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She was busy as she spoke, deftly sorting the seeds They rattled ainst the earthen pan she held them in; the flames of the burner whiffled and leapt I could not ever rearden at night

Perhaps because I was listening so intently, perhaps because the cool highland air and rustling sycae toTurunesh did not hear Behind entle breathing of another san to pulverize the seeds in the lanced sideways back over e of the pool; their leaves were nearly black in the darkness, and all was black beneath their leaves I sat with ht, and letpan from the burner and set the water in the fat pot to boil The fla Their sudden flaring lit a shape beneath the leaves with a faint edge of silver, and for one second I could see that Tele on his hands and his eyes closed I only saw hi in the soil beneath the tall flowers, and he le of his still head told

For a few moments I did not move my head either, so that I should not let hih mild blows and rebukes in one day that I had no heart to call him out He could listen if he liked

"What is that smell?" I murmured

"The coffee?"

"More like perfume Familiar …"

"Frankincense, perhaps? There is a plantation on the hillside above this suburb Our priests burn it as incense; your own nize it now"

I sat sorting out the strange s went on steadily behind me, scarcely perceptible But I did not notice when it stopped Telemakos was not there ent to bed: I never heard hi Heits prey

In the cathedral the nextClouds of it rose fro by the priests in their red-bordered robes; the gilt wings of the angels painted on the ceiling seemed to float in haze Constantine stood at , the drue toup at theon gold wings As the service ended and the assean to process out, Constantine whispered in Latin, close to my ear, "Marry er, hard, to keep frohter It did not seem to merit an answer, there and then

"Marry me here, in this church, before the rains end"

No I shaped the word soundlessly with my lips

Constantine tilted his head, pretentious in his Aksumite beard and head cloth "What did you say?" he whispered

"No!" I said aloud All the people around gave ain I took a deep breath of the cloying incense We followed the priests out into the

In the time it took us to cross the cathedral square, Constantine and I had collected a following of what seeroup of , some older They called to n lady, sister!"

They reached beseeching hands but did not try to touch e of the cere to Constantine and asked, "Why are the beggars all so badly maimed?"

"They are veterans of the Himyar," he answered briefly "I have tried to find employment and hospice for theacy to Aksuacy, surely," I corrected

"Of course, you’re right Himyar embitters me Caleb depleted his nation’s treasury and youth in conflict there, and I am left to sweep up the debris"

I wondered what he had done He had not held this office forhe did for Aksu hi soldiers I donated a boatload of enerous of your father," I said

He did not answer that We walked the rest of the way to the New Palace without a word

We broke our fast together in a sht of Constantine’s proposal, and it ain I bitto be courteous

"What have you done for Aksu hardover where their e the Salt Road," he answered "But I am most proud of this"

He undid a purse by his side and passed tocoin It was curiously beautiful, copper daubed with gold, a broad cross imprinted with a sunburst at its heart