Blade's Honor (Ishtar's Legacy Book 2)

by Lisa Blackwood

  Crossing the threshold from the play area into the sleeping chambers, Enkara’s gaze landed on King Ditanu where he sat on the edge of the bed and held a small body in his arms. Tears coursed down his face. Queen Iltani was next to him, sobbing against his shoulder.

  The senior healer was standing at the foot of the bed with two other aids flanking her. Her eyes were ringed by dark shadows, and her face etched with grief—the countenance of one who had seen too much sadness already. “It is only a matter of time. I’m sorry.”

  Slowly, Enkara dragged herself forward and peered down at the child. She caught her breath, almost not recognizing little Arwia. Her skin was gray, the only color the bright blood weeping from the corners of her eyes and mouth. Her chest still labored to draw breath, the sound wet and heavy.

  “There is still life,” the Anunnaki said as he became visible.

  Healers, servants, and royals all jerked with surprise. The healers recoiled, the servants fell to the ground in silent homage, and Ditanu and Iltani both drew their blades. The guards raced forward, instinctively prepared to attack the intruder, not having processed that their weapons would be ineffective against an opponent such as this.

  “Wait!” Enkara shouted. “He’s here to heal the sick. A Lamassu confirmed it.”

  The Anunnaki bowed to King Ditanu and Queen Iltani. “My brothers and I come to restore the balance. Ereshkigal and her servants have overstepped their authority.”

  King Ditanu recovered faster than his guards. He ordered them out of the way, allowing the Anunnaki to approach unhindered. Once the winged being was at the side of the bed, he dipped the long, ordinary looking pine cone into his small bucket.

  When he lifted the cone from the water, Enkara realized that what was in the wooden vessel wasn’t water at all. Bright magic dripped from the individual scales of the cone. Where drops fell to splash against Arwia’s pallid skin, the divine magic flared brighter, enveloping the child.

  The Anunnaki chanted an ancient blessing and then stepped back. The bright healing light faded, and Enkara found herself holding her breath. Then the small body on the bed moved, and Arwia pushed back the blankets covering her and looked around shyly. Other than her messy hair, she looked completely healthy. No trace of blood or sickness remained.

  When the child’s eyes landed on the Anunnaki, they grew wide, and Arwia smiled, reaching out for the guardian spirit.

  The Anunnaki moved close enough so the child’s reaching fingers could touch the feathers of his double set of wings. Enkara noted the softening and rounding of the eyes in the Anunnaki’s eagle-like head. This creature, though capable of killing any mortal and purifying or even eating the soul if it was incurable, had a gentle streak as well.

  Arwia giggled in delight. “An Anunnaki!”

  “Thank you, ancient one,” King Ditanu said, giving the creature a deep bow.

  Enkara had only ever seen the king bow to a Lamassu before.

  “I am in your debt for healing my child, but there are many more innocents struck down by this illness.”

  “I know. It is why I have come. More of my brethren are waiting as we speak. I feared to bring the numbers needed until I had a chance to speak with you, lest you think we were an invading force.”

  “You may call the rest. I will not turn away your aid.” Ditanu gave Arwia a firm hug and then set her back on the bed. The healers came forward to examine the girl while the king gestured for the Anunnaki to follow. “There are many other innocent cubs struck down by this illness. I would trade my own life to save them all.”

  “I do not require payment to right a wrong.”

  In the next chamber, they found Regents Ahassunu and Burrukan kneeling by a large bed. Erra looked to be little better than Arwia had been.

  The Anunnaki projected calm and shortly after the swift blessing and purification ritual, the boy regained consciousness and blinked open his eyes. He was healed and healthy, just like Arwia.

  Wordlessly, the Anunnaki moved out into the hall, showering all the mortals as he went. Once outside, Enkara saw that the other Anunnaki had arrived as promised and were healing the sick.

  After that, the ancient one—Enkara had resorted to giving him that label since he hadn’t shared his name—turned to look at her.

  “My brethren will stay and heal all those who have been struck down by this illness, but it is time for us to leave.”

