by Renee Travis
Blushing, I thought about Nergal. Marriage had suited us and he was making the perfect husband; brilliant, handsome and funny. He was a good King, too. I placed a hand on Lahar’s head as we steadied ourselves. Opening my eyes I looked around, we were in a large grassy field. The sky was Aduran twilight in this part of the afterlife. There were some places where the sun shone for those from Nannaru and Biri who died and chose the Underworld to the Heavens, but not many did.
Lahar tried to pull me towards a large farm house in the distance. “No, we aren’t visiting today. We have stuff to do; we have to get to the castle.” Jerking my head to the left I transferred the heavy carpet bag to my other side and we began to walk. Maybe I would visit my dead family when we came back through, if we had time. Lahar liked to see them because the kids all gave him treats.
I needed to be at the castle by a certain time, there was a meeting I needed to attend, one that had taken months of secretive messages and whispers to set up. I was in Nam’s old castle servants clothes and I had left my crown at home. I kind of wanted to blend in just in case I was caught there. My hair might give me away, but people tended to overlook staff.
We trudged through the field for about thirty minutes before I saw the rippling that signaled another doorway into the real world. I had worked for hours to make sure I could do this quickly. The door led right into the castle attic.
I put my bag down and Lahar nuzzled my leg, “I know boy, don’t worry this will only take a moment. You must be very quiet.” Lifting my hands I pressed against the ripple, opening it. It was as if I were looking through water. Picking up the bag, Lahar and I slid through the cobwebby substance. It felt weird, but didn’t actually touch you, in reality.
The attic was musty, dark and needed a serious airing out. I do not think anyone had been up there since I had moved away. I wondered how the Adura servants were fairing; if they had left or had pledged allegiance to my parents. I had hoped the first one, but no one had said anything to me about servants leaving my parent’s home. I figured that would be something Sarlu would know. I would have to double check once I got home.
I walked quietly looking for the two mirrors that held the other Mirror Spirits. I found them, stacked together and in a pathetic state. They needed repairs and a good scrub. I touched a finger to each of them. They came awake, angry and loud.
“Shush!” I put a finger to my mouth. They each went quiet, their forms wavering, pissy and deadly.
“Do you know me?” I asked, in the barest hint of voice.
“Queen.” One with a feminine voice whispered back.
“Ereshkigal,” the other hissed, its voice masculine and husky.
“Yes, Your… brother…I guess, has sent me to… well rescue you.” Their eyes seem to light up. I held up the silver hand mirror and motioned to the more female of the two. I said a Word and it transferred to the hand mirror, the Mirror Spirit breathed a sigh of relief. It took quite a bit of magic to transfer Mirror Spirits from one surface to another. Nergal and I had worked on the spell for days until I had it condensed to a single Word. Repeating the process I got the other Mirror Spirit out as well.
Once both mirrors were safe and in my bag, I began the real hard task; sneaking downstairs and into the garden. I had brought my Shade Cloak. And it worked well to keep me and Lahar hidden from view. But if someone really focused on me they would know something wasn’t right, the best way to prevent that was to be quiet.
It was slow going and I had to hide myself several times, crouching low in closets and behind furniture as Biri servants moved in and out of the darkness. It gave me a bit of pleasure that I had not seen one Aduran servant as of yet.
Lahar was like a ghost, blending into the surroundings and warning me when people approached. We finally made it to the back door. I stepped into the garden and breathed a little easier. Things scraped and groaned in the darkness and I could smell the ripe apricots.
“Come on Lahar, they should be here.” I mumbled as we made our way forward. It hurt a little to be back. I had so many fond memories of growing up there. I also had a lot of unpleasant ones. I don’t think my siblings would ever really know how much different their upbringing was from mine. Mother and Father at least, willingly, went into Nannaru. People hate what they are afraid of and me with my red eyes living in Adura, well, I guess I was truly scary for them.
As we came to where the line of Biri was thinnest, there they were, Ishtar and Mash. She was straddling the line with Mash in the bright dawn of Nannaru. I dropped the cloak, a little sad at its loss. It was only good for one use and once I took it off it would fade back into the Shadow Lands.
