And Pilar Pineda tells them that she means to yield herself to one of them:
Let the six fight, by any contest that does not slay them, she will not be accused by the Sultanate of being a foreigner come to sap their city's strength. Six shall fight, and one shall win her without cost; and the five losers shall do her sister-oracle Ione Sala a small service, that shall not risk their life nor exhaust their wealth nor harm their reputation, and take but a little of their time.
And he who proves himself strongest and most cruel among the noble Malik of the Efreet, may not slay her in his victory; nor take her wealth from her or allow it to be taken. But aside from that he may do utterly as he wishes with her, for the length of a mortal night; even give of her to others, does he will, so long as he protects her.
And she does swear that none of this is a plot aimed at any of their number, but only a contest for her own amusement, for which insolence she must be made to pay. Come then, battle one another for the right to make her pay, if they are not cowardly.