  “Leave?” Only then did King Ditanu scan the crowd around him. His ever-present king’s mask cracking and falling away. “Where is my oldest son? Where is Kuwari?”

  The Anunnaki bowed. “Your son has gone to the underworld to negotiate with Queen Ereshkigal to prevent this from happening again.”

  “No.” The king’s denial reopened Enkara’s own fears for her beloved prince.

  “Your son knows that Ereshkigal will never rest. She will always seek to make others feel what she herself felt at the loss of her love. An accord must be reached, a treaty drawn up between the two goddesses. Crown Prince Kuwari is key to that.”

  “I failed him.” Queen Iltani said as tears flowed from her red-rimmed eyes. “He always knew this dark future was coming for him and yet he never complained or deviated from his moral code. Our beautiful boy. How can Ishtar allow this?”

  “A sacrifice is sometimes needed to bring about peace.” The Anunnaki looked to Enkara again. “And other times a compromise like the Sacred Marriage will do well enough. Are you ready young Blade?”

  King Ditanu drew his sword. “What are you—”

  “Yes,” Enkara said, cutting off the king for the first time in her life. But she was too focused on what the guardian spirit had just said. The ancient one had just given her the seeds of a plan that might free Kuwari. “I am ready to go now.”

  The Anunnaki nodded and then raised his hand and brought it down upon her head. Magic surged, dancing all around her in vivid hues, shimmering brighter until all the colors were burned away, leaving only a blinding white glow in its wake.

  Then solid blackness snuffed out the light. A moment later, she felt the world shift as she fell through the layers of the mortal world.

  Chapter 41

  The temple he found himself in was familiar to Kuwari. After all, he’d been here before in his visions. Now he stood looking out over a stone balcony, a beautiful city spreading out below him. This one easily rivaled the splendor of Nineveh. And the sky! Never had he seen such stars. They expanded across the sky in ribbons of glorious color, so bright he needed no other light to see the city below.

  As spectacular as it was, its beauty didn’t touch him.

  Anunnaki patrolled the pristine streets. People, or perhaps he should call them what they truly were, spirits of the dead, moved around below, attending to whatever spirits did in the underworld, he supposed.

  “Once you agree to my terms, you will grow accustomed to your new home, and soon your Blade will join you here. My husband and I can make you happy.”

  Kuwari doubted that. He turned to glance sidelong at her where she stood at his shoulder, overlooking the capital of her domain.

  She was every bit the regal queen and goddess rolled into one glorious package. Great beauty forged with fearsome power. He didn’t doubt her husband would be eager to again hold her in his embrace. Kuwari just wished Nergal wouldn’t be using his arms to do it.

  None of this was what he would have chosen, but fate seldom delivered the outcome of one’s desire. And the twenty Anunnaki lining the walls of the chamber behind him were there to ensure he didn’t try to trick his way free of this fate.

  Turning, he smiled at Ereshkigal, completely catching the goddess off guard. She drew in a sharp breath before recovering enough to speak. “My sister’s one greatest gift to the world was the gryphons and the men and women of the royal line.”

  “And what is yours?”

  “Creating my own perfect Blade.”

  “Creation isn’t your gift. You can’t claim any part of Enkara’s greatnes
s.”

  “No? Perhaps not. But I shaped her, and she will become my Blade in time.”

  “Only if you can convince her.”

  Ereshkigal’s expression twisted into something dark and filled with rage. Oh, she was still annoyed with him for discovering that little tidbit of news. But he’d gladly use it to save his beloved.

  The moment the medallion had brought him to the land of Kur, his gift of visions had latched upon Ereshkigal and showed him many interesting things. One of the most beneficial was the knowledge that the Queen of the Underworld couldn’t force Enkara to act as her host without first gaining her permission.

  Being half-human, Enkara was under the protection of Enki, creator god of the first humans. It hadn’t taken him long to figure out that he was also protected to some small degree since Ishtar had blended the lines of humans and gryphons long ago to tame the wildness of the winged predators. That had been a handy bit of knowledge.

  After Ereshkigal had mastered her rage, she stared out at the city below them again. “Have you come to a decision?”

