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"You will not I will see to it I will provide you with a guard They will stay with you here in the New Palace, and ensure you do not come anywhere near him" He paused "You’ll be thankful to find an i for you in the street when you venture out alone; you will keep out of harm’s way as well as out of trouble You will not need protection within the walls of Kidane’s villa, of course, but it will be pleasant for you to be able to walk about the city without fearing a ragged flock of Hi at your heels"
This was entirely within his jurisdiction I bit down hard on the protests that rose in my throat, and said only, in a voice like ice:
"If I e, so e," said Constantine "And Wazeb is ain, Goewin, and I swear I will find a way to use it against him"
He dropped my wrists, at last, disdainfully
"Lij Telemakos Meder, heir to the house of Nebir; Ras Priamos Anbessa, heir to the house of Lazen How many more will you place in jeopardy? Your proud will may soon determine the fate of half the Aksurily on his way
CHAPTER VII
Prisoners
I DREAMED I WAS trapped in a deep well full of chained lions, and I watched Telemakos free them one by one as he pulled their iron chains out of the stone walls Don’t do that, I kept telling him, and he answered: I’ers like drops of water I woke all Kidane’s household, screeching
I drealea colors, like the shards hich Lleu had once mended the mosaic floors of our villa at Caht slivers on bleeding feet, while I apologized to Constantine for the stained floor
I dreaded sleep I sat late in Turunesh’s sitting roo by the ethereal light of her glass ceiling la men who protected me in the street were shy and quiet, serious and disciplined Constantine never sent the sa I was hard pressed to learn any of their naht beyond h Aksu anyone to co for roup of handsome spearmen Passersby stared I did not like to make a spectacle of my hosts
Kidane’s mild comment was: "Our first British ambassador was a more subtle suitor"
"He was as persistent," said Turunesh
When I tried to cli to the upper stories of the New Palace where Priaetic guards that waited for me in the street
"Re both furious and pathetic I said it also many times to Halen, and Ityopis, and Candake; and once, in desperation, I sent Tele few hours of frantic guilt and worry while Telee of this unanticipated release froe I never saw Priamos myself, no matter where I went
And this went on for weeks
Winter was drawing to an end The rain grew less constant, then erratic, then stopped altogether It was Septe fields around the city exploded in a blaze of golden asters
"Would you like to corain across the flagged courtyard for the doves She and Teleether, ritually, before he went to bed
"Not with the i at et you out of the city in secret We can take you out through the Necropolis There is a tunnel from this house to the family vault, for use in funerals"
The Necropolis spread vast and silent on the slopes beyond the cathedral, an i monoliths and stately raves of ancient Aksus
"A tunnel from this house?" I repeated quietly "What can you round beneath the city is a warren of tunnels," Tele to tease a dove out of its niche and into his hands "One of them stretches from here to Kol&ous!" Turunesh exclaihty e leads only to the toood distance across the city"
"She used to play in it with her cousins," Telemakos said "The tunnel, Ithe boy out of it"
Teleh theh without anyone knowing?" I asked
"We would have to lead you to the vault and then go back through the house while you waited for us to let you out on the other side"
"What would I do in Adwa, though?" I paced to the fishpond and back "I’d be free of Constantine’s guard, at any rate" A wild thought occurred to o to Abreha He wants his own British aht seek out Caleb," Turunesh suggested softly "When he passes his golden head cloth to Wazeb, Ella Amida’s authority will end"
"Is that what happens?"
"That is what Caleb said would happen, before he left But he did not tell anyone where he was going, or if he would return People say he’s in the h at the saone to the mountain of Ophar in the Salt Desert"
Telemakos lowered his cupped hands "He’s in Debra Daranite by the pigeonhole, ith the setting sun "Do coood little doves--"