One person took the goddess’ hand and held it, pulling her back toward him. She turned to see who it was.“Greeting, Princess,” the tall man smil...d. It was the station captain from the next station down the rails on the equator.‘What is his name?’ Béla asked herself. ‘If I could remember, It would be a good boost to his ego for the aid he provided last spring…’“Captain,” the goddess replied, “you never told me your name.” She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “And I was never able to. She was fascinated by the prints, which were both in bold colors as well as black and white. She wondered at an artist’s decision to create what might be called stereotypical characters. She was so engrossed with the fine artwork she barely noticed the time. Her knee let her know. It never ceased to amaze her that she could cycle for lengthy periods of time, but standing too long would cause her excruciating pane in her right knee. She had arrived at the museum at eleven o’clock and it was now. He paid off the cabbie and entered the house. The house would have to go because they’d be unable to keep up with the mortgage repayments. Melanie a schoolteacher was already home. She smiled at his early arrival time but her greeting died on her lips when she caught the look on his face. Thank god there were no kids yet, thought Thomson as he told Melanie he was being eased out of his job and what had happened that afternoon. She burst into tears and ran from him. Well that figured. Two months. The question surprised me. I’d not thought it possible she saw me as stupid.“Mahmut is the prince of the city right now.” Anger tinted my voice involuntarily. She shook her head. “Some people think that, yes. Others, they consider Qoura, or one of the other Guardians, the ruler of the city. Neither side is wrong. The Prince has all the gold, and his gold gives him the Guard. Qoura is a sorceress, perhaps the greatest sorcerer to ever live, her power is the terror of her name.”Ah, she didn’t.