Giton returned at last to the apartment to find that Kanakht had gone, and he had the thought that the Egyptian must have believed he had run off with the money for their meal...but he had in fact been distracted at the market by sight of a tall blond boy. the sight was so rare that he had been captivated, and had to find out more about the god-come-to-earth.

Giton had followed the boy around the market, watching him purchase items for a meal, which he handed to a young boy obviously there for just that purpose. The more he watched the blond, the more he found himself interested in his identity--it wasn't often that you saw such a figure on the streets--unless you were in Gaul or Thrace.

Before he realized it, more than an hour had passed, and he began to get a sick feeling in his stomach as the blond walked up the same street where Philandros' house lay--and he had to put a hand out to support himself against the wall when he saw the boy walk into Philandros' house! The gods were indeed most unkind to him lately, to show him such beauty and then take it away!

As he slowly walked back to his apartment, he began to wonder: was the blond a guest of Philandros, or a slave? If he was a guest, then he might meet him outside without fear...but if he was a slave, the job would be almost impossible.

Giton began slicing vegetables for dinner, and cut the meat he had purchased into small pieces...these things he could prepare with his small pans and the charcoal brazier he had in the smallest room...he had had to purchase bread, and some fresh wine to go with it. For dessert, he had picked up some pastries soaked in honey, and hoped that his guest would like them.

Things were all set to go, the coals were heating, now he just needed for the Egyptian to return. As he sat on his balcony waiting for Kanakht, his hand idly rubbed his chest beneath the tunic, gradually drifting lower as his thoughts turned to a boy with long blond hair and a nice tanned set of shoulders....