I ran forward and the three of us embraced, I had tears streaming down my face as I took in their appearances and breathed in their familial scents.
“We have to be quick,” Ishtar whispered, eyes glancing up at the darkened castle windows. “The Sleeping Spell I put on Mare and Father won’t last long.”
“Alright, what was so important?” Mash asked.
“Give me a second. I want my few moments of normal first,” Ishtar glared at him, hands on her hips.
“How is married life? I wish I could have seen the ceremony.” She took my hand, face glowing and soft.
“It was simple and beautiful. We’re really very happy,” I answered quickly, hearing Mash snort and tap his foot.
“And you Mash? When will you and Aya be married?” She turned those warm loving eyes on our brother. His shoulders drooped and he sighed, giving in.
“As soon as I take care of some old Nannaru traditions that are out of date and bothersome. She sends her love.” Glancing up at the castle and then at the sun rising behind him he moved closer to us, “now what was so important we couldn’t do this without the risk?”
“They are going to try and invade Adura and Nannaru in ten days time.” Her words were like a splash of cold water on my face.
“Not even she could be this stupid,” Mash swore.
“No, just this vindictive,” I said.
“She has ordered both of you to be brought back here. She is going to strip you of your titles and powers and put you under house arrest,” Ishtar delivered the rest of the news.
“It would be a death sentence for her. My people would consider it kidnapping, an act of full fledge war.” I was distressed; my Alu family would massacre Biri people in really atrocious and disgusting ways.
“Mine would not kill, but there are things worse than death,” Mash agreed with me.
“You must try and reason with her Ishtar, and if you cannot, appeal to your fiancée and the other elite, explain this would be the worst idea in a history of bad ideas,” I begged her.
“I will, but I had to let you both know first.” Ishtar sounded tired. She also looked much older than she had when I had left home, less than a year ago.
“If Mare sends Guardsmen into Adura my people will kill them,” I warned. “The way will be dark.”
“I cannot say what my people will do, but Biri Guardsmen will not return if they cross the border without permission and hostile,” Mash’s tone was very, very angry.
Hearing a noise from inside the castle, we all startled. Lahar whimpered. “Yes, I know, we have to go. But first….” I opened the bag and handed each of them the mirrors.
“Thanks for the gift Eshie, but I don’t really need a mirror,” Mash joked.
“You do. It has a Mirror Spirit in it, who is, well the brother I think, of the one in my mirror. Now we can talk to each other and it will be safe.” I explained. I didn’t put it past my mother to place spells on the mirrors in the castle to intercept Ishtar’s calls.
“Oh, what a good idea!” Ishtar hugged me again, I could tell she didn’t really want to let go.
“I have to go now Ishtar, I told Nergal I would be home in a couple of hours. You don’t want him to come looking for me.” I kissed her forehead.
“I must go as well,” Mash looked at us forlornly. He didn’t want to go eit
her. Reaching across Biri I grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
“I love you both,” I sighed and then Lahar and I ran off into the darkness of the garden.
I moved quickly, passing Snake Ivy and Bleeding Pomegranates, deeper and deeper into the foliage until I found the stone wall. It was in bad condition because no one every came this far into the garden. Something I had counted on while making my preparations. I was a little depressed; it had taken a long time to arrange this meeting, and all for a measly ten minutes of time. Lahar nipped at my heel, breaking me from my melancholy thoughts.
“Right, better than nothing.” My eyes raked the stone wall until a found a piece that was waving in my mind. I opened the gateway and Lahar and I went through, tears stinging my eyes as reality shifted around us and planted us in front of my family’s home in the Underworld.
My stomach lurched for a few seconds as it always did. I was happy to see the house though; I had spent a weekend there every month since Zalm had given me the gift to cross over. Appearing here after my gloomy visit with Ishtar and Mash was great, almost as if Zalm knew I would need a small respite, a break after my experience.
I looked at the front porch and gave Lahar’s head a scratch. Nergal would be ok for another half hour while I had some supper with my father’s real family. Besides, I would make it up to him when I got home. In the only way I knew how: dark and naughty.
The end