By the time they’d finally worked out all the details, it was late afternoon, and they were almost tempted to return to Astaburya and start afresh tomorrow. Prince Ahmad finally decided, though, that they should push ahead, reasoning that any progress was better than none. They rode for only an hour before the gathering darkness compelled him to halt the ride for the day—but in that hour they traveled as far as they would have in one day of ordinary riding. Despite the initial problems, the travelers were pleased that Kharouf’s spell would indeed help them on their mission.
Every morning Jafar al-Sharif gave the horses his magical powder mixed with their food, and the party traveled northwest toward the range of the Altai Mountains. Moving as quickly as they were, they ran beyond the edge
