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It screamed out of the sky, a thin rind of sound like a violin bow dragged across the raw surface of the brain
kkkkheeeeeee
Or a wet fingernail dragged over an exposed nerve, some said You could set your watch by it, they would have said, if anyone knehat one was
keeee
It went deeper and deeper as the sunlight washed over the stones, passing through cat screarowl
eeeeee
The flares collapsed
ops
'A fine , sire I trust you slept well?'
Teppic waved a hand at Dios, but said nothing The barber orking through the Cere Forth Shaven
The barber was tre Until recently he had been a one-handed, uneh priest had su's barber, but it ht because it was all sorted out by the priests and nothing more had to be chopped off On the whole, it was better than he had thought, and a great honour to be singlehandedly responsible for the king's beard, such as it was
'You were not disturbed in any way?' said the high priest His eyes scanned the roo that little lines of molten rock didn't drip off the walls
'Verrr-'
'If you would but hold still, O never-dying one,' said the barber, in the pleading tone of voice euided tour of a crocodile's alimentary tract if he nicks an ear
'You heard no strange noises, sire?' said Dios He stepped back suddenly so that he could see behind the gilded peacock screen at the other end of the room
'Norr'
'Your , sire,' said Dios He sat down on the bench with the carved cheetahs on either end Sitting down in the presence of the king, except on cere that was allowed It did, however, mean that he could squint under Teppic's low bed
Dios was rattled Despite the aches and the lack of sleep, Teppic felt oddly elated He wiped his chin
'It's the bed,' he said 'I think I have mentioned it Mattresses, you know They have feathers in them If the concept is unfamiliar, ask the pirates of Khali Half of theoosefeather mattresses by now'
'His majesty is pleased to joke,' said Dios
Teppic knew he shouldn't push it any further, but he did so anyway
'So, Dios?' he said
'A irl Ptraci is '
'Yes, sire'
'Probably a suitor or a swain or so'
Dios's face was like stone 'Possibly, sire
'The sacred crocodiles will be going hungry, then' But not for long, Teppic thought Walk to the end of any of the little jetties down by the bank, let your shadow fall on the river, and the ic, s, the s don't open at one end and bite your legs off The sacred crocodiles of the Djel were the kingdoue
They couldn't sie bulls ever drifted sideways on to the current, he'd dam the river
The barber tiptoed out A couple of body servants tiptoed in
'I anticipated your majesty's natural reaction, sire,' Dios continued, like the drip of water in deep liood,' said Teppic, inspecting the clothes for the day 'What was it, exactly?'
'A detailed search of the palace, room by room'
'Absolutely Carry on, Dios'
My face is perfectly open, he told himself I haven't twitched a muscle out of place I know I haven't He can read me like a stele I can outstare hiine they'll be miles away by now,' said Teppic 'Whoever they were She was only a handmaiden, wasn't she?'
'It is unthinkable that anyone could disobey your judgedom that would dare to! Their souls would be forfeit! They will be hunted down, sire! Hunted down and destroyed!'
The servants cowered behind Teppic This wasn't e wrath And waxing? It waxed like a hatful of ht, Dios?'
Dios had turned to look out across the river The Great Pyraht of it seemed to calm him down or, at least, stabilise him on some new mental plateau
'Yes, sire,' he said 'Thank you' He breathed deeply 'To of the pyramid A momentous occasion Of course, it will be some time before the interior chambers are co, I think, I should like to visitwill be pleased to see you, sire It is your wish that I should accompany you'
'Oh'
It's a fact as i as a good Grand Vizier A predilection to cackle and plot is apparently part of the job spec
High priests tend to get put in the saory They have to face the iet the funny hat than they're issuing strange orders, eg, princesses tied to rocks for itinerant sealittle babies in the sea