Part 34

The guards eagerly awaited his response.

"Athena. She whispered it to me in my sleep. I almost missed it. Mother always told me, wash your ears. She's right, you know. I nearly didn't hear it."

"Ah, sir, and what were the words you nearly didn't hear?"

"Take the rope," is what she said. "An excellent recommendation, excellent."

They sat back in disappointment, glanced at one another and at him.

"Now why does she want me to take the rope. That's what I asked myself. And It came to mind that, with the rope and grapple I could cross the walls, rather than following each corridor. That way, if one corridor seemed to be getting me nowhere, I could quickly climb over to the next one." He paused to twist off another piece of bread.

The chief guard picked up the paltry remains and slowly ate the crumbs.

"Nevertheless, after swapping corridors for a while I found little evidence that I was making progress. And then another thought hit me. Brilliant thought, really. And not Athena's, but my own. I think." He paused, ruminating.

"Yes, I do believe it was my own."

The guards looked at each other in exasperation. Demo munched their bread, then picked up the chief guard's wine bottle. The latter half-heartedly attempted to retain it, but finally gave it to Demo.

"Save me a draught, if you'd be so kind," he growled rather sarcastically.

"Anyway, I started to climb to the next corridor. Just when I got to the top of the wall it struck me. Why fool with those twisting corridors. I'll merely jump from wall to wall and go in a straight line until I reach the outer wall. So I noted my shadow's direction from the rising sun, and headed south to the wall whereat I entered last night. It didn't take long at all, and here I am, and this wine is quite tasty. I fear I haven't saved you a full draught."

"From wall to wall he went. He didn't solve the maze at all, he jumped over it. I don't think that's really fair. Oh, well, certainly effective," the chief guard grumbled. "Yes, you are right, you saved me less than a draught."

He shook the empty bottle above his upturned lips, to no avail.

"I don't suppose you have any idea where he might have gone?"

"The minotaur? Well, the old boy has put on a little weight over the past century. I'd wager he moved mostly downhill, toward the sea. Much easier path to stroll, I'm thinking."

Demo nodded. As reasonable an assumption as any other. Off to the sea, then.

Demo heard the pounding waves long before reaching the shore. As he broke out of the undergrowth onto the rock-strewn beach his eyes widened.

The huge waves seemed almost upon him, then broke, ending in a gentle flow lapping at his feet. The sea was not the gentle blue of calmer days, but a deep and angry green. The skies were dark on the far horizon where a powerful storm built and drove the pounding waves. White froth leaped high into the sky where water met solid boulders. And on one such boulder a creature sat. A creature that blended well with the nature's fury.

The unseen companion, barely discernible through mist and froth.

He closed his eyes, breathed deeply.

When he looked again the massive boulder was bare.

Still, something moved. Beyond, on the beach, something stood.

He rubbed his eyes, lurched forward, the unstable stones twisting under his steps.

It had not moved, waited silently.

The minotaur!

"You don't have a bale of hay on you, by any chance? Or even a steak? I've been eating this sea weed for days now. Not that it's bad. Learned to enjoy it while in the Orient, years ago. Great taste, yet enough is enough, really. By the way, I suppose I do look rather strange. They tell me I'm a minotaur, whatever that is. It does have some advantages, with four legs and all." He reached down and picked up a handful of brown kelp, gnawed at it judiciously.

"Has a flavor all its own. Quiet different from dried seaweed I use to enjoy in Japan. Actually, I learned to enjoy it with sesame seed and soy sauce. You wouldn't have either of those in your pouch, I suppose. No, well, I didn't expect it. Should never travel without them, though. Local supermarkets seem to run out so quickly. Would you care to join me in a swim?"