You whirl around to grab your sword, but it’s too late. A man stands in front of you, tough and heavily armed men emerging from the bush behind him. You recognize this man. It is Sheikh Amar. You’ve had run-ins with him in the past—and they did not end well.
“We parted under such rushed circumstances,” Amar says smoothly. “I never got to say good-bye.”
His men circle you, and the biggest, Seso, quickly takes your sword—and the Dagger.
“We’ve been tracking you for days,” Amar adds.
You notice something odd. Sand funnels dance and whirl on top of a nearby dune.
Amar glances in the direction of your gaze. “Sand dervishes, Persian,” he says dismissively. “Common as camels in this desert.”
“Sheikh Amar, listen to me,” you begin.
“I’d rather not.” Amar signals his men and they seize you. They gag and bind you. In a moment, Tamina’s gagged, too.
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Just when you think your luck has run out . . . “Ogav!” Yusef calls out, stepping in front of you. “What is this place?” Ogav looks startled. “Yusef! What are you doing down here?”
“We were caught in the sandstorm and were looking for a way out,” Yusef explains. He turns to you. “Ogav is one of my cousins.
And this is—” You cut him off. “I’m Shazar,” you say. “A friend of Yusef ’s.” Yusef looks at you quizzically. Yusef may trust Ogav, but as the prince of an invading empire, you don’t want to take any chances.
The two other men rise, their expressions grim. Yusef doesn’t seem to notice the tension. He steps deeper into the chamber. “Where are we?” he asks.
Ogav’s eyes flick to the two other men. Then he shrugs. “It’s an ancient treasury. Holding a fortune.”
Ogav circles behind you and Yusef. “Up until now,” he says, “we were pretty sure we were the only ones who knew about it.”
You don’t like the feeling of his breath on the back of your neck. “We want to keep it that way,” Ogav snarls.
Do you take out Ogav, and hope you and Yusef can then handle the other two? TURN TO PAGE 62.
Or do you try to talk your way out of there? TURN TO PAGE 61.
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“Any cousins of Yusef ’s are friends of mine,” you say, slowly backing away. “And I keep my friends’ secrets. If you don’t want anyone else to know about this treasury, they won’t know about it from me.”
You fling your torch at the men as you spin. “Run!” you shout.
You and Yusef race away as footsteps pound loudly behind you. Up ahead there’s another fork. “We should split up,” you tell him. “Make it harder for them.”
“Good plan,” Yusef says, panting.
Yusef veers left while you take the tunnel on the right. A moment later you hear the footsteps once again behind you. It sounds as if none of them followed Yusef.
At least he’ll be safe, you think.
You’re running blind—this stretch of tunnel has no torches. You stumble but regain your balance, then you slam right into the tunnel wall as it forks again. The wind is knocked out of you. As you catch your breath, you peer around one of the corners. Up ahead is a lone flickering torch.
Should you grab it? It would be a lot easier to navigate if you could see!
But the light will alert Ogav and his pals to your location.
Do you take the torch? TURN TO PAGE 129.
Or do you leave it where it is and keep running in the dark? TURN TO PAGE 71.
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You act quickly. With a sharp jab of your elbow to his windpipe, Ogav drops to his knees. “Weapons! Yusef!” you shout. You draw your sword. Yusef draws his.
But instead of facing the two other men, he’s looking straight at you.
“But Yusef—” you begin.
“So sorry, Prince,” he says. “I know I owe you a debt. But you know the old saying about blood being thicker than water.”
“You mean gold is thicker than loyalty,” you retort.
Yusef shrugs.
Your leg shoots out in a powerful roundhouse kick, knocking the sword out of Yusef ’s hand. You leap and kick again, this time at his head. He lands hard on the ground, out cold.
The two other men face you, and you’re thrilled to see neither is armed!
Then one bends down and picks up a strange-looking device— something you’ve never seen before.
The man pulls the trigger, and dozens of barbed pellets shoot out. You scream in pain. Now the other man flings a curved blade at you. You collapse to the ground, landing beside Yusef, mortally wounded.
All those years ago, maybe you should have made a different choice in regard to Yusef. And a different choice today. If you had, this wouldn’t be your . . .
END.
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“This dagger,” Nizam says slowly, “you have it with you?”
This is it. This is your chance to clear your name and make Nizam understand Tus’s treachery.
You pull up the sleeve of your cloak, revealing a bundle strapped to your forearm. You untie it and hand it to your uncle. He slowly unwraps it. A puzzled expression comes over his face. He holds up a silver nutcracker.
“Is this some sort of joke, Dastan?” Nizam asks you.
You grab the bundle. The Dagger is gone. It was replaced by a nutcracker so you wouldn’t know it was missing. But how . . . ? Who . . . ?
Princess Tamina! You look out the door and discover she’s gone. Of course.
Your uncle stands there, waiting. Bewilderment slowly turning to anger on his craggy face.
