ietlyandyouwillsoonrecuperate.”

    Herfachedofallcebeadsofperspirationfallingfromherforehead,Medusapaherstorybyfitsandstarts.“Quick...Quick...giveorders...havemenstationedonallthehighelevations...tellthewarriors...quicklysetupwebofhugearrows...prepareforinvasion...fromtheskies...”Sheclosedherfatiguedeyesasiffallingasleep,butafterawhilesheagaihetiredeyesthathadlosttheirnormalsharpnessandlusterandsaid,“Justnow...whenIflewupintotheskies...Isaw...anendlessbckstretch...Zeus...broughthiswholearmy...”Herheavyeyelidsclosedagaininfatigue.QueenAisha,whohadstayedbyherside,fortedhersaying,“Don’tworry.Rest.Ihavegivenordersacctoourpre-arrangedpns.IcalledonallthepeopleoftheKingdomtomobilizeandprotectthepace.Rest,Medusa.”Medusaraisedherlusterlesseyestowardsthewindowsuneasily.Shesawthetribesmenhurryingaboutcarryingknives,swordsandspears.Butmostofthemhadonlyhoesandsicklesintheirhands.Somecarriedonlystidclubsorsharpereebranches.

    “It’sallmyfault”shesaid.Ididnanizeandarmthepeople.Ishouldhavetraihemtobepreparedforanything.ThesehastilyassembledtroopsofamateursarenomatchforZeus’armyofruthless,well-trainedandwell-equippedprofessionalsoldiers.Theywillbeannihitediroke.Infact,theyarenomatchevenforthehostilebarbariantribesharoundus.”Medusasuddenlystartedandsatupinarm.

    “Ohno!Ifthebarbariantribesmakeuseofthisopportunitytounchasurpriseattaus,howwebattletwoeohetwotigerswhouoodhumanspeedwhowerelyingbythetwosidesofKingDimitri’sthroneroaredandrushedfromtheirpositionstowardstheentrahepace.Theretheysatdown,barieethandshowingtheirsharppawsasiftosay,

    “Wewillberesponsibleforthesafetyofthebeauties.”Thebeautiesughed.QueenAishahelpedMedusaliedownagainsaying,

    “Don’tworry.Don’tworry.Liedownandtrytorest.Otherwiseyouwilggravateyourwoundandthatwouldbeterrible.KingDimitrihascelestialproteandthispiedisblessedbyGod.Itwillakehebarbariantribes.”Thoughshesoughttoedusawithherfidentialwords,QueenAishawasfarfromassured.Sheset,perturbedandappreheshekhatatthiscritient,anyexpressionofagitationonherpartwouldallthosearoundherandtherebyimpacttheoverallsituation.

    Deadsilencereighinsideandoutsidethepace,whereeventhedroppingofapincouldbeheard.Thewindblewlightlyandthebrairred.Eventhesunlightseemedtoshiver.Peoplewaitedinsuspenseandaybuttimeseemedfrozeanttomoveforwardbyevenased,aminute.Justatthisextremelytenseandnervousmoment,wheheheartseemedtohavestoppedbeating,therhythmicrollofwardrumswasheardingfromtheclouds.Gallopinghoofs,rumblingwheelsofchariots,jarringgofonsinbat,bolsteringshoutsofsoldiersrisinghereandsubsidingthere,annouhefactthatKingDimitriwasinbatwithamajod.Thebeautiesanxiouslyheldtheirbreathsandfistedtheirhandssohardthattheirnailsbitdeepintotheirflesh.

    13

    Justthen,tenhugesunssuddenlyburstontotheskies,eaeofthemradiateddazzlingbrilliandscorgheat.Theyactedasiftheyweremad,roguephathaddroppedoutoftheirnormalorbitarampagingaboutinadisorderlyfashionalloverthepce.Thebinedbrilliaensunscouldblindanyhumanbeingandtheirbicouldscorchtheearth.Theverytreesandpntswouldhaverunawa

ietlyandyouwillsoonrecuperate.”

