“Yes,” Kuwari agreed, his raised eyebrow saying he hadn’t yet figured out where she was going with her line of thought.
“What if he did that because he knew Ereshkigal wasn’t aiming to get someone close enough to assassinate Queen Asharru but instead looking to merge the two lines and use the child in some way? If a male child was born of that union, perhaps she planned to take that future king as her husband? By forming the Shadows, Blade Tirigan might have been trying to prevent future attempts of a similar nature.”
“That’s a lot of speculation.”
“Yes, but why would Ereshkigal go to so much trouble to get a queen loyal to Ishtar to fall in love with one of the underworld’s agents? It would take months or more likely years of planning, and every moment her agent was near the queen, he risked being found out and killed. A well-placed assassin would be much swifter and less likely to be discovered until too late.” Enkara frowned at the scroll. “No, there had to be more to her plans than an assassination.”
“Ah,” Kuwari said softly, deep in thought. “I hadn’t thought of it in those terms. But, yes, Ereshkigal didn’t want something to end, did she? She wanted it to begin.”
“Yes. I think Ereshkigal wanted to somehow sow the seeds of her power into the royal line, but subtly so Ishtar wouldn’t know what was afoot until too late. But Tirigan stopped her, so she’s trying again. With us this time.”
Kuwari rolled up the scroll and drummed his fingers along the storage cylinder. “I agree. But why would she wait so long to try again?”
“Perhaps she didn’t. What’s to say all the other assassination attempts stopped by Shadows and Blades throughout the centuries weren’t part of a greater plan? Look at Ditanu. He was the only survivor out of all his siblings. What if he was always intended to survive and Ereshkigal was selecting the one best suited for her plans?”
Kuwari’s brow furled. “That is a most disturbing thought, my Blade.”
“If the Queen of the Underworld somehow managed to taint the sole remaining heir, then she could use the magic that links Royals and subjects, the very foundational magic that New Sumer is built on.” Enkara frowned unhappily. “If that happened, then Ereshkigal could hold every gryphon hostage to her whim.”
Kuwari’s eyebrows drew further together at her ominous words. “We need to dig into this further. Unfortunately, we need to get to Uruk. And that might not be possible for a moon cycle or more, not with my upcoming name day celebration and then the spring rite festival.”
Chapter 12
The fifth day of Enkara’s convalescence dawned, and if they didn’t give her leave to return to her training or some other duties, she was going to start raving at the walls. Being trapped inside—no matter how beautiful the space—and having nothing to do brought back memories of her time before she’d come to Nineveh, memories of hunger, cold, beatings, and great loneliness, memories she’d done her best to bury.
But these few short days just told her how close to the surface they really were. They even haunted her dreams at night, transporting her back to a time when she was a frightened child, arms and legs curled tight around her body for comfort and warmth.
She’d taken to sitting next to Kuwari while he slept unaware of her. Actually, on some level he had to be aware because his sleeping mind still reached out to hers, wrapping around hers like a shield, keeping the dark memories at bay.
During the day, she didn’t have that solace. She was just contemplating leaping out a window and escaping into the gardens when the outer door opened and by the sound of footsteps several people entered. Was Kuwari back early from his session with Burrukan?
But it wasn’t Kuwari who stuck his head in.
Enkara jerked to attention and scrambled off her sleeping platform, sending scrolls rolling in all directions.
“Queen Iltani, forgive me. If I’d known you were coming, I would have been…ready,” she ended a little lamely. Facing the queen in the practice ring was one thing—that was Blade training. Facing her as co-ruler of New Sumer always put Enkara on edge.
With a respectful bow and a belated, ‘your majesty’ Enkara straightened, already wondering what had brought the queen to her side.
“Oh, relax. I can see your trepidation clear across the room. You’ve known me for years. I’m just Iltani today.”
“Yes…Blade Iltani.”
The queen just sighed and rolled her eyes heavenward. “I’ve come to speak to you about a personal matter today.”
