The Battle of the Labyrinth

name?”
    “He is a thief,” Minos said. “He once worked in my court, Cocalus. He turned my own daughter against me. He helped a usurper make a fool of me in my own palace. And then he escaped justice. I have been pursuing him for ten years.”
    “I knew nothing of this. But I have offered the man my protection. He has been a most useful—”
    “I offer you a choice,” Minos said. “Turn over the fugitive to me, and this gold is yours. Or risk making me your enemy. You do not want Crete as your enemy.”
    Cocalus paled. I thought it was stupid for him to look so scared in the middle of his own throne room. He should’ve summoned his army or something. Minos only had two guards. But Cocalus just sat there sweating on his throne.
    “Father,” his oldest daughter said, “you can’t—”
    “Silence, Aelia.” Cocalus twisted his beard. He looked again at the glittering gold. “This pains me, Minos. The gods do not love a man who breaks his oath of hospitality.”
    “The gods do not love those who harbor criminals, either.”
    Cocalus nodded. “Very well. You shall have your man in chains.”
    “Father!” Aelia said again. Then she caught herself, and changed her voice to a sweeter tone. “At—at least let us feast our guest first. After his long journey, he should be treated to a hot bath, new clothes, and a decent meal. I would be honored to draw the bath myself.”
    She smiled prettily at Minos, and the old king grunted. “I suppose a bath would not be amiss.” He looked at Cocalus. “I will see you at dinner, my lord. With the prisoner.”
    “This way, Your Majesty,” said Aelia. She and her sisters led Minos out of the chamber.
    I followed them into a bath chamber decorated with mosaic tiles. Steam filled the air. A running-water faucet poured hot water into the tub. Aelia and her sisters filled it with rose petals and something that must’ve been Ancient Greek Mr. Bubble, because soon the water was covered with multicolored foam. The girls turned aside as Minos dropped his robes and slipped into the bath.
    “Ahh.” He smiled. “An excellent bath. Thank you, my dears. The journey has been long indeed.”
    “You have been chasing your prey ten years, my lord?” Aelia asked, batting her eyelashes. “You must be very determined.”
    “I never forget a debt.” Minos grinned. “Your father was wise to agree to my demands.”
    “Oh, indeed, my lord!” Aelia said. I thought she was laying on the flattery pretty thick, but the old guy was eating it up. Aelia’s sisters trickled scented oil over the king’s head.
    “You know, my lord,” Aelia said, “Daedalus thought you would come. He thought the riddle might be a trap, but he couldn’t resist solving it.”
    Minos frowned. “Daedalus spoke to you about me?”
    “Yes, my lord.”
    “He is a bad man, princess. My own daughter fell under his spell. Do not listen to him.”
    “He is a genius,” Aelia said. “And he believes a woman is just as smart as a man. He was the first to ever teach us as if we had minds of our own. Perhaps your daughter felt the same way.”
    Minos tried to sit up, but Aelia’s sisters pushed him back into the water. Aelia came up behind him. She held three tiny orbs in her palm. At first I thought they were bath beads, but she threw them in the water and the beads sprouted bronze threads that began wrapping around the king, tying him up at the ankles, binding his wrists to his sides, circling his neck. Even though I hated Minos, it was pretty horrible to watch. He thrashed and cried out, but the girls were much stronger. Soon he was helpless, lying in the bath with his chin just above the water. The bronze strands were still wrapping around him like a cocoon, tightening across his body.
    “What do you want?” Minos demanded. “Why do you do this?”
    Aelia smiled. “Daedalus has been kind to us, Your Majesty. And I do not like you threatening our father.”
    “You tell Daedalus,” Minos growled. “You tell him I will hound him even after death! If there is any justice in the Underworld, my soul will haunt him for eternity!”
    “Brave words, Your Majesty,” Aelia said. “I wish you luck finding your justice in the Underworld.”
    And with that, the bronze threads wrapped around Minos’s face, making him a bronze mummy.
    The door of the bathhouse opened. Daedalus stepped in, carrying a traveler’s bag.
    He’d trimmed his hair short. His beard was pure white.
    He looked frail and sad, but