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Telemakos abandoned Athena to hishe never did, so that he could shadow his grandfather like a ghost Kidane led him from reception hall to study, back for a few arden, while Teles and potted pal Kidane would drop some hint of what he and Goewin had seen in the little wicker box

By afternoon Telee It was dull and nerve-racking all at once How could I possibly have spent the first ten years ofat doors? he wondered There must be better ways to find out secrets

He collected Athena and sat doith her on the wide dais in front of the house, rolling his mother’s empty bobbins down the steps Turunesh rarely used theile towers for Athena to knock down, if you balanced theame to teach Athena to climb the stairs, but she refused to cooperate: she let Menelik fetch the bobbins for her

She was sitting at the top of the stair and Telemakos at the bottom when the emperor Gebre Meskal hi in one hand a box identical to the one Goewin had thrown into the kitchen fire

Telemakos went cold, then hot

The emperor wore his custoold-shot linen that was the nty His two ceremonial spear bearers stood at his back Teleround at the eht hientle, " lion You need not stand on cererandfather’s house Come to your feet" He knelt by Telemakos and held forth an open palm, which Telemakos took hesitantly The erip Gebre Meskal raised Teleaain, and picked up a bobbin

"We’re idling," Teleaze, was riveted on the box that the eain, Athena Show the emperor how his lion can fetch"

She picked up a spindle in each hand and hurled them down the stairs There was no force, no coordination, no airanite step to granite step One rolled on toward the spear bearers’ feet The nearest guard batted at the reel with the butt end of his spear, pushing it teasingly just beyond Menelik’s reach, and the little lion chased wildly around his legs after it The soldier laughed, and stamped his iron-strapped boots

"Boy!" Athena wailed, startled by the noise "Tena boy up--" In a panic to be close to Telemakos, she tried to clih that she had the sense to turn around and make her way feetfirst But then she could not see where she was going or where Teleain pathetically, "Boy! Tena! Boy!" Telemakos vaulted up the steps and sat down beside her She tried to climb into his lap

"I can’t hold you on the stairs, Tena; be still"

She stood tight against his side, clutching his hair

"Sit down," he hissed, embarrassed at all this to-do in front of Gebre Meskal He et her to release his head

Gebre Meskal set down the bobbin, and his box, on the step below Athena

"She calls you ‘Boy’?"

"It’s better than ‘Mama,’ which is what she calls Goewin and the maids and the cook and even poor Ferem Any old body who takes care of her is ‘Mama’ ‘Boy’ is special"

Telemakos leaned forward and took a deep breath The eave off the same faint dusty smell as Kidane’s had

"What does she call her father?"

"Ras Prince"

The emperor nodded "Of course" Then he said to Athena directly, "What a pretty bracelet!" She shrank back, hiding her wrist between herself and Telen with clear, solemn eyes "Let me carry her in," Gebre Meskal offered

Telemakos did not think he would have made such an offer to anyone with two ar it But he was afraid Athena would screaive lanced over his shoulder He had left her harness at the top of the stair "Come on, Athena," he said "Up to your saddle, and I’ll carry you"

"Let et it for you," said Gebre Meskal mildly

He climbed the stairs past Teleht With his knee he knocked down the bobbin the e It fell to the bottouards’ feet again For half a dozen seconds, the spear bearers were inattentive, and the emperor’s back was turned

"Open that box," Tele bronze cloud of her hair

She lifted the lid willingly They peered in together

Athena cheeped and warbled, which was her way of saying bird Telemakos drew in a sharp breath

"Shut it," he whispered

His heart seeo cold and numb, the way it so to be tortured This is a death threat, Goewin said

Trapped by his own devious behavior, Telemakos now had to keep his face and voice perfectly coed it The emperor came down the stair with Athena’s carrier, and waited while Teleers felt cold and numb, too