was the content and the tone of his manifestation. We need to make sure that he understood well the spirit of our actions.

I also stay aware of what he said, Jalila said. But do not think we should worry about it, she added.

— Now we must expect the next few days, and you and I must also think about the actions that we propose. We just finished the stage of willing to act, it's a time for the real action.

Bahadur was studying for several hours the document in Latin that had been copied in the tavern, reposed on the initial sentences. Something bothered him there, but he did not know exactly what.

Haereticus est sacerdos et docuit me:

In tavern when sumus non curamus

quid sit humus, sed ad ludum properamus,

Aziz who had arrived a little to transfer one of his reports was coming to him bringing from the kitchen a fresh pot of tea and commented some new information to a rapt head that barely paid attention to what he was saying.

— There was an incident with one of our and I'm worried that Amal or Nasr know that we are on a constant lookout for their movements. I have another important fact Aziz said, trying to draw the attention of his boss: The chairperson or secretary of Hamid you asked to investigate is a Christian, he regularly visits a church and look for his confessor regularly and he seems to be a devout Christian.

— What? What did you say? Repeat.

— You mean he was a devout Christian? Aziz said amazed.

— Not what you said before, what he seeks!

— His confessor, did I say something stupid?

— That's it, you're a genius and you gave us the biggest clue so far.

— How come? Please explain that I did not understand.

— The text of the original phrase in Latin, I am no expert, but I have been studying this text for days and something hammered my head. Did you bring the key to unlocking! The drunk is telling us that the information was received from a priest. In verses that followed they speak of the drink in the tavern where money is the host and who do not care about the dust or mud and we rush in the game and at the end talks of absolution of sins. I now believe it is a Christian former priest who converted and left the confessional secret vote, perhaps because now obeys Allah, the only one to whom we should just our confessions or, who knows because he is a drunk too. Do you understand the research door that this can open? We must look for a former priest who was the confessor of the Amal family, or who knows, of Jalila.

— I still think a kind of speculative this your idea of associating the woman's story with Jalila, I never thought this be a plausible idea. Moreover, you are forgetting one crucial detail; Amal and Jalila are not Christians and have no confessor!

— Maybe, but we cannot rule out anything. How many Christians converted to Islam sincerely do you know about? As for Hamid's aid, is too little, it is good, but it is little. I want to extract more information from him about Hamid. Make it happen.

— I know it, we are working. I only wanted to show you progress, we already know that he is a Christian and this it's great because, through that, we can extract what you want.

— We must optimize our resources, we may reduce our vigilance in the taverns, it is clear that the presence of this priest does not happen in these neighborhoods. It's him we need now as we are not behind a simple drunk but the real primary source of those facts. We will watch from now on, only the main tavern where the facts occurred, and we will move our people to find this priest south of Cordoba where families live. I want you directly on this; do not let any of our uncultured that serve only to ambushes, to spoil it. At the same time, I want, as I said before, progress on Hamid's investigations and about which documents Nasr was carrying home with him.

— Oh, that, I almost forgot, tonight is his turn, we are prepared. Tomorrow we have news.

— Wonder Aziz! But you said that we were discovered by Nasr? Who made a mistake?

— In fact, no one has committed one. It was real infiltration. I've suspected for some time that our steps were not unknown. It turns out that despite the bandit's care, I caught one of our people in a very suspicious conversation with Nasr. Checking his history in the Library and his behavior with us I concluded that he could be an undercover possibly under the pay of Nasr. But do not worry, I did take care of him, and through my good methods, he has confessed.

— How did you take care of him? I want that bastard in the Guadalquivir's bottom!

— I did not get that far, but the scourge suffered, and I think he will never show up again in the palace if it is still standing.

— How involved was he in our actions and plans.

— Well, for us he was a pawn, we used him in the leads and brings, but it was not an imbecile, had some culture and knew a lot, including the entire history of the tavern, and was with us when this text you studied so much was read, it now makes me assume that Nasr may have had access to it as well.

