Page 11 (1/2)

"Don’t speak nonsense, Princess," Kidane saidthe twine around a minute wicker hamper handed him by Ferem, aited on hiue was there and the e arrows into anyone who tried to escape?"

"I did not advise that"

"You sanctioned it"

"So did you, Councilor Kidane, though youherself

She broke the seal on the letter she held Grandfather opened the lid of his parcel Ferem, who could see over Kidane’s shoulder, reached to take back the box, but Grandfather held up a hand to stay hihter," Kidane said quietly "Look quickly, for I do not want to keep it here"

She glanced up fro has come"

Goewin carefully ot to her feet "What warning? To whom?" she asked in a low voice

"The box is addressed to me," Kidane said evenly, "but it is my house, of course"

Goewin leaned over the table as Kidane pushed the parcel toward her She picked up the box and lifted the lid After a ust, then suddenly slammed the lid shut Telemakos saw all the color drain from her face as if a white person’s cheeks were a cup from which the blood could be poured out

"This is a death threat," Goehispered "Who sent it?"

"I don’t know," Grandfather answered with ed frustration in his voice than Telemakos had ever heard from him "Who sends any of the Athena go She pulled herself up against Grandfather’s desk and helped herself to one of the docu there She dropped it on the floor and reached for another, but no one stopped her

Grandfather turned his face toward Teleether Goewin followed Kidane’s gaze, her eyes ith shock and her lips parted as though she were about to speak Quickly she looked down at the box in her hands, then dropped it on the writing table as though it burned her fingers Telemakos scrambled to his feet and reached for it hiain

"Do not"

Telemakos smelled dust and faint decay

"What is it?" he repeated "Let reeh one of her careful piles of parch the box beyond Telemakos’s reach, she pounded out the front door and ran down the forecourt stair

"Goewin!"

Tele Priamos’s two hundred letters and raced after his aunt Goewin ran across the courtyard to the kitchen wing

"Letinto one of the brick ovens Teleed after it Goewin pulled him out of the flames and boxed his ears so forcefully she knocked hi for balance Illusion tore away his being My arms are bound, my hands are tied, I cannot see, I cannot see--

He could not break his fall He took the woodpile doith him The kitchen turned over, re-formed itself, and Teles and rake coals over the little box The wicker burst into fla parcel into ash

Then she looked down at Tele with siveby his side "Did I hurt you?"

Grandfather’s cook was at his other side, bristling with outrage "Get out ofill becoain and I’ll break an oil jar over your foreigner’s head Mother of God! It is not a year since the child had his arround!"

Tele eyes Cook helped him to his feet and stirred the ashes

"And what offal have you thrown on my fire?" she demanded

"Just as you say Offal Worthless scrap" Goewin shook her head as though trying to clear it "Come, Telemakos"

"Come back in an hour, boy, and I’ll have honey cakes fried for you," the cook said

"Don’t cook anything on that fire," Goewin said, with icy command "Sweep it out and build another I shall send the houseboy to assist you" She held Teleainst her with one arm over his shoulder and the other around his waist, her hands clasped protectively over his galloping heart "I vow there is good reason for everything I do," she said Her voice was cold as frost, but her embrace aro of hiether soberly across the yard back toward the house

"I’ll tell Kidane to have the next post sent to his office in the New Palace," Goewin muttered, "and spare us all another such adventure"

"What was it?"

Goewin voice went cold once ain, Telemakos"