  “I have,” Kuwari agreed. “If you promise to call back your disease and refrain from launching further attacks against New Sumer and its people, I will willingly surrender my body to Nergal.”

  “You know I want more.”

  “We all want more. Sometimes it’s denied, and we must settle for crumbs.”

  “I cannot touch my husband without killing you and sending his spirit spinning away to be reborn.”

  “Then I suggest being careful not to touch. Isn’t having your husband as a companion better than nothing at all? If I don’t surrender to him and allow his power to adapt my body to survive here, I won’t live long, and you will lose your chance.” Kuwari arched an eyebrow at Ereshkigal. “And next time Ishtar will be ready to stop even your cleverest Anunnaki from slipping Nergal’s soul into one of her gryphon royals.”

  “How do I know you’ll hold up your end of the bargain if I send my Anunnaki to cure the disease?”

  Kuwari grinned. “I’ll swear to a god I hold in high esteem.”

  It was Ereshkigal’s turn to arch an eyebrow. “If you think to trick me into allowing one of Ishtar’s agents here…”

  “No. But Tammuz is trapped here, is he not?” Kuwari looked out over the balcony again. “I will swear my word to him that I will uphold any agreement forged between you and I.”

  “Very well.” Ereshkigal suspicious expression relaxed somewhat, which probably meant there was nothing that the god of agriculture could do for him. “I will have him summoned.”

  “No one summons me. Ereshkigal, sometimes I think you forget it isn’t your power that holds me here,” a new voice said directly behind them, “Death is no barrier to the god of renewal. Only my oath keeps me here. I gave my word so that my beloved Ishtar could be free.”

  Kuwari spun and laid his eyes on a tall male approaching them from the chamber’s opposite entrance. He looked young, barely more than an adolescent, with a wild mop of black hair and dusty olive skin, but the power rolling off him was much more ancient than his appearance would suggest.

  Dropping to his knees, Kuwari prostrated himself on the polished stone floor. “I am honored.”

  Tammuz sighed wearily. “It would have pleased me better if we’d met under different circumstances. I grow tired of this manipulation and backstabbing among my fellow gods. We’ve lost our integrity somewhere along the path.”

  Kuwari glanced up at the god of shepherds and green things. “Your words are wise. Please know that if events had progressed as I wished, I would have been honored to be your host for the Sacred Marriage.”

  “I can see that in your soul.”

  Tammuz’s expression was unworried, almost relaxed. Kuwari wished his own soul shared that same deep calm.

  And then Tammuz’s voice was in his mind. “Fear not, young gryphon prince, if my plans come to fruition, you may yet have the chance to act as my host one day.”

  Only training from an earlier age to mask his thoughts, expression, and emotions allowed Kuwari to keep a neutral expression in place at the harvest god’s words. But for all that control, renewed hope still blossomed in his heart.

  “Enough talk,” Ereshkigal said and five Anunnaki stepped forward from the others lining the edge of the room. “You five and Tammuz shall bear witness to this oath between the gryphon prince and myself.”

  With nods and muttered agreements, the Anunnaki drew closer, circling Kuwari.

  Seeing no point in putting it off, he swore upon is life, soul and love of his kingdom that he would surrender himself to Nergal’s control if the Queen of the Underworld spared New Sumer from the current disease ravaging its shores and all future attempts.

  In turn, Ereshkigal swore to end her war upon the gryphon kingdom, its people, and those of the royal line.

  “We witness this,” the five Anunnaki said in unison.

  “As do I,” Tammuz said softly.

  Kuwari was still coming to terms with his new existence when a disturbance drew his attention to the ranks of Anunnaki standing behind the four judges. Weaving his way out from behind others of his kind, a tall, powerfully built eagled-headed male stepped forward. The essence of his power was familiar.

  But Kuwari barely noticed the new Anunnaki, his eyes only for the woman who walked beside him with her hands bound in front of her. Enkara. His bravely irrational Blade had come to set him free, but only managed to get caught herself. If he’d had the strength to communicate over the vast distance that had separated them, he would have warned her not to come. There would be no freedom for him now, not after he’d sworn an oath to Ereshkigal.