“I had it, Uncle—I swear.”
“Then where is your so-called evidence?” Nizam demands.
Do you rush after Tamina to get the evidence you need? GO TO PAGE 25.
Or do you continue to plead your case? TURN TO PAGE 35.
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You and Tamina are sent to work in the bathhouse, where foreign representatives go to refresh themselves after their long journeys.
The fat, cranky, red-faced woman who is in charge of the baths studies you and Tamina. “The gentlemen prefer attractive attendants,” she says. She frowns at you. “You’ll need to stay behind the scenes. You can fetch the heated water. You,” she says to Tamina, “you’ll be a greeter.”
You nod, afraid your voice will give you away. When she leaves, you grab Tamina’s wrist. “This is our chance,” you whisper. “You must get a message to Nizam.” You gaze down at your ridiculous dress. “And I must get some more appropriate clothing!”
You quickly sneak through the area where the visitors change— and steal a new set of men’s clothes.
This feels a lot better, you think, as you tuck the Dagger into your belt.
Tamina comes by carrying a nutcracker and a bowl of walnuts. She rolls her eyes. “They are very demanding in there,” she says. Then she does a double take. “Dastan! You’re . . . you again!” She gives you a look you cannot read. A mixture of hate—and curiosity?
You give her a courtly bow. Then you grow serious. “What about the message?”
She nods. “It will be delivered within an hour.”
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It seems you are going to dress like a girl. You duck behind a bush and remove your clothing. Tamina does the same. You throw your clothes to each other.
You feel ridiculous. What made her think this would work? You split the fabric across the back, since your shoulders are a lot broader than hers. And it only comes to just below your knees, since you’re also a lot taller.
“Don’t laugh,” you call as you prepare to step out.
“No promises!” Tamina shouts back.
You come around your bush as she emerges from behind hers. You stare at her. She has somehow fashioned your trousers and shirt into a remarkable garment, and she looks more beautiful than ever.
“It’s a good thing you’re not trying to find a husband,” she says with a smirk. “No man would have you.”
“Just do something so that this disguise will work,” you say.
She gives you her cloak to hide the tears in your dress. Then she rips some fabric from the hem of the trousers she’s wearing and fashions a veil. “Can’t have your beard give you away,” Tamina says.
She steps back and eyes you critically. “Hmm. Something’s not quite right,” she says. She reaches out and begins to tug and pat you.
“Not so fast,” you say, grabbing her wrist. “You’re not getting the Dagger.”
Her face hardens for a moment, then she says, “Can’t blame a girl for trying.”
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A few people dressed in strange clothing appear. Then a powerful looking man steps into the chamber. Suddenly, the rewind stops.
“Who are you?” he demands.
“I am Dastan, Prince of Persia.”
The young man smirks. “Then you are my prisoner. I am General Alexander, and I have annexed Persia for Greece.”
You gape at him. You remember him from your history lessons. This man before you is none other than Alexander the Great. You have gone all the way back in time to around 330 BC!
You’re not thrilled to be a prisoner, but you are quite excited to see what life was like a thousand years ago. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll figure out a way to get back to your own time . . . eventually.
THE END
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Amar and his men bring you and Tamina through a tunnel. Even though her hands are tied, you wish they’d gag her as well. Tamina’s been insulting you nonstop.
You hear a commotion up ahead. This is where you and the princess are going to part ways. You bargained with Amar to spare you by promising the princess would work for him.
“Give me a moment with her?” you ask Amar. The sheikh nods, and you pull Tamina to the side. You rip the amulet from around her throat. You open it and, just as you suspected, find grains of glowing sand inside.
“Dastan, listen to me,” Tamina says.
You pour the sand into the Dagger, then slide it back into your belt. “When my uncle sees the power of this Dagger, he’ll believe our invasion was a lie. Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Dastan, that Dagger is sacred,” Tamina implores you. “It’s only allowed to leave Alamut if the city falls. It was being smuggled to safety when you stole it. If it falls into the wrong hands . . .”
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep your knife safe,” you say.
“You don’t understand what’s at stake! This is a matter for the gods, not men.”
“Your gods,” you tell her. “Not mine.” You turn away from her and nod to Amar. His men drag her away.
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“No one will believe I’m a girl,” you protest. “It will be a dead giveaway that we’re in disguise.”
Tamina eyes you. “You would make a pretty ugly woman,” she says.
You point to the caravan heading your way. “I’m sure those travelers would love to trade their clothing for my armor. And your fancy garments.”
The caravan approaches. It’s a strange, motley group. Both the men and the women have kohl-rimmed eyes and are covered in tattoos. Their somber clothing is embroidered with symbols you’ve never seen before.
“Shakshi,” Tamina murmurs.
“What?” you ask.
“I’ve seen members of this sect before. They believe they are in touch with the darker forces. They travel from town to town offering to rid citizens of evil spirits.”
