"My, uh... bones have been aching and groaning at me all morning." "I'm getting a bad feeling about this one." "I'm not planning on fighting anyone, Cook." "I'll be straight in and straight out." "Find my family." "I promise." "This has saved my life a hundred times at sea." "It will do the same for you." "And if you have the chance, grab me some spices while you're there." "My brother's vision for Basra." "I think of how much he loved this city, and its people." "And I wonder if I have the right to change it all." "You are so close now to what you've always wanted." "Don't falter, master." "The House of Wisdom." " My grandfather's scrolls are in there." " Look." "Taryn?" "What's she doing here?" "That's the head professor at my university." "They can't..." "What is happening to the city?" "A long time ago, this place was something else." "A black temple." "As far as I'm aware this has always been a place of learning." "You built your houses of science and wisdom on these dark shrines, hoping to eliminate them." "But they're still here, buried beneath." "Where is it?" "The Gateway to the Shadows." " Break it open." " No." "No, you can't!" "You don't know what you're doing." "Oh, I know exactly what I'm doing." " That knowledge..." " can never be replaced." "And here we go again." "Sinbad!" " What's wrong with you?" "!" " Couldn't resist it." "We have a plan!" "To find your family and leave the city." "Stick to it." "Don't get distracted." "I don't understand." "Why would the Emir sanction this?" "Where have you been?" "The Emir is dead." "People are frightened, leaving the city." " Only Akbari's supporters remain." " What happened?" "Akbari's being sworn in today." "Draw your own conclusions." " His own brother?" " Anything is possible in Basra now." "Why destroy the House of Wisdom?" "Because scientists and scholars are the new enemy." "The old magic is returning." "You can feel it." "Your father." " Professor of medicine." " Then he's not safe." "Be careful." "I must go." "Peace be with you!" " I understand, your family." " I'm sorry." "I have to..." " Nothing to apologise for." "Really." " We agreed not to split up." "We don't have much choice." "Go, find your family." "Take them to the Providence." " OK, we'll see you there." " I'll go with you." "I know every alley in the city." "Wouldn't want you getting lost." " Have you found what you came here for?" " Yes." "My brother had these old temples built over for a reason." "Soon, Sinbad will arrive." "With this power, I can make sure that every street, every corner of Basra is watched over." "He would have nowhere to hide and you would have absolute control of the city." " You really used to live around here?" " Here, there, wherever I chose." "Any doorway, alley, a rooftop." "It wasn't so bad." "There was life and colour." "The sort of people you couldn't imagine." "Wonder if our paths ever crossed." "Probably not." "I would've robbed you and left you in the dust." "Jamil used to talk about opening a stall here." "You know what his dream was?" "His big plan." "Shoes." "He wanted to sell shoes." ""Everybody needs shoes, Sinbad." "It can't fail."" "Come on." "It's not far." "Just... keep walking." "Shadows." "Do not step in the darkness, but stay in the light." "Wait." "I have to go in there." "I have to see them." "I'll keep watch." "Where is everyone?" " Come on." " You must know a back way in." "It's safer." " Really?" " What, you mean you've never sneaked in late?" "No!" "Typical." "Amma!" "We should leave here now." " If he's hurt them, I swear..." " You swear what?" "That was never there before." "Now you feel it too, don't you?" "He's come home." "And just in time." "Find him!" "Anything?" "They've gone." "But someone will know where they are." "And I know just the person to ask." "Something isn't right." "I can't explain it but it's almost as if we're being watched." "By who?" "There's nobody here." "There's nobody anywhere." "Very nice." " Come on!" " Yeah, um, just trying to get..." "Anwar." "Hello, Mother." "This isn't good." "What are they preparing for?" "Let me find my friend." "We can ask him." " Your friend is a guard?" " He always liked the uniform." "Call me old-fashioned, but isn't this suicidal?" "I'll need to meet him alone." "So I'll see you back at Azizi Road in the old town." " Do you know it?" " Yes." " Sinbad, this is..." " I'll be