Free The Mad Giant (Shioni of Sheba Book 3) by Marc Secchia Page B

Leba, judging from the sounds she had heard as she was resting and recovering on her pallet. The patrols had been redoubled, night and day, and General Getu issued orders that hyenas were to be killed on sight. But now the ranks of dark, battle-ready warriors stood to attention beneath a cloudless sky, roasting in their armour, sweat dripping down their necks, as the hasty court wound to its inevitable conclusion.
    Her stomach gave a gurgle similar to a feeding hippopotamus. Annakiya was enjoying herself, smiling prettily as she flattered several of the elders, eating as much as she wanted–and her slave had a rack of ribs one could play music on.
    Shioni sighed and lifted her eyes to the heavens. Immediately, she spotted an eagle atop the baobab. Squinting into the glaring sun, she judged it a fish eagle from the cotton-white head and chestnut belly. What a savage, beautiful mien it had! The predatory, hooked beak and curled talons! It was the first fish eagle had seen up in the mountains. What if she called it now? Would the eagle respond to her? As if it had sensed her inmost thoughts, the eagle opened its wings and took off gracefully, winging over the castle with a plaintive cry.
    “Come,” said Annakiya , touching Shioni’s shoulder. She rose gratefully. “Walk with me, old woman.”
    “I’ll whack you with this stick if you don’t watch out.”
    “Now, is that any way to treat the Princess of the realm?” But Annakiya slowed her pace to match Shioni’s game hopping. “How’s the foot?”
    Shioni grimaced. “Infected. Smelly. Mama’s upset with me.”
    “Sorry you had to be out here today.”
    “Somebody had to count the goats.”
    “Ah, the amazingly multiplying goats?” The Princess steadied her up the small stone step into the cool corridor of the castle. “Careful. Talaku must have been ravenous. He did take them, didn’t he?”
    “A good number, I’d guess. But not twenty-three.”
    Chatting away, they entered the relative coolness of Annakiya’s chamber. A few purchases from the merchants, and it was looking much more homely now–linen hangings to cover the bare stone walls, hand-woven with stylised Ethiopic crosses hand-stitched along their borders, a wooden table to hold an oil lamp, a writing desk with scrolls neatly arranged across its entire surface, a comfortable wood frame bed with Shioni’s separate pallet at its foot, and a tall cupboard for her clothes: these were all the things the Princess needed.
    “Finally! Where have you two been?” Azurelle put her hands on her hips. “How am I supposed to unfurl a scroll without my personal slave present?” And she turned her cheekiest grin on the Princess. “Hey, slave-girl, make yourself useful!”
    “At once, your royal tininess.”
    “And just you step lively there!”
    “Found anything? ” Annakiya turned a frown upon Shioni. “And just you lie down. Now! No, not on your pallet! On my bed, you silly duck. That’s an order.”
    Annakiya gave her a sharp look as Shioni mumbled an unhappy response. Too many orders! But Zi was prattling away about the inscription they had taken from the stele, and what she had discovered by checking every seventh letter in the section of scroll she had been examining. The Princess was quickly distracted.
    Soon bored of lying on the bed listening to their animated discussion about characters, frequencies, codes and keys, Shioni gazed out of the window. A tiny sparrowhawk was surveying the castle from atop the north battlement. She was a fierce little creature–much tinier than the fish eagle, but every bit as much the hunter. She pitied any mouse found scuttling about the gardens or between the huge stones that made up the walls. Shioni pursed her lips, wondering how she had known it was female? The bird gazed unblinkingly into her window, as if aware of her regard.
    Shioni focussed intently, and breathed, ‘Come here, little one.’
    Goodness! The bird opened its wings and swooped in a low,