Lost in the Labyrinth Read Free Page A

the possibility of great political power in the palace.
    "And when do the new ones come? Do you know?"
    "If you run down to the harbor right now you may see their sail approaching," he said, beginning to grind the blackened bones with a stone pestle.
    "Is that true, or are you saying it to be rid of me?"
    "I am grieved that you think I would be so discourteous, Princess."
    "Icarus!"
    He smiled. "To tell true, my lady, I don't know. They will be here soon: today, tomorrow, perhaps in three days' time. I cannot say what day they left, or what winds they've had. There will be plenty of excitement making ready for them down on the wharf. I thought it would amuse you to see it."
    As if I were a spoilt child whining for entertainment! Standing here so close to him as he worked, observing him, and listening to his voice was the only entertainment I could ever want or need. His beautiful, strong fingers were growing smudged with black, I noticed. Making paints for his father meant that yellow, blue, or brown pigment often discolored his nails and stained his hands. I watched for a few moments longer the flexing of the muscles in his arms and back as he worked and then tore my eyes away.
    "Yes, well, if you think that the ship will be here soon, perhaps I shall go and look for it," I said reluctantly. I always left Icarus long before I had drunk my fill of his company. I could not bear for him to wish me gone.
    But he had forgotten me during that brief silence; his mind was far away and only recalled to me by an effort of will.
    "Do, little one," he said absently.
    Then he spoke again; "I dreamt of the Athenians who are coming. I dreamt that they rode toward us on the gales of a great storm. And one in the ship commanded the storm and bade it bear them along."
    "Oh," I said. For want of anything else to say, I asked, "What ... what did she look like, the one who ruled the winds?"
    "It was a man, a young man barely older than myself" (Icarus was sixteen, Ariadne's age). "He seemed—very sure of himself."
    "A man!" I said, surprised. "How should a man use weather magic? Your dream makes no sense, Icarus."
    Icarus smiled at me again, coming out of his abstraction. The sweetness of that smile completely unnerved me; I had to cling to the paint-grinding table for support.
    "You're right, little mouse, little bird. Not all dreams tell true. When I was done dreaming about unnatural male magicians from Athens, I commenced to dream another dream, one even less likely."
    "What dream was that?" I asked uneasily.
    "I dreamt—" he paused a moment, then shook his head. "It doesn't matter, Princess. Dreams are nothing but colored shadows in the mind. I cannot believe they tell the future, whatever the priestesses may say."
    I frowned and bit my lip. I wanted to know his dream.
    "When the ship does arrive," said Icarus, "you shall question the captain yourself and prove to me that no man has learnt the mastery of the winds."
    "I will," I promised him. I could see that he was humoring me, and also that his dreams weighed more with him than he would admit. I longed to be able to tell him that these were false images. I did not like the look of secret happiness on Icarus's face when he spoke of the second dream. Jealousy bit deep into my heart; I did not think he dreamt of me.
    "Perhaps the captain awaits my interrogation even now," I said, and with a familiar twist of grief in my chest I walked out of the paint-grinding shed. I didn't look back.

    As I walked down toward the harbor I passed the cages of the menagerie, which was almost a second home for me. I spent as much time as I could spare helping Lycia, the chief keeper. I fed the animals, talked to them—I even occasionally did servants work by mucking out kennels and cages. I was happy there; it was my refuge in good times and bad.
    Now my favorite monkey, Queta, spotted me and indicated with an imperious cry that she wished to accompany me. As I opened the door of her cage she