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enemy’s weak spots until she could lunge in with the kill. But no matter what tactic she took, she always won.
    Once, as I was leaving the audience room, she unexpectedly called me over to her. I approached in a seemly manner and knelt at her feet. She pulled me up, putting her hand under my chin and forcing me to look at her. She stared into my eyes with her dark strange ones until I squirmed inside. But I did not look away.
    “What do you think of all this?” she asked, waving her hand at the huge room, the thrones, the tapestries, the glittering mosaics on the walls and ceiling.
    I shook my head, not knowing what to say.
    “Come, child,” she said impatiently, her bony hand still clutching my chin. “Surely you have some opinion.”
    I opened my mouth, not knowing what I was going to say until the words spilled out. “I think it’s
wonderful
,” I answered.
    She barked a short laugh. “Wonderful, is it?” She finally let go of my chin. “And what is it you find so wonderful?”
    “The throne—the p-p-power—” I stammered. “When I am empress, I will be able to deal with people the way I want to. I won’t have to listen to anyone.”
    “Anyone? Will not your husband have something to say about it?”
    I shrugged, feeling myself relax as she seemed interested in what I had to say. “Constantine will be emperor only because he is married to me. If he disagrees with me, I will still be able to have my way.”
    “And other counselors?”
    I considered the question seriously before answering. “Isuppose I’ll listen to their advice and then make up my own mind.”
    She stared into my eyes still, tapping her hand lightly on her knee. Finally, “Leave, child; go back to your studies,” she said, and turned away.
    I bowed again, rose, and walked away, managing to keep from running until I was out of the room. Once out of her sight, I tore to the library, where I found Simon at his books, and breathlessly related the conversation.
    “What do you think she meant?” I asked.
    He looked away from me and was silent for so long that I thought he hadn’t heard me. At last, “Don’t fly too near to the sun, Little Beetle,” he said.

CHAPTER SIX
    ow my lessons with Simon became even more important to me. I knew that my grandmother had never learned to read, but she had not been raised in a palace, as I was, and so had not had the opportunity. But if I were to learn the wisdom in Simon’s books, and could combine that with the wisdom of my grandmother—ah, there would never be a wiser ruler!
    John, by contrast, rarely made an appearance in the classroom. But one day, Maria and I were hard at our geometry when we heard a commotion outside the classroom door. It was John’s voice, and as usual, he was crying and protesting. My sister and I exchanged glances, and though we kept our heads down as though concentratingon our circles and triangles, we got no work done, but waited to see what was happening.
    The door burst open, and a guard came in, leading John by the hand. Close behind them was our mother, her mouth set grimly. John was digging his nails into the guard’s huge wrist in an attempt to free himself, but the guard ignored the scratches as though he did not even feel them. John shouted up to his expressionless face, “I will have you put to death! I will have you blinded and your hands cut off and your tongue cut out and your head cut off!” The guard stood impassively as Simon watched the scene quietly, his hands tucked in his long sleeves. Maria and I had given up all pretense of working and stared at the red-faced little boy.
    Our mother moved in front of John, who was trying to spit in the guard’s face. He was so small, though, that his efforts fell far short of their goal.
    “John!” she said firmly. He ignored her. “John!” she repeated. “You must be quiet! The empress commands it!”
    “But—” he wailed.
    “Silence!” She glared at him, and he finally fell silent, trembling