“The only difficulty, Solomon,” Makeda
said, “is you think the speaker is truthful. I’ve read in your history of a
general who received ambassadors pretending to be from a distant land. They
wore run-down clothes and carried moldy provisions. I might believe tales of
outlandish customs in far-off Ann Arbor from emissaries who are more road-weary
than my caravan. Not less.”
Solomon nodded. “My love, my heart
rejoices when your lips speak right things. Yet there are facts that argue
against your intimations. This girl has been tested this afternoon. That she is
in this room and that she is at my right hand means she has demonstrated good
character and industry. These traits are rare among thieves.”
Nell started at this. She had thought
something was afoot, but now she regarded the tasks she’d been given and saw
the subtle signals exchanged between Miriam and Dinah in a different light.
“You’ll note the girl’s reaction. It
shows both her ignorance of these tests and yet her perceptiveness of the
intrigues about her. The former serves to confirm her master’s assessment,
whereas the latter undermines her story only tangentially.”
Nell openly looked at Makeda now and
saw her attitude, at least toward Solomon, soften. “You play this game better
than you let on,” Makeda said.
Solomon bowed his head. “Your praise
means a great deal to me, Queen Makeda, but our contest is not yet at an end.
Is it your contention that these strangers,” Solomon gestured at Nestor, Sid,
and Nell, “are lying?”
“Yes, King Solomon.”
He nodded, “I was initially inclined to
think them thieves. I am unsure about many things, but seldom liars and
thieves.” Solomon reached into his tunic, pulled out Jack’s notebook, and held
it before him. “I could imagine them here to steal this, because they arrived
within a day of your presenting it to me.” Nell heard the sound of Makeda’s
guard unsheathing his sword. Solomon continued. “The girl is as fit as
Benaiah’s daughter, Dinah, and like Dinah she carries herself like a warrior.”
Nell eased her weight onto the tips of her feet. “She, even now, crouches to
spring like a leopard. Perhaps to snatch the Eye of Ophir from my grasp.”
Maketa’s Nubian guard moved toward Nell
as Benaiah drew his own sword. Makeda sprang forward as Nell leapt to her feet.
She wheeled on the Nubian, drew her stunner, and cut him down. He convulsed and
fell in a heap, his sword clattering to the floor.
Nell spun around and aimed at Benaiah,
sword out, rushing forward and trying to pull Solomon behind him. All she would
need do is stun them both, and grab the notebook to end this charade.
She heard a scuffle on her right.
Nestor lay pinned beneath Dinah who straddled him in an unladylike fashion. To
their right, Makeda had grabbed Sid by the collar and held a thin, jeweled
dagger to his jugular.
That complicated things.
***
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