“Do you believe that nonsense?” you ask her.
Tamina shrugs. “I believe in forces beyond mortal understanding. And I have certainly seen evil.”
“Are they dangerous?”
“Only if you’re a demon,” Tamina says. “Let me do the talking,” she adds. “They speak an unusual dialect.”
She calls out something in a language you don’t know. A tall, skeletal man steps out of the group. He must be the leader.
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You tie your shirt around your nose and mouth to keep out the sand, duck your head, and follow the voice into the unknown.
“This way!” the voice calls again. You can barely hear him over the howling wind. But you sense you are not too far behind. Suddenly you stumble over him as he kneels at a trapdoor.
You help him tug open the door and quickly jump down after your rescuer. He slams the door shut above you.
It’s suddenly quiet. The storm still rages outside, but underground you can hear the stranger’s every breath.
You tear the shirt from your face, wanting to see who it is that saved you. A young man about your age looks back at you, grinning.
“I owe you my life,” you say.
“Just returning the favor,” the young man says.
Now you’re puzzled. “Who are you?”
The man bursts out laughing. “You don’t recognize me! Well, we have both changed a great deal since our days in the streets. I’m Yusef!”
You smile and pull him into an embrace, clapping him on the back.
“We’re all grown up, aren’t we?” you say, laughing.
“If you hadn’t saved me from the king’s guards all those years ago,” Yusef says, “I might never have made it to adulthood!”
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Aksh whinnies and shies, rearing in panic. Tamina lets out a shriek as she falls off, landing hard on the ground.
Instantly, the vipers surround her.
You gain control of Aksh, spinning him around. You draw your sword and lean out as you charge toward Tamina. You slice off the head of one of the vipers just as it’s about to strike her. This gets the attention of the others.
Now they come after you.
You slash one viper after another, but you know there’s no way you’ll be able to get them all. Then you realize Tamina is hurling boulders at them, smashing the ones behind you. And your horse stomps them, too. Finally the last one is dead.
You dismount to make sure Princess Tamina is all right and that your horse wasn’t bitten. They both seem fine.
“We have to get away from here as quickly as possible,” you say.
“You’ve seen such creatures before?” Tamina asks.
“They are the tools of the Hassansins,” you explain. “A secret, elite group of killers. My father disbanded them. Clearly they are back in business.”
The skin on the back of your neck prickles. You’re being watched.
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You don’t want anything to give away your position. You turn down the dark passageway and leave the torch where it is.
Wham! You slam into something—or rather, someone! A woman, by the sound of the surprised shriek.
“Are you all right?” you ask.
“Who are you?” the voice in the dark says. From the position of the voice you can tell you knocked her to the ground.
You feel around in the dark, and manage to help her up. She gasps. “My ankle!”
Ahead is a lit passageway. “Let’s get to where we can see,” you say. “I can bind your ankle.”
“I don’t believe this,” the woman mutters.
You reach the twist in the tunnel where torches line the walls. You see that the woman you crashed into is quite beautiful. As she gazes at you her expression changes from one of discomfort due to her injury to pure fury. Suddenly she pulls out a dagger. “Get away from me, Persian!” she shouts.
You realize she’s an Alamutian—and not very happy about the fact that your army has her city under siege.
She lunges at you, but you deftly sidestep her thrust. You whirl around and kick the Dagger out of her hand. You scoop it up. She flings herself at you, making
your grip slip. Your fingers hit a small jewel embedded in the Dagger’s handle. Sand trickles out of the weapon.
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“I don’t think I’ll have any luck with my father,” you say sadly. “I’ll search for the princess as you suggest. She may provide information that will make our case.”
“Good.” Nizam nods approvingly.
But how will you find her? Then it hits you. Her servants may know, and may also be willing to reveal the information—for the right price.
You get to the servants’ quarters and find several women gathered around a dark-haired beauty.
“Get out, Persian,” the beauty snaps. “This is not a place for you.”
“And clearly you don’t know your place,” you admonish her. The other women glare at you. Nevertheless, they shush her.
“I have a few questions . . . and an offer,” you say. “I’m looking for your mistress, the princess Tamina. And I will pay handsomely should the information be correct.”
The feisty one crosses her arms over her chest. “What makes you think any of us would commit such a betrayal?”
You take a closer look at her. You notice an intricately carved dagger in the waistband of her skirt.
She’s not a typical serving girl. Not at all.
“Nice to meet you, Princess Tamina,” you say.
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You enter the village and discover a beautiful young woman at the fountain. She’s filling a bucket. She’s startled when she sees you.
“What brings you here, stranger?” she asks warily.
You dismount and approach her. “Chance,” you tell her. “I gave my horse the lead, and this is where he brought me. I don’t wish to disturb you, but I have been traveling for days. My horse and I could use water, food, and a place to sleep.”
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