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"I didn't say I wouldn't help," I said quickly. I could learn a lot from them. More than I could ever discover on my own.
"Viva—" Luther reached a hand toward me. "You heard him."
"Yes, I did," I said. I heardsomething. Or thought I did. It had been a long journey here and I was tired. Hallucinations were possible.
"Enough," Helene snapped. "We will all rest. Tomorrow, we begin work. Luther, see to her. If she's difficult, bind her."
"Yes, Hemathea." Luther shot me a warning look.
I pressed my lips together in response.
Helene gave him a curt nod and swept out of the room.
A small figure followed her. Dressed in red and gold, with long dark hair down her back, she looked like a kid.
I shook my head, closed my eyes and opened them again.
"Who is—" The kid was gone, as though she had never been at all.
"What?" Luther asked. his brow furrowed.
"I thought someone followed her."
"There's no one there." He sounded uncertain.
I was almost certain he had seen it too. I inhaled, but if anyone was there, they had no smell at all.
"I'll show you to your room," Luther said.
"Room, or cell?" I asked facetiously.
"Room, if you behave." He smiled as if he told a joke.
"Right. I'll be good." I gave the sarcophagus a long look, but nothing stirred. At least nothing jumped out at me. "Maybe you can tell me how you found this place."
"Of course, it's an interesting story."
20
Viva
"Again,"Helene snapped.
I rubbed my forehead and inhaled the scent from the dried roses Helene had placed in a bowl on the table. I drew, but doing so became more difficult each time. I was tired and hungry and we had been at this for hours. Judging by the light which filtered through a gap in the wall, it was past noon. Helene had all but dragged me out of my narrow bed just after dawn.
"I'm hungry," I grumbled.
"When you can separate the grains, you may eat. This is a basic task. Any kid should be able to do it." Helene gave me an angry look down her nose. "Your mother should have taught you this before you could walk."
"Maybe." I shrugged. "But she didn't."
Helene sniffed. "Your stepfather's doing, I would imagine. She should have taught you anyway, for your own safety, if nothing else."
I bristled. I wished for the same thing, but the digs at my stepfather, my mother and pretty much everyone else I ever met were getting annoying.
"Perhaps you should have kidnapped me sooner," I said tartly.
"If I knew I'd have no choice, I would have," Helene snapped. "That may be a priority after the reconstruction. To obtain and train hemitheos children."