    Herfachedofallcebeadsofperspirationfallingfromherforehead,Medusapaherstorybyfitsandstarts.“Quick...Quick...giveorders...havemenstationedonallthehighelevations...tellthewarriors...quicklysetupwebofhugearrows...prepareforinvasion...fromtheskies...”Sheclosedherfatiguedeyesasiffallingasleep,butafterawhilesheagaihetiredeyesthathadlosttheirnormalsharpnessandlusterandsaid,“Justnow...whenIflewupintotheskies...Isaw...anendlessbckstretch...Zeus...broughthiswholearmy...”Herheavyeyelidsclosedagaininfatigue.QueenAisha,whohadstayedbyherside,fortedhersaying,“Don’tworry.Rest.Ihavegivenordersacctoourpre-arrangedpns.IcalledonallthepeopleoftheKingdomtomobilizeandprotectthepace.Rest,Medusa.”Medusaraisedherlusterlesseyestowardsthewindowsuneasily.Shesawthetribesmenhurryingaboutcarryingknives,swordsandspears.Butmostofthemhadonlyhoesandsicklesintheirhands.Somecarriedonlystidclubsorsharpereebranches.

    “It’sallmyfault”shesaid.Ididnanizeandarmthepeople.Ishouldhavetraihemtobepreparedforanything.ThesehastilyassembledtroopsofamateursarenomatchforZeus’armyofruthless,well-trainedandwell-equippedprofessionalsoldiers.Theywillbeannihitediroke.Infact,theyarenomatchevenforthehostilebarbariantribesharoundus.”Medusasuddenlystartedandsatupinarm.

    “Ohno!Ifthebarbariantribesmakeuseofthisopportunitytounchasurpriseattaus,howwebattletwoeohetwotigerswhouoodhumanspeedwhowerelyingbythetwosidesofKingDimitri’sthroneroaredandrushedfromtheirpositionstowardstheentrahepace.Theretheysatdown,barieethandshowingtheirsharppawsasiftosay,

    “Wewillberesponsibleforthesafetyofthebeauties.”Thebeautiesughed.QueenAishahelpedMedusaliedownagainsaying,

    “Don’tworry.Don’tworry.Liedownandtrytorest.Otherwiseyouwilggravateyourwoundandthatwouldbeterrible.KingDimitrihascelestialproteandthispiedisblessedbyGod.Itwillakehebarbariantribes.”Thoughshesoughttoedusawithherfidentialwords,QueenAishawasfarfromassured.Sheset,perturbedandappreheshekhatatthiscritient,anyexpressionofagitationonherpartwouldallthosearoundherandtherebyimpacttheoverallsituation.

    Deadsilencereighinsideandoutsidethepace,whereeventhedroppingofapincouldbeheard.Thewindblewlightlyandthebrairred.Eventhesunlightseemedtoshiver.Peoplewaitedinsuspenseandaybuttimeseemedfrozeanttomoveforwardbyevenased,aminute.Justatthisextremelytenseandnervousmoment,wheheheartseemedtohavestoppedbeating,therhythmicrollofwardrumswasheardingfromtheclouds.Gallopinghoofs,rumblingwheelsofchariots,jarringgofonsinbat,bolsteringshoutsofsoldiersrisinghereandsubsidingthere,annouhefactthatKingDimitriwasinbatwithamajod.Thebeautiesanxiouslyheldtheirbreathsandfistedtheirhandssohardthattheirnailsbitdeepintotheirflesh.

    13

    Justthen,tenhugesunssuddenlyburstontotheskies,eaeofthemradiateddazzlingbrilliandscorgheat.Theyactedasiftheyweremad,roguephathaddroppedoutoftheirnormalorbitarampagingaboutinadisorderlyfashionalloverthepce.Thebinedbrilliaensunscouldblindanyhumanbeingandtheirbicouldscorchtheearth.Theverytreesandpntswouldhaverunawa