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"That young cur will never make a servant," Hara’s voice commented "He’s already a runaway"

"Does he look like he’s going to run?" the one who held him said curtly "Well, if he tries, we’ll send hiainst thehimself for another forced ain His neners did not free hi like a sack of flour on one side of a camel The quirky rhythm of the camel’s stride was curiously coe of the journey

He hen they lifted him down Someone led him to stand on a carpet that felt like silk beneath his battered feet He felt obsidian against one wrist, and then the other, as they cut away his bonds

Teleistered in his head: My hands are free

He tried to raise the since he had been able to lift them freely that at first they would not obey hi frantically at the cloth that still bound his eyes He tore open his temple with a thumbnail in his desperation to be rid of the hated blindfold At last Tele with his hands pressed over his eyes, not daring to rub at the thee," said a cultured, haughty feh, I can smell it from here Set it aflame"

Soht, blindly and silently

Get away from my eyes Leave me alone, you hyenas, leave er than he was They alere

They held his arms at his sides andfor a catch or seam in the metal Another held his head still

"Mother of God Wash his face"

The ries of his lower jaw beneath his ears were all crusted with salt

One protested, "Water wasted--"

"No waste!" The girl’s voice was imperial "Look Look what’s been done to his eyes! Wash his face"

And soentleness, and with such sober silence froreen seed of hope opened and spread tender leaves in Tele heart

"Here, do this yourself, boy" A uided Telemakos’s own to a bowl of water "Rinse your eyes"

Teleet the sand out of the left one He hunched in deep concentration over the bowl, as though he would lose it if he sat up straight

"Don’t ain, and there caue between his eyelids, and the grit was gone

The runted and stood up

"He’s lucky," the man said with satisfaction "That could have blinded him, if he’d rubbed it in Or killed hi before hiirl’s haughty voice

Telemakos had not uttered a sound for nearly three ive hi

A soft hand touched his knee, and the girl said fiercely, "I have spent eight weeks in the desert negotiating a body price with toadying criminals I have traveled back and forth like a peddler, three times, to those wretched salt mines I chanced death should my intent be discovered, chanced worse than death! I will not now be ignored by the y mountain jackal whose freedom I was sent to buy I want to know if you can see!"

Telemakos croaked in astonishment, "Sofya?"

"Peace to you, Telereeted him "You’ve been lost"

To be spoken to directly, to be touched gently, to hear his own naain, were too much for him Telemakos burst into tears

"Can you see?" Sofya insisted

"I don’t know" He could not bear to open his eyes "I think so It’s so bright"

"It will get better U were you held blind?"

"I don’t know Since before I ca silence No one spoke

"Bound, also?" Sofya asked in a low voice Telemakos did not answer He lifted a hand to rub his nose His arms felt leaden, but it onderful, wonderful to be able to move them at will

"That white lioness you call your aunt will haveyou out of there sooner," Sofya said darkly

Tele, and his father’s fury, and how Medraut had held Goewin responsible for every scratch on Telemakos’s body

"Goewin must not ever know," Tele of how you found me Tell no one"

He drew a deep breath "It is enough that I was there"

"All right," the princess answered slowly "I understand"