Oh, Great Ishtar. Here it comes. The queen had at last picked up something in Enkara’s nature and was here to discover what it was.
“If Kuwari asks you to accept his court again, please don’t turn him down over some silly notion that you aren’t good enough for him.”
That wasn’t anything like what Enkara had expected to hear. Floundering, she didn’t know what to say. She knew her refusal had surprised everyone, but Kuwari was correct, she couldn’t risk telling them why. Not even the woman standing before her now who had helped raise her. “Queen Iltani, please understand…”
“It’s just Iltani. That’s what you used to call me before you went to Susa for training. I know it wasn’t Burrukan who demanded formality. He hates titles even more than I do.”
Everything she said was true, but it felt too informal now to call Kuwari’s parents by their given names.
Iltani’s brows scrunched together in frustration. “Fine, you don’t have to talk, but please listen.”
She put an arm around Enkara’s shoulders and drew her back to the sleeping platform and sat.
“Of course.”
“Good. I know you and Kuwari had some kind of falling out or misunderstanding, but after watching you these last few days, I know you don’t love him any less. If anything, it seems your emotions have deepened and matured.” Iltani drew a deep breath and then sighed. “And he still loves you more than his own life. While I didn’t give birth to him, I love him as much as his siblings that I carried in my womb for months. Please don’t crush his hope. If he asks you again, and he will, accept him.”
Enkara swallowed hard and glanced down at her hands, then answered in a calm voice.
“I would never willingly hurt him.”
“That’s a start. But you could easily unwillingly hurt him with your rejection. I also felt your worries. You are afraid that somehow your love is dangerous to him. It isn’t, you know. I can feel all dangers focused upon those of the Royal line and my power knows you would not harm him.”
“I…”
“There is one more thing I need to say, and then I will leave you alone.”
“I always value your advice.”
“Kuwari told me he’s seen future visions where you are more than just Blade and Prince,” Iltani grinned. “I’m not asking you to roll over or do anything before you’re ready. And accepting him as your betrothed in a trial year doesn’t mean you have to give up who you are. Ditanu has an overpowering personality. I think it’s a trait of the royal line. They all just need a firm hand.”
Enkara felt a betraying smile tugging at her lips. “Overpowering is one way to describe it.”
Iltani smiled. “But you are a strong, intelligent woman. You could temper his impulsiveness. When he was a child, you helped to guide his headstrong wildness into something constructive. You could still do that for him now that he is a man.”
“I could do that as a friend.”
The queen nodded her agreement. “Yes, you could. But there is also great passionate shimming in Kuwari’s soul. You could release it like no other woman.”
Enkara cleared her throat, wondering if she could interrupt and redirect the conversation to less person topics.
But Queen Iltani ignored Enkara’s nervousness. “On a more serious note, do you love Kuwari like he loves you? If the answer is yes, then please make both yourself and him happy by choosing a loving future together.”
“Your words are wise,” Enkara said as she glanced down at
her hands. “I will dwell on them.”
“Good.” She patted Enkara’s shoulder. “I suppose I should be getting back to my duties now.”
Earlier, Enkara had wanted to get back to duties herself, but the queen’s words had so startled her, the childhood memories which had been haunting her had gone into full retreat.
Chapter 13
Seven mornings after the night of his vision, Kuwari again found himself given a reprieve from Councilor Nakurtum and final festival preparations. This time it was by the arrival of Burrukan. At first, he’d thought Enkara’s mentor had come to see how her burn was healing, which he had, but ever a pragmatic warrior, Burrukan saw no reason not to attend to Kuwari’s weapons training at the same time.
After Burrukan had checked over the burn running down Enkara’s spine and seen for himself that it was indeed healing well and didn’t restrict her movements, he’d ordered them into the practice ring.
They started out fighting hand-to-hand, then with knives, and now he was matching swords with his Blade.