careful." "A deserted city, hundreds of guards..." "What could go wrong?" "You came back to us!" "You came back!" "We prayed and prayed for this moment." " You're alright?" "You're safe?" " Of course." "Aren't you going to introduce us to your new friend?" "Papa, Ma, this is Rina." "I feared you were dead." "Not yet, old friend." "Although not for want of trying." "Where have you been?" " Later." " Right." "I need to know of my family." "Your mother's safe." "Put her on a caravan out of Basra." "Thank you." "And my grandmother?" "What?" "Akbari has her." "As soon as he becomes Emir..." "he will execute her." "When does he become Emir?" "The hour before nightfall." "It's what all the guards are preparing for." " It's where I should be." " No." "You have to get me to her." "You have to get me into the palace!" "Sinbad!" "You don't know what you're up against." "Turn back." "No." "Tazeem... one last favour, for the old days." "Tazeem..." "Please." "So, tell me, have you come back to us for good?" "I came back because I thought you were in danger." "Your mother and I are fine." "We get by." "Get by?" "Father, haven't you heard about the House of Wisdom?" "Scientists, men of knowledge, they're being pushed out." "Those that resist change, yes." "I'm a doctor." " They'll always need doctors." " No!" "You have to get out of here." "I have friends that can help you leave the city." "Presumably we have time to have lunch, before they come and kick in our door." "Gunnar?" "The young scholar." "Keep moving." "Straight back." "Where did they go?" "They disappeared!" "Around the corner." "They were just there, in the shadows." "Now they've moved on, which is what we should be doing." "Come." "This is the Azizi Road." "Where is he?" "There's nothing to be afraid of." "Ah!" "Get off!" "Get off!" " Nice teamwork." " Sinbad!" "Sorry." "It's OK." "He's with us." " And what do you do, Rina?" " Me?" "I'm in the jewellery trade." "You must be very proud to have a son who's a doctor." "Oh, he's not a doctor." "He's a student doctor, unqualified." "We were so worried when he ran off to sea, leaving his studies." "Well, thankfully I managed to persuade his university tutors to accept him back." "It's not up for discussion." "We've made our decision." "Excuse me." "Does it make you ashamed that Sinbad would risk so much to save you... despite what you've done and that curse you placed upon him?" "A curse that grows stronger the closer he comes to the grandmother he loves?" "There is a sadness about you." "Something torn from your heart." "Something you've lost." "Or is it someone?" "What do you want with Sinbad?" "My master wishes Sinbad to pay for his actions." "For the death of my master's son." "I understand what Lord Akbari wants." "But you, what do you want?" "Oh, pretty little bird singing in her cage." "How sweet she sounds." "Ah!" " Ooh." " Shush now, little bird." "Don't be sad." "You'll see him soon enough." "This will get you on to the rampart." "From there you need to find Akbari's private quarters." "Your grandmother is in Taryn's chamber below that." " Tazeem." " I know." "Good luck." "Go." "What are you really going in there for?" "To bring my grandmother back." "Are you sure that's all?" "You'll need this as an escape route." "I'll stay here." "It's a good vantage point." "What is this place?" "Think about it, Anwar." "They haven't even asked you where you've been." "Why?" "Because they know." "They enrolled you at university because they knew you'd come back." " Someone must have told them." " My parents wouldn't do that." "Anwar, you've made a mistake." "But Akbari promised us you'll come to no harm." "You have a bright future that awaits you." "Please." "No." "Don't you understand?" "There isn't going to be a university when Akbari becomes Emir." "How does a common thief dare to talk about these things!" "?" "She's not a thief!" "And even if she were, how would you know that?" "They're here." "Give her up, son." " It's for the best!" " No!" " Let me go!" " Rina!" " No!" "No!" " Anwar!" "How could you?" "For someone so young, your Sinbad certainly has a loyal group of friends." "It's such a shame they'll suffer the same way as him." "Except for you, of course." "You made the wise choice." "Not only will your family be safe but you'll be richly rewarded under Akbari." "That was a rescue attempt?" "What was the plan?" "Hope