Epilogue

They wentto the beach a couple of days later. They had intended to go by themselves, but Chrestos overheard Hylas asking Mistress Aula about hiring a chair for Zo, and somehow he got the idea that it was a general outing and began inviting other people. So when they were ready to set off, they found Chrestos and Captain Themistokles waiting by the front door with a picnic basket, trying to talk Theano into bringing Leta, who had never been to the seashore.

"Is this everyone, then?" Chrestos said brightly. "Then let's be off!"

They set off down the streets of the town toward the seashore, everyone taking turns carrying the baby, while the bearers that Hylas had hired carried Zo in a light sedan chair.

"I heard he's a prince," Themistokles remarked. "Was he taken prisoner or something? Did he have amnesia?"

"No, no," said Hylas absently. He had been contemplating a design for a sedan chair with wheels so that one person could pull it, or maybe push it. "He's the youngest son of some warlord from a corner of Sasia that nobody's ever heard of. He's something like a prince, but he never advertised the fact."

"Mm," said Themistokles approvingly. "Probably thought it would sound tacky. Good fellow."

They arrived at the beach and spread out their blankets and set their picnic things in the sand. Theano took Leta to wade in the surf, and Chrestos and Captain Themistokles went for a stroll together. Zo lay down and put his head in Hylas's lap.

"How do you feel?" Hylas asked, stroking Zo's hair.

Zo tipped his head back and smiled up at him. "Good. Not tired at all."

"I'm sorry we're not alone."

Zo laughed. "That's all right. We can be alone in our garden any time."

The beach was not as deserted as it had been when Hylas visited it before with Loukianos. He spotted another couple strolling in the distance toward where Chrestos and Themistokles were headed, and a party seated in the sand with baskets and blankets at the opposite end of the beach.

"Should we get up and wade in the water?" Zo said presently.

Hylas helped Zo to his feet, and Zo leaned on his arm as they walked down to the water. Leta was now back on the dry sand, picking up seashells. Zo rolled up his trousers and walked into the shallow water. The sea breeze blew his hair back from his face, and he closed his eyes, smiling.

"Hello, Hylas! Hello, Theano!"

Hylas turned with surprise to see Mutari coming down the beach toward them, followed by two men. One of them was the quartermaster, the other Nahaz, the Sasian regular from the Red Balconies.

They all greeted one another, and Mutari made introductions which turned out to be largely unnecessary, because Nahaz already knew everyone from the Red Balconies.

"Oh, I didn't know you frequented the house," said Mutari. "It is the oldest on the island, you know, carrying on a proud tradition."

"Ah, indeed?" said Nahaz. "It is a most charming place. I have been there many times. I feel … almost as if it is a second home. They took me in and cared for me one night when I was injured in the street."

"Truly?" said Mutari, wide-eyed. "Blessed Orante! You must tell us the story of that some time."

Chrestos and Themistokles came back along the beach at this point, bringing with them the other couple who had been walking on the sand.

"Hylas! Hello!"

It was Governor Loukianos, with the companion from the Bower of Suos who had thought Hylas and Loukianos were a couple. The companion looked more resigned than pleased to be joining the growing crowd of people at the water's edge.

There was another desultory round of introductions; most of them knew one another. The governor remembered to introduce Zo as "Zo."

"Theano," said Loukianos, looking at her with a strange, subdued expression. "How, er, how have you been?"

"I have been well, sir."

Leta toddled up brandishing a seashell she had found. "Shell, Mama, shell!"

Mutari's party was starting to wander away down the beach with Chrestos and Captain Themistokles. The companion from the Bower was looking at the sand as if considering hunting for seashells himself.

"She's your daughter," said Loukianos, staring fixedly at Leta.

"Her name is Leta." Theano bent and picked up the child. "Say hello, Leta." Leta buried her face in her mother's neck and peeked out shyly.

Hylas took Zo's hand and drew him away from the shore. They waded out until the water was lapping the hem of Hylas's tunic and Zo's trousers were soaked, then they reached a sandbar where it grew shallower again.

"Leta's father," said Hylas, "Theano's former patron—he died before she was born, didn't he? What was his name?"

"Hippolytos."

"I thought so. He was Governor Loukianos's lover. I don't think Loukianos knew there was a child."

They stood on the sandbar, looking back at the group on the shore. Loukianos was holding Leta now.

"Hm," said Zo. "It seems it wasn't me you needed to introduce him to at the Red Balconies after all."

Hylas put his arm around Zo's waist, and Zo leaned against him.

"Shall we go back to shore?" Hylas asked.

"Look, Mutari's waving to you." Zo pointed.

Mutari had left the men of her party and was gesturing to Hylas and Zo from the edge of the water. They waded back down off the sandbar into the deeper water toward her, and she picked up her skirt and came through the surf to meet them.

"Hylas! I had to seize the moment to tell you. Nahaz, over there? He's the Gylphian envoy to Tykanos."

"No!"

"Yes! He's been ‘incognito' because his post wasn't set to start until next month. And you've been wooing him at the Red Balconies this whole time. We're getting our aqueduct, Hylas."

"We're getting our aqueduct." In the most Tykanos way possible, it seemed, but that, Hylas realized, he could live with.

"Hooray!" Zo gave an elegant and discreet little cheer. Hylas tightened the arm that he still had around his waist.

"And you have a boyfriend," said Mutari accusingly. "Why on earth did you tell me that you didn't?"

She turned and splashed back to the dry sand, laughing, before he could muster an explanation.