A Faint Glimmer of Hope

"It makes no difference. She is probably lying, but even if not she cannot be allowed to live." Arif clearly does not want to risk losing the sultanate to the heir that I might possibly produce in nine months time.

Is it my imagination, or do I briefly see an expression of disapproval on the captain's face in response to what Arif has said? Some of the guards must be in on Arif's plot for the assassin to have reached the Sultan, but it seems that the captain is not one of them. Is there any chance that I could persuade him to believe me?

Once the captain and his men have taken me from the bedroom, on what could be my final journey, and we are out of Arif's hearing I say: "Captain, did you see Arif whisper to me just before you took me away? He told me that it was he who had the Sultan killed, in pursuit of his family's claim to the Sultanate."

1. The captain believes me. Apparently he has suspected Arif for some time of having designs on the throne.
2. The captain disbelieves me. "Were it true, the minister would not be such a fool as to tell you."
3. The captain hesitates. Dare he disobey Arif's order, even if he has a doubt about my guilt?

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