Then I saw Dedalus. He was talking to my father. Of course! That was it! Dedalus knew how to get out of the Labyrinth. On the way to the palace, I spoke to him. My father was watching us.
‘There’s a new flower that I want you to look at,’ I said loudly. ‘I don’t know its name. Can you come to the palace gardens and help me?’
Dedalus looked into my eyes. He knew that I wasn’t really interested in the names of flowers. He winked at me.
‘I'll be happy to come with you, princess,’ he said.
My father moved away to say something to my mother.
In the gardens Dedalus and I walked far away from all the servants.
‘What is it, Ariadne?’ he asked quietly. ‘I know how sad you are about Enarus. But don’t be angry with Phedra. She tried to keep your secret, but she’s too young.’
I was surprised.
‘Did you know about our meetings?’ I asked.
‘Of course I did,’ said Dedalus, ‘but Enarus is a good boy and I saw how you felt about each other. I think that Minos is wrong to say that you must marry a prince. But who am Ito argue with a king? In time Enarus will forget you, and you’ll forget him.’
‘We’ll never forget,’ I answered hotly. ‘Enarus is waiting for me to join him on Naxos!’
Now Dedalus was surprised.
‘How do you know this?’ he asked.
I told him about the message.
‘Ah, that’s why Enarus sent a letter to Icarus. It had a secret note inside it that he wanted my son to take to you!’ ‘Right, so Icarus was the messenger. That explains it.’
I told Dedalus about my plan to escape with Theseus.
Dedalus was quiet for a few minutes. Then he spoke