“The Builder be praised! But,” changing the subject, “how are my family?”
“Both well,” Nan-nan answered, “though for the past six or nine days the princess has not been permitted to communicate with anyone.”
Myles smiled. “Why?” he innocently asked.
“I know not,” the young cleric admitted.
Myles laughed. “I thought that the Holy Leader knew everything,” he said. “Well, as it happens, I can tell you. It is because I communicated with her a few days ago and informed her that I was about to return. Has no news of this got out from the palace?”
“No,” Nan-nan replied, “but it explains why Yuri has kept a large squadron of whistling bees patrolling the eastern coast all day long every day. How did you get by them?”
“Came over at night,” the earth-man answered. “But what about the bees?”
“I’ll tell you,” Nan-nan said. “Shortly after you left on your visit to your own planet Minos, Prince Yuri flew back alone from his exile with the Formians beyond the boiling seas. This was the first that we of Cupia had known that any of them survived.
“Yuri kept his return a secret for some time, but got in touch with some old supporters of his. First he contrived to cut off the allowance of anks which are doled out to the bees for food. Then he stirred up trouble among the bees because of this.
“The bees imprisoned Portheris, their king, and, under promise of an increased allowance of food, seized the arsenal at Kuana, the air base at Wautoosa, and Luno Castle. As you know, the air navy has been practically disbanded, because there was nothing for it to fight. The rifles of the marching clubs had fallen into disuse because other newer games had superseded archery. Most of the rifles were stored at various central places, which the bees succeeded in seizing.