they'd take sympathy on you and stop?" "I mean, really, Anwar." " How did you...?" " Oh, idiot guards." "Forgot to check for my knife." "Almost feel sorry for them." "How's the family?" "Pretty much disowned myself." "You're better off without them." "I mean, a failed rescue like that can only bring more shame to the family name." "Come on." "The end is in sight." "He is here, in Basra." " Sinbad?" " The trap is set." "And what good would that do?" "My brother lies dead, and he celebrates." "You came here to kill Akbari, didn't you?" " Long live Akbari!" " Long live Akbari!" "Long live Akbari!" "Long live Akbari!" "Long live Akbari!" "Long live Akbari!" "So I ask you again, what good would it do?" "Would it help your grandmother, your family?" "Or are you just doing it for yourself?" "Run, Sinbad!" "Gunnar?" " Amma." " No." "Stay where you are." "Come, we have to be quick." "It's the curse." "You cannot be close to the one who placed it upon you." "Then come to me." "I can't." "The circle is a cage." "Sinbad, listen to me." "They know you're coming." "It's a trap." "Tazeem betrayed you." "Go, my child." "There's nothing you can do." "Ah!" " No!" " I'm not leaving without you." "I was wrong to do this to you." "The curse." "I'm so sorry." " I won't let Akbari harm you." " It's her, Sinbad." "She's the one you must watch out for." "Welcome home." "How do we get past them?" "No." "Just as you told me." "Truly, Taryn, today is your greatest achievement." "How did it feel... as you stood there above the body of my dying son?" "Did you feel... regret?" "Sorrow?" "Or triumph?" "Everything I've done since then has been for the memory of my son." "But this..." "This is just for me." "And this is for my brother." "Do it...!" "I... am sorry." "I'm sorry for your loss." "And I'm sorry... for the pain... that I've caused you." "You have become the man I always hoped you would be." " Amma." " You are free." "Sinbad of Basra..." "I'm also sorry for your loss." "You never understood." "You thought I was your servant, but it was you serving me." "You really have no idea who you are, do you?" "What you're capable of." "I can show you if you let me." "I can show you a whole world beyond this one." "No!" "You won't!" "No!" "What's happening!" "?" "Look." "Come, come." "Amma." "I... should have told you the truth about who you are." "I don't understand." "Kept so much from you." "Just wanted to protect you." "Can you... forgive me?" "Amma..." "You need to go." "There are guards on the way." "They're locking down the palace." "We don't have long." "Sinbad, please." "I didn't have a choice." "So, what now?" "We're free." "Akbari can't follow us any more." "Akbari was a good man." "He just lost his way." "Well, you missed the most amazing thing:" "Anwar rescuing me." " From a heavily armed prison cart." " Really?" "I've never seen anything like it." "She's exaggerating a little bit." "Or, a lot." "I was very brave." "I hate to say it, but..." "I'm really going to miss moments like these." " Are you leaving?" " No." "Not leaving." "Staying." "My father spent his life helping those less fortunate than himself." "And in Basra now there are people who have lost their homes, their livelihoods." "I want to be the daughter my father would be proud of." " You're sure about this?" " As much as I can be." "Nala?" "I'll make sure your grandmother has the burial she deserves." "You know, when I first met you I thought you were a vile, arrogant..." " Yes..." " Dirty... young man." " And what about now?" " I didn't say my feelings had changed." "Oh." " Listen, wait..." " It was fun." "I mean, there was the fighting, the screaming, the life-and-death situations." "But it was fun." "Thank you." "Come in useful?" "No, I didn't need it in the end." "Don't suppose you managed to pick up any spice for me then?" "Sorry." "Honestly, I ask you to do one thing." "Ah, you'll learn." "Home changes." "You think the place you grow up is it, but the world expands." "And one day you wake up, look around and you find your home has come with you." "Huh?" "But, seriously, not even a small jar of spice?" "A few scraps?" "Ah, I don't know why I bother sometimes." "And so it begins..." "Sinbad of Basra." "And so it begins." " Do you see what I see?" " An island?" "This could be what we've been looking for." " I'm a god." " A god?" " We want her!" " You can't have her."