the-secret-crusade-oliver-bowden

‘I’m sorry, Altaïr,’ said Malik. ‘I should have anticipated Abbas’s
plans. For years after your departure he worked to undermine me. I had
no idea he had managed to command such support. It would not have
happened to a stronger leader. It would not have happened to you.’
‘Don’t trouble yourself. Rest, my friend,’ said Altaïr, and he motioned
to Maria.
In the next room the two of them sat: Maria on the stone bench,
Altaïr on a high-backed chair.
‘Do you know what you have to do?’ said Maria.
‘I have to destroy Abbas,’ said Altaïr.
‘But not for the purposes of vengeance, my love,’ she insisted, looking
deep into his eyes. ‘For the Order. For the good of the Brotherhood. To
take it back and make it great once more. If you can do that, and if you
can let it take precedence over your own thoughts of revenge, the Order
will love you as a father who shows it the true path. If you let yourself
be blinded by anger and emotion, how can you expect them to listen
when what you teach is the other way?’
‘You’re right,’ he said, after a pause. ‘Then how shall we proceed?’
‘We must confront Abbas. We must dispute the accusation made
against our son’s murderer. The Order will have to accept that, and
Abbas will be forced to answer for himself.’
‘It will be the word of Malik against Abbas and his agent, whoever
that is.’
‘A weasel like Abbas? His agent is even less trustworthy, I should
imagine. The Brotherhood will believe you, my love. They will want to
believe you. You are the great Altaïr. If you can resist your desire for
revenge, if you can take back the Order by fair means, not foul, then the