Miria recognized the voice at once; the jinni at the market that morning had been very well-spoken. Of all the coincidences to occur, [i]he[/i] had to be the one to choose to take refuge in her cart of all places.

Anger spiked through her. Miria took a step forward, seething, gripping the dagger's hilt so tightly that the leather groaned a little beneath her grip. "I know exactly who you are!" she hissed in a low voice, taking a quick glance around to ensure she was not within earshot of anyone. "How dare you choose to hide here after the commotion you caused! I ought to raise my voice right now and let the guards find you!"

So, why didn't she? Miria could see a guard pace down a nearby alleyway, well out of ear shot, and there were several in the inn. She knew they were still looking for this jinni, and it was a wonder that the guards hadn't found him here yet, but it would only be a matter of time. If they found him in her cart, they could arrest her and accuse her of aiding a fugitive. She needed to get him out of her cart as quickly as possible and ensure his arrest if she wanted to catch the caravan out of this place in the morning, yet experience taught her that the authorities were as mistrustful as the jinni. Social protection thrived on bribes, and her family had not thought to buy it. The authorities had done little in wake of the tragedy that left Miria the only survivor, and there had been several times throughout her travels alone when she had been forced, or nearly forced, to pay them to ensure tragedy did not also befall her. Miria knew that not every guard was so corrupted, but enough of them were that it was simply easier to to mistrust the authorities and be proven wrong than to give them the benefit of the doubt and be betrayed. She had no intentions on paying these guards, one way or another, to ensure that they tell the truth about her not harboring a fugitive.

Was the risk of rape or financial ruin worse than a possible death sentence? If she didn't play her cards right, all three of these things could happen to her.

Then again, she did not know this jinni at all or what he was capable of. The only thing she knew for certain was that he absolutely was not leaving this city with her under any circumstance.

Miria licked her lips, glancing about her anxiously as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. The guard at the alley was still preoccupied and none of the others had shown up yet. The jinni was right that she shouldn't be seen talking to her cart, but she did not trust her stowaway enough to come closer. Quietly, she hooked her arms through the straps of her bags and moved around the cart, her grip on her dagger relentless, and set them down by Raha's side. Eyeing the large lump beneath her canvas, she stroked the creature's fur. She hoped that if any guards did look her way, they would see a weary woman comforting her donkey and nothing more.

"What trouble have you gotten yourself into?" she hissed. "Are you a mere runaway, or is it something worse? Tell me now and tell me quickly." She had no idea how to gauge how truthful his answer would be, if he answered at all, but she felt it foolish to give him the clearance to leave without at least asking the question.