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Xantha and Poppy ran down the steps, both in their gaudiest clothes, Poppy carrying a cape painted with peacock feathers They waved goodbye to Keth and blew kisses to Glaki, who blew them back For Tris Poppy had a scowl Xantha only fluttered her fingers in a wave and called, long, Koria Respectability

Tris watched them run out to the street says that like its an insult,she commented

her, it is What lessons havent we done?deht talk about lightning a bit

Keth too looked up The clouds were lower, fatter and the dark grey of thunderheads

no,said Keth, turning pale no No, no, no, no

Asked Glaki

Keth told her He gently reon on the lip of the well Then he swung Glaki up on to his shoulders as the child whooped with glee To Tris he said again, To Glaki he said, s see Aunt Ferouze and find out whats for supperHe trotted Glaki to the door in the passageway to the street Opening it, he called, Ive got Glaki He looked at Tris, repeated, and disappeared inside

CHAPTER NINE

By the time K eth left Ferouze, the sky was covered with heavyto his roo the old woirl a story until she fell asleep Only after that did he gather his courage and go out into the courtyard There was no sign of Tris, Little Bear, or Chione; instead he was puzzled He was starting to get soo away

He was also dissatisfied with himself Why hadnt she made him face the storm? He thrust that idea clean out of his mind It was just another of the bits of folly that had entered his thoughts after hed been struck by lightning Instead he told hiue with him

With another wary look at the sky, Keth climbed the stair It would pour at any time Probably Tris had returned to Ju He hoped that the yaskedasi had found indoor work This stor one

He slid his key into the lock on his door and turned it The door was locked Frowning, Keth turned the key in the opposite direction The door opened He didnt like that Had he left the room un locked all day? Yali would never steal from him, but he didnt trust Poppy or the male yaskedasi who lived at Ferouzes How could he be so stupid as to forget to lock up?

When he entered the room he found that hed also left the shutters open He swore: i f it had rained in the day, his sketches for designs would have got soaked Then he registeredTris sat on his stool A flash at the corner of his other eye drew his gaze to Chime, who sat atop the pile of his ske tches