— This just brings more urgency to our actions. If they reach the same conclusion, we must find the Confessor in front of them otherwise we lose what appears to be our only point of support to overthrow Amal. But it's getting late and you told me that today is the turn of Nasr. You are ahead of this action, is not it?

— Of course, It is time for me to go Bahadur and as for today, we can also obtain other shreds of evidence. The good thing is that we are acting on several fronts.

— As-Salamu Alaykum '

— Wa Alaykum As-Salam Wa wa RahmatulLahi BarakatuHu

After the greetings, Azis retired to meet with his group who was waiting in a strategic point of the path used by Nasr Al-Zahara to go home.

He used to shorten his way down the street of butchers, one of the narrow shopping streets of Cordoba. Nasr was crossing this street at a time that all the shops, whose activities were initiated in the early hours, were closed. The garbage of the previous day's activity had not been removed and the site remained very desert and filled with carcasses of debris. Hidden behind a wall near one of the dark corners, the scoundrels of Bahadur were waiting.

The action was fast. With hidden faces, three men much more stout physique that Nasr pushed him throwing him violently to the ground, while two their immobilized the other snatched the folder that had the hands and peered all his clothes to see if there was something more. When found they had what they wanted it was applied a blow that only left him stunned but was enough to allow them to escape without leaving Nasr a chance of success in a possible attempt to chase.

Nasr stunned, did not notice at the first time what had really happened. Immediately thought of assault, Cordoba had these problems often, though the police were acting with more rigor, and events like this had been reduced. Then, thinking more clearly, so the scare subsided, he focused on the fact that he had lost a copy of the manuscript of the study, not an original, was the last page that was being analyzed and wondered that could really not have been a robbery common, they did not seem interested in his pockets or pockets but went straight to his folder that was made of thick paper folded. It was the first thing that aroused their interest, not sought at the first look any valuables or money. Then, perhaps to disguise the "assailants" were seeking two coins in his pocket.

He stood still felt pressure on the head and turned around on their way. He made his direction towards returning to the Palace. He was going to meet Amal. The moment was serious.

Nasr arrived at the residence of Amal, hit and found his boss amazed by his presence, only asked permission to enter, requested some water, and sat in one of the extended cushions in the living room let out a huge sigh.

Amal without even understanding what was happening realized that something extraordinary had happened to his assistant, and it was not good, picked up water, served Nasr, and sat in front of him waiting for his reaction.

— Something terrible happened! He said after sipping the whole cup of water. We lost a semi-analyzed copy of the manuscript.

— How is this possible? It was the reaction of a startled Amal.

Nasr began reporting that some time now he had decided to take work to do at home. He never has removed any original from the library, only took copies he was working on before completing the analysis. He even made copies and chose this procedure because it was not holding up the environment from the unhealthy deposit. It was causing him a cough that irritated and ended it by taking his sleep. After all, he bordered on the fifty years he was no longer a young man in the times of the guard of eunuchs. I thought there would be no problems at all, was only a copy and one at a time. He did it to the last eight pieces and never had felt bad again with the air in that room, windowless and stuffy.

Today he had been assaulted and was almost certain that the object of the attack was the folder he carried. It was not, in his belief, a common assault. Certainly, the Bahadur surveillance was larger than imagined and he was being well watched.

Amal was already moving from one side to the other with visible concern.

— I will not say that you were reckless, because I did it once when I was very tired. But not only that, he said stopping to walk in the room from one place to another.

— What do you mean?

— The text you gave me, some days ago. I think I deciphered the meaning. And it's bad for us.

Amal reported Nasr the conclusions he had come and that coincided with that we already know that Bahadur arrived.

— The things do not run well for our side Nasr he said. There's one more thing. I was going to speak tomorrow. One of our, Salim, who had infiltrated the Bahadur group, disappeared three days ago. I cannot find him. This is not normal and may indicate that they caught him. This was rather imprudent of him. He came to me without combining. I always met him in prepared situations. I think he was exposed.

— Nasr, we must stay calm and think well about the next steps. We cannot disturb ourselves.

— From what you told me what you must do is just look for this Confessor. I'm guessing we're in a race with Bahadur to see who finds the priest in the first place, he said Nasr outlining for the first time a smile.