He usually wasn’t one to enjoy a good ass kicking, but it was much more enjoyable when it was Enkara and not Burrukan doling out the punishment. He could typically hold his own, but this time found he was easily distracted by the play of light on her sweat-slicked skin and the graceful motion of her body as she moved between the different sword forms.
“You’re not paying attention again,” Enkara said as she darted in close and gave him a love tap along his belly with the flat of her blade before sweeping his legs out from under him.
“Match over,” Burrukan called, sounding entirely too underwhelmed.
Enkara reached down and offered him a hand up.
“By the way, I just gutted you and thrust my sword through your face if this had been a real fight,” Enkara said with a smile as she began discarding her practice armor. “I was taking it easy on you too. You gave me at least ten opportunities to ‘kill’ you during the fight.”
Kuwari scowled. She was probably correct though. If she’d been almost any other opponent, he’d have won the fight. In the past, only Burrukan and Queen Iltani had bested him so quickly.
“I’m ashamed to call either of you my apprentices,” Burrukan growled out as he came stomping over. “Kuwari, if your eyes paid more attention to her feet than certain other body parts, she wouldn’t have beaten you so easily. And Enkara, you were coddling him. An assassin won’t be so forgiving of his faults. Remember that!”
“It won’t happen again,” Enkara said as she came to attention.
Burrukan grunted. “And get more sleep tonight.”
“I’m fine,” Enkara said, her tone guarded.
“A blind person could see the bags under your eyes. I don’t know what you were doing last night, but it wasn’t sleeping. Dulled reflexes will also get Kuwari killed.”
Enkara jerked like Burrukan’s words were a verbal slap. “After Kuwari’s vision, I wanted to be alert for any reoccurrences.”
Enkara had stayed up the entire night watching over him? He hadn’t been aware of that. Hmm. He’d have to make sure she didn’t attempt to do that again.
“You’ll be useless to him without rest. Go take a nap once you are done here. That’s an order.”
“But Kuwari…”
“He’s been without you for almost four years. He’ll survive an afternoon by himself,” Burrukan said and then pointed a finger at Enkara. “Go get some sleep. I’ll stay with Kuwari the entire time.”
She glanced at them and then gave her mentor a sharp nod. As she turned and bent to gather her discarded practice armor, Kuwari watched with more than a little appreciation of her feminine form.
“And you,” Burrukan barked as the broad side of a wooden sword smacked against Kuwari shoulder. “If you hadn’t been paying so much attention to Enkara’s leather-clad assets, you would have won that shameful excuse of a fight.”
Enkara jerked upright and spun to face Kuwari. He winked at her.
A moment later a wooden sword smacked against his bicep. “When you’re in my training ring, your head better be in the fight. And I mean this head,” the wooden sword slapped him along side of his ear, “Not the one below your belt.”
Heat suffused Kuwari’s cheeks, but he didn’t deny Burrukan’s words.
Once Enkara had stomped away, he chanced a glance at the older male. Burrukan was grinning. “Well, at least the Council should be happy you’re a healthy young male ready to do your duty and beget the next generation of gryphon royalty.”
Kuwari snorted with bitterness. “Thanks to the Council’s interference they might have to wait over a year before there will be any ‘getting of heirs’ now.”
“She’s been back almost two whole days, and you still haven’t convinced Enkara to be your future queen? I’m going to lose my bet with your father.” Burrukan chuckled before his expression turned more serious. “Oh, by Ishtar’s tits, here comes that infernal female.”
Kuwari turned in the direction Burrukan was looking, then groaned when he saw Councilor Nakurtum striding towards them across the training field.
“I’m feeling rather tired suddenly. Perhaps I could use a nap as well,” Kuwari said as he backed away from his mentor.
A hand slammed down on his shoulder before he’d taken two steps. A moment later he was being propelled forward by Burrukan, directly into Councilor Nakurtum’s clutches.
