The Flame in the Maze Read Online Free PDF Page B

metal machines aside to make room for the block of marble. He was kneeling at its base, resting his forehead against it. His bare back was to her; it was streaked with sweat-darkened dust, and his brown loincloth had turned white with it. One of his hands was resting on the chisel he had laid on the ground. Hand and chisel glowed with silver, as did the three toes that he had already drawn from the marble.
    â€œPrincess,” he said, without moving.
    Ariadne’s pulse quickened, though she’d told herself sternly that it wouldn’t.
See
how
well he knows you?
she thought.
The gods wish us to be together; now they must tell
him
so.
    â€œWho will this be?” she asked, as carelessly as she could.
    He turned his head so that she could see half of his face. His eyes were closed; perhaps he was still seeing the vision his god had shown him, of the figure within the stone. “Your father the King.”
    She was glad he couldn’t see her startled blink. “But he forbade any images of himself to be made—forbade it as soon as his mark began to scar him!”
    Karpos shrugged. He opened his eyes but didn’t look at her. “He wishes one final likeness to be made.” He paused. “He has demanded that it be a true likeness.”
    At last he looked at her, and she gazed back at him, and between them was an image of Minos as he was: eyeless, blistered, bleeding, a patchwork of crimson and black.
    â€œHe means to give himself to Zeus.” She hadn’t intended to speak so quietly, but the words came too swiftly for her stop them. “At the Goddess’s mountain.”
    â€œYes,” Karpos said. “I know. What I do
not
know is why you’re here now.”
    She smoothed away a scowl. “For your help.”
    He stood and stretched his arms up over his head. His right hand brushed the marble once, twice, trailing silver. “You must have exhausted all other possibilities, to be coming to me.”
    You have no idea
, she thought. She said, “And why would you think that?”
    â€œBecause you wanted me to marry you and I said no. Because you do not allow ‘
no
s,’ unless they come from you. So. What do you imagine I might do for you?”
    â€œYou need to convince him not to do this thing.Tell him that he must wait, to see if his godmark cools or dies.”
    â€œAnd why do you imagine he would listen to me?”
    â€œBecause he made you his heir. Because you crafted a statue of his beloved son Androgeus, and he has just asked you to craft another of himself. He respects you. Perhaps only you, now.”
    â€œPrincess. Do you truly think I have not already tried to speak to him?”
    â€œTry again.”
    â€œWhy would I do this for you?”
    â€œBecause it is in the interests of the people you will rule. They are in danger now; imagine what will happen when his godmark consumes him! Imagine the injuries, the deaths—the riots that will happen when the priestesses’ followers realize that their precious bull-boy god has been killed!”
    Karpos smiled. “How delightfully surprising it is, Princess, that you have decided to be a loving sister to Asterion!”
    â€œYou insult me.”
    â€œI distrust you.” No smile now; just a line of lips, pressed tight.
    She closed the space between them in four paces. She put both her hands on his chest and dug her fingers into his skin. “You wanted me, once,” she hissed. “I know you remember. ‘I’ll carve your likeness at the summer palace, Princess! I will, I will!’”
    He placed his hands over hers and held them there. His palms were cool and rough with dust. She wanted to keep touching them until they warmed—only no, she didn’t: all she wanted was Theseus and Athens and anger.
    â€œI was more taken with my godmark than I was with you,” he said. “And I was so young—anything beautiful was a thing to be