  Chapter 42

  Enkara kept her head up proudly as she walked next to the Anunnaki. He was a strangely calming presence. Otherwise, Enkara would have been clenching her hands into fists if they weren’t already tied so tightly she couldn’t move them.

  “Ah. The first Judge has returned from a successful hunt. Come forward Blade where I can get a better look at you.” With a regal nod of her head, Ereshkigal indicated a spot two paces in front of her.

  Enkara marched forward. There would be no fighting this goddess. At least not yet. When she’d cleared the small crowd of Anunnaki standing guard, she studied Ereshkigal. The Queen of the Underworld was equally as stunning to behold as her fierier sister. But that was the only thing they shared.

  Where Ishtar’s magic was all passion and fire, Ereshkigal’s was like a vast, ice-covered mountain lake. Deep and cold and ready to suck you under and never let you surface again once that power had you in its grip.

  Enkara tried to suppress a shudder but failed. Concentrating on Kuwari, she drew strength and warmth from him instead.

  “Beloved,” he whispered in her mind. “As much as I have always wanted you near me, this one time I would have preferred you stay away.”

  “We promised to follow where the other went. This is me keeping that oath.”

  Kuwari visibly winced at the word oath. “You shouldn’t have come, no matter what Ishtar said. You’ll be a slave alongside me now. I’m sorry, but there was no other way to safeguard the kingdom.”

  “Who said anything about being a slave? I came willingly, of my own choice.”

  “You are crazier than me.” His soft mental touch filled her with his love.

  “Kuwari, much has already happened since you came here. Our eagle-headed friend who accompanied me healed your siblings and called others of his kind to purify the rest of Nineveh’s sick and dying. He promised to see that all the city-states are cured.”

  “Do you trust him?”

  “Yes. After a fashion. The Lamassu did not see him or his brothers as a threat. Even if he is not a friend, at least he isn’t our enemy either.”

  A third mind brushed against their private link before invading it far too easily, startling Enkara until Kuwari showed her it was Tammuz.

  “The Anunnaki are ancient and have their own honor code,” Tammuz s
aid, “Once one offers you his aid, he will carry out whatever task set him so long as it doesn’t conflict with his own duties.”

  Feeling foolish for not recognizing the harvest god, she rectified her social blunder by swiftly dropping to her knees and then bowing her forehead to the floor.

  “That is not necessary, Blade Enkara,” Tammuz said with a hint of humor before his tone turned serious once more. “This Anunnaki is also my friend. You can trust him.”

  When Enkara straightened, Ereshkigal was standing nearer, studying her with a critical eye. “You’re pleasing to the eye. A good fit never goes amiss.”

  “You must be willing,” Kuwari interjected. “She can’t force you to act as host, or she risks angering Enki.”

  “True. But I shall enjoy bargaining to gain your agreement, Blade. There are many things I can offer, but likely only one you’d compromise your morals to have.” She suggestively ran her gaze over Kuwari. “I look forward to the negotiating, but first I must attend to Crown Prince Kuwari so that my husband’s spirit may awaken. The prince has a very powerful mind and will need help learning to surrender, but I believe my husband will wish to be part of these discussions.”

  A look of mild revulsion crossed Kuwari’s features but by the time the queen looked at him he had his emotionless mask back in place.

  “Take Blade Enkara and have her fed, bathed and dressed so that she is ready when I call.”

  Enkara was somewhat surprised that there was food and water and such in the underworld. What need did spirits have for such things?

  “Your expression is so open. Nothing like your prince.” Smiling in delight, Ereshkigal explained. “While this is the underworld, I have mortal servants as well. Priests and priestesses who live here with me, safely away from the other gods who might try to poach them from me. And what do you think happens to all that food left on altars throughout the kingdom of New Sumer?”

  Enkara knew the teachings, that the food was for those in the afterlife, but secretly she’d always just assumed it was eaten by the temple servants or was discarded once the altars were cleaned. She’d never thought it made its way to the afterlife or that mortals were living here.