“Ah, Prince Kuwari, good. I see you’ve just finished up with your lesson. I’m sure Regent Burrukan won’t mind if I take you off his hands for a bit. We still have some items to go over and decisions to make before your name day celebration.” Councilor Nakurtum smiled with genuine pleasure.
Damn. She knew she had him well and truly trapped.
“I’m sure the Prince is looking forward to it,” Burrukan said trying and failing to keep a straight face.
Kuwari narrowed his eyes at his mentor. If the old goat thought he was going to escape unscathed...
“Councilor Nakurtum, you don’t mind if Regent Burrukan joins us and gives his opinion on some of the plans, do you? He’ll be accompanying me this afternoon.” Kuwari smiled and put his hand on Burrukan’s shoulder before he could make his escape.
Burrukan made a choking noise that was drowned out by Nakurtum’s reply.
“Gladly. It never hurts to have additional male feedback on these kinds of things. I swear on Ishtar’s name that King Ditanu goes out of his way to avoid planning festivals. I look forward to your input, Regent.”
Burrukan made further strangled noises. Kuwari gave him a couple thumps on the back.
“You going to survive, Regent?” Kuwari asked in his most innocent tone.
“I’m fine,” he barked out. Though the look he gave Kuwari promised that the next match in the sand ring was going to hurt.
***
After far longer than Kuwari wanted to spend in Nakurtum’s company, she was at last satisfied with the final touches for the ceremony. At which point, both he and Burrukan bolted for the door and freedom at the same time. They made their escape and Burrukan left Kuwari at the entrance to his chambers.
Kuwari nodded to the guards stationed outside and entered his quarters on silent feet. If Enkara was still asleep, he didn’t want to disturb her. Inside, he padded through the outer rooms and into his bedchamber, then stopped at the threshold to Enkara’s room where he slowly brushed aside the fringed curtain.
Enkara was sprawled face down on her bed fully clothed and sound asleep. She even still wore her boots, although she’d removed her sword, harness, and outer leather vest. A glance at the wall rack confirmed she’d taken the time to put all her weapons in their proper places.
He reached for her boots and began to unlace them. At the disturbance, she muttered a sleepy question. “Shhh. Go back to sleep, I’m just removing your boots.”
Showing the depth of her trust in him, she muttered his name and drifted back into a deeper sleep.
His poor Kara. She’d misse
d nearly two nights worth of sleep because of him. And her body was probably burning many of its resources healing the damaged skin running down her spine. When he’d applied the healing cream this morning, the skin had looked much improved compared to yesterday.
Though now, after their time in the ring, he should likely recheck it. He retrieved the small pot of cream from the table and returned to her side. After kneeling next to her, he untucked the linen shirt from the waist of her pants. Noting the shapely curve of her hips and backside encased in leather, he began to appreciate her training outfit as much as she did, if for different reasons.
He continued to drag her shirt higher up. She muttered a slurred ‘go away’ but allowed him to push the linen high enough to attend to his task. He spent a little longer than was strictly necessary gently working the cream into her skin, but he enjoyed being able to touch her too much to rush.
The gift which gave him the ability to see bits of the future also had another side. One he hadn’t shared with a soul. Not even Enkara knew. But when he touched someone or was touched by them, he felt what they felt.
On occasion, it was very beneficial, like when someone had hostile intent toward him, or he wanted to get a read on one of the councilors during a meeting, but for the most part, it was just an uncomfortable ability to possess.
Sometimes when he touched Enkara, and she was having one of her rare unguarded moments, his gift allowed her warmth and love to wrap around him, and he could forget duty and scheming nobility for a time.
Like now. Her sleeping mind was open to him, and he basked in the fact that she loved him as a friend but was also starting to desire him as a man.
At last, he finished up and was just resealing the small pot of cream with its wax plug when Enkara rolled against him, seeking his warmth. As he caressed her hair away from one cheek, he knew he’d never do anything to betray the great gift of her love.
Blade's Honor (Ishtar's Legacy Book 2) Page 10