— It will be easier for me. I know who the secret confessor of the family is. At this point we are one step ahead of him, we know where to look.

— Yes, but it will not be difficult for them to undo the disadvantage. Knowing how to ask he will arrive there.

— Therefore, I tomorrow need to go looking for him. By the way, I already would have to do this. I would tell you about my tomorrow trip. Now with this occurrence of the theft of your copy what you must do and immediately terminate this last page and get on with Herrera to drive the manuscript to another safe location. Each day that it stays with us we run a greater risk. We do not know what Bahadur can do. He is not brilliant, but it's not stupid. You will realize the importance. Would this last page be very revealing of the bottom layer?

— Unfortunately, it is one of the clearest that I worked on. Another thing we must think about is that we cannot predict the reaction of such a Confessor. If he abandoned his faith, it is not a good time. He cannot collaborate. What do you want to do?

— Yes, you're right and I've thought a lot about this matter, and I found not a perfect solution. All the ones I thought have snags. Take him far away, hide him in the Palace and ask for help from Subh via Jalila to push him away with money.

— You must be joking. I do not think any of these options can be considered as a solution. My friend, I almost died today. If I were a stronger man and had been able to react, of course, would be dead. They did not kill me because they realized that I would not have how to create opposition to the attack and they were using hoods. I did not identify them. You really want to continue in the Library, maintain your fight against Almanzor, spread the manuscript and, what I realized, fight for Subh?

— Of course, but what question is that? Where Subh goes on this? She will never look for me, she is not a woman for a poor librarian who only got involved with books all his life and this alone already makes me not want to have her. You are mistaken she is not in my plans. I impressed me with her presence and beauty, yes, but that does not say anything. Any man would be impressed.

— I'm not naive Amal. Since the meeting, you are another man. I have felt that feeling someday before I exclude this kind of possibility of love. If the answers to these questions are yes, regardless of the Subh factor, we must eliminate the Confessor. There is no other way out.

— My God, how far this will take us Nasr?

— The save our skin and our goals, simple.

There followed a few seconds of silence in which Amal stared at the Nasr's face without making any sound. Finally, he spoke.

— I do not know if I can do this, I'm not a fighter. I'm a man of letters.

— You will not do. I have men of confident that can follow you. You find the man and he run the service. You cannot falter now, because everything for which you fought and achieved is at risk.

Do not be fooled, because if Bahadur is successful he will not take you away from the Library, he will take your head.

— Can you get this friend of yours, Can I call him like that, to be ready to leave with me tomorrow. And what confidence can you have upon him?

— Yes, you will not get out too early but may leave tomorrow for sure, as to the confidence, I bet my life.

With this combination, Nasr already felt better left Amal, driving home to his residence, this time as a precaution by a long way, but desert and busiest.

While he was walking, he thought about Amal and the idea that his boss made about himself, an insecure librarian entirely unaware of the previous functions that always put him on extreme danger. He acted at the eunuchs' body at the strategy sector, behind the scenes and still had many contacts, some of whom he had contributed even to their lives be saved in conflict at the time of Abd-ar-Rahman III. His choice to go to the Library at the end of the period of Al-Hakam's father, eleven years before the arrival of Amal, was a well-deserved award that he obtained. He was tired of a life tightrope, intrigues, murders and all sorts of political action behind the scenes. Over time, he which was just a document student at an amateur level applied himself and became an expert, not of the brightest as Amal, because the library had a formidable team, but he was good. Yes, he was also useful in other areas and had the right person for this service. Perform the job without asking questions and return to your place without that nothing had happened. Tomorrow he would find Ghugran whose name meant forgiveness. He would pardon the Confessor.

He came home and lay down without delay. The head still hurt a bit. He wanted to be awake early in the morning to provide urgent matters requested by Amal involving the manuscript and contact Chugran. He was glad not to have more to deal with day-to-day issues of death, like the ones he would be involved in the next day, but he didn't lose the acumen and determination when it was necessary. Amal should thank him for that.