'Because you're being stubborn,' Sparhawk replied. 'Throwing Bh.e.l.liom into the sea was a very good idea when we did it, but the situation's changed now. I know that it's not in your nature to admit that you made a mistake, but you did, you know.'

'Bite your tongue!'

'We have a new situation here, Aphrael,' Sephrenia said patiently. 'You've told me again and again that you can't fully see the future, so you couldn't really have foreseen all of what's happening here in Tamuli. You didn't really make a mistake, baby sister, but you have to be flexible. You can't let the world fly all to pieces just because you want to maintain a reputation for infallibility.'

'Oh, all right!' Aphrael gave in, flinging herself into a chair and starting to suck her thumb as she glared at them.

'Don't do that,' Sparhawk and Sephrenia told her in unison.

She ignored them. 'I want all three of you to know that I'm really very put out with you for this. You've been very impolite and very inconsiderate of my feelings. I'm ashamed of you. Go ahead. I don't care. Go ahead and get the Bh.e.l.liom if you think you absolutely have to have it.'

'Ah-Aphrael,' Sparhawk said mildly, 'we don't know where it is, remember?'

'That's not my fault,' she replied in a sulky little voice.

'Yes, actually it is. You were very careful to make sure that we didn't know where we were when we threw it into the sea.'

'That's a spiteful thing to say, father.'

A horrible thought suddenly occurred to Sparhawk 'You do know where it is, don't you?' he asked her anxiously.

'Oh, Sparhawk, don't be silly! Of course I know where it is. You didn't think I'd let you put it someplace where I couldn't find it, did you?'