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Growing ever more frantic； he begged Jiriki to let him speak to Amerasu again； to plead for her help in setting him free； but Jiriki declined。
〃It is not my place to instruct First Grandmother。 She will act in her own time； when she has thought carefully。 I am sorry； Seoman； but these matters are too important to hurry。〃
〃Hurry！〃 Simon raged。 〃By the time anyone does anything m this place； I will be dead！〃
But Jiriki； although visibly saddened； remained adamant。
Balked at every turn； Simon's anxiousness began to turn to anger。 The reserved Sithi came to seem smug and self…righteous beyond enduring。 While Simon's friends were fighting and dying； engaged in a dreadful losing battle with the Storm King as well as with Elias； these foolish creatures wandered through their sunlit forest singing and contemplating the trees。 And who was the Storm King； anyway； but a Sithi！？ No wonder that his fellows were keeping Simon prisoned while the world outside withered before Ineluki's cold wrath。
So the days spun by； each more and more like its predecessor； each increasing Simon's disaffection。 He ceased taking his evening meal with Jiriki； preferring a more solitary appreciation of the songs of crickets and nightingales。 Resentful of Aditu's playfulness； he began to avoid her。 He was sick of being teased and fondled。 He meant no more to her； he knew； than the lapdog did to the queen。 He would have no more。 If he must be a prisoner； he would act like one。
Jiriki found him sitting in a copse of larch trees； sullen and prickly as a hedgehog。 The bees were mumbling in the clover and the sun streamed down through the needles； crosshatchmg the ground with slivers of light。 Simon was chewing on a piece of bark。
〃Seoman；〃 the prince said； 〃may I speak to you？〃
Simon frowned。 He had learned that Sithi； unlike mortals； would actually go away if permission was not given。 Jiriki's folk had a deep respect for privacy。
〃I suppose so；〃 Simon said at last。
〃I would like you to e with me；〃 Jiriki said。 〃We will go to the Yasira。〃
Simon felt a quickening of hope； but it was a painful thing。 〃Why？〃
〃I do not know。 I only know that we are all asked to e； all who live in Jao e…Tinukai'i。 Since you live here now； I think it fitting that you e。〃
Simon's hopes sank。 〃They did not ask for me。〃 For a moment he had envisioned how it would be： Shima'onari and Likimeya apologizing for their mistake； sending him back to his own kind bearing presents； laden as well with the wisdom to help Josua and the others。 Another mooncalf daydream…hadn't he grown out of them yet？ 〃I don't want to go；〃 he said at last。
Jiriki squatted beside him； poised as gracefully as a hunting bird upon a branch。 〃I wish that you would； Seoman；〃 he said at last。 〃I cannot force you and I will not plead； but Amerasu will be there。 It is rare indeed for her to ask to speak to our people； except when it is the Day of Year…Dancing。〃
Simon felt his interest quicken。 Perhaps Amerasu was going to speak on his behalf； order them to let him go！ But if that was the case； why hadn't he been asked to e？
He feigned indifference。 Whatever else occurred； he was steadily learning Sithi ways。 〃There you go about Year…Dancing again； Jiriki；〃 he said。 〃But you have never told me what it means。 I saw the Year…Dancing grove； you know。〃
Jiriki appeared to be suppressing a smile。 〃Not very closely； I think。 But e； Seoman； you are playing a game。 Some other time I will tell you what I can of the responsibilities of our family's house； but now I must go。 You； too； if you plan to acpany me。〃
Simon tossed the piece of chewed…upon bark over his shoulder。 'I'll go if I can sit near the door。 And if I don't have to speak。〃
〃You can sit wherever you please； Snowlock。 You are a prisoner； perhaps； but an honored one。 My people are trying to make your time here endurable。 As to the rest； I have no say over what you may be asked。 e； you are almost grown； manchild。 Do not be afraid to stand for yourself。〃
Simon frowned； considering。 〃Lead on； then；〃 he said。
They stopped before the doorway of the great living tent。 The butterflies were agitated； fluttering their spangled wings so that shifting patterns of colored shadow rippled across the face of the Yasira like wind through a field of wheat。 The papery rustle of their gentle mingling filled the whole glen。 Suddenly unwilling to proceed through the door； Simon pulled back； shaking himself free of Jiriki's panionable arm。
〃1 don't want to hear anything bad；〃 he said。 There was a cold heaviness m the pit of his stomach； the same as he had felt when he expected punishment from Rachel or the Master of Scullions。 〃I don't want to be shouted at。〃
Jiriki looked at him quizzically。 〃No one will shout； Seoman。 That is not our way； we Zida'ya。 This may be nothing to do with you at all。〃
Simon shook his head； embarrassed。 〃Sorry。 Of course。〃 He took a deep breath and shrugged nervously； then waited until Jiriki gently took his arm once more and steered him toward the Yasira's rose…entwined doorway。 A thousand thousand butterfly wings hissed like a dry wind as Simon and his panion stepped through into the vast bowl of multi…hued light。
Likimeya and Shima'onari； as before； were seated at the center of the room on low couches near the jutting finger…stone。 Amerasu sat between them on a higher couch； the hood of her pale gray robe thrown back。 Her snowy white hair； unbound； spread in a soft cloud upon her shoulders。 She wore a sash of bright blue around her slender waist； but no other ornamentation or jewelry。
As Simon stared； her eyes passed briefly across his。 If he hoped for a helpful smile or a reassuring nod； he was disappointed： her gaze slid by as though he were just one unexceptional tree in a great forest。 His heart sank。 If any ideas remained about Amerasu's being concerned with mooncalf Simon's fate； he decided； it was time to put them away。
Beside Amerasu； on a pedestal of dull gray rock； stood a curious object： a disk of some pale icy substance； mounted on a broad stand of dark and shiny witchwood wrought with twining Sithi carvings。 Simon thought it a table…mirror…he had heard that some great ladies possessed them…but； oddly； it did not seem to reflect。 The disk's edges were sharp as knives； like a sugar…sweet that had been sucked to near…transparency。 Its color was the frosty near…white of a winter moon； but other； deeper hues seemed to move sleepily within it。 A wide； shallow bowl of the same translucent substance lay before the stone disk； nestled in the carved stand。
Simon could not stare at the thing too long。 The changing colors disturbed him； in some strange manner； the shifting stone reminded him of the gray sword Sorrow； and that was a memory he did not wish reawakened。 He turned his head away and looked slowly around the great chamber。
As Jiriki had suggested； all the residents of Jao e…Tmukai'i seemed to have e to the Yasira this afternoon。 Dressed m their emphatically colorful manner； plumed like rare birds； still the golden…eyed Sithi seemed unusually reserved； even by the standards of a retiring folk。 Many eyes had tu