(eng) Lisa Blackwood - Ishtar's Legacy 02 by Blades Honor

Author:Blades Honor [Honor, Blades]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Lady Kullaa stood in the royal gardens, the flowers she’d been picking long forgotten, as five Shadows in gryphon form dropped out of the sky to land in a stretch of well-groomed grass surrounded by small, flowering trees. Moments later, Crown Prince Kuwari and an unknown female gryphon with glossy black feathers lightening to burgundy at the tips came in for a landing as well. The coloring was both rare and striking.

Kullaa felt a spike of guilt. She wasn’t supposed to be here, and while she wasn’t spying for her mother, she was curious which female had caught the prince’s eye enough to share a flight with him.

Then the two shapeshifted and she realized the other female was Shadow Enkara. But that wasn’t what shocked her. It was the tattoo running down Enkara’s back that made Kullaa’s eyes widen in surprise. Moments later Enkara pulled on her robe, hiding the mark of Ishtar.

Now it was apparent why Crown Prince Kuwari ignored every eligible female that crossed his path. They all paled in comparison to his goddess chosen Enkara.

Kullaa had once seen Queen Iltani’s tattoo during the spring planting festival, so she knew the mark of a Blade when she saw one.

Enkara was Kuwari’s Blade.

No one would ever have guessed. Never had two Blades been born at the same time. If her mother and the other council members had known this, they never would have interfered, no matter how much they wanted a pure-blooded gryphon lady sitting on the throne. None would be so arrogant as to go against Ishtar’s wishes.

For some reason unknown to Kullaa, her mother, and the other council members, the Royals were keeping Enkara’s heritage a secret. Assassination attempts were far from unusual. That must be the reason for the secrecy. And hadn’t King Ditanu done something similar in his quest to protect Iltani?

Kullaa grinned as something else became clear. Her mother could do nothing to influence Crown Prince Kuwari’s choice. Maybe now Kullaa would be permitted to court the male she fancied instead of being forced to appease her mother’s wishes.

Excitement and hope flowed through her blood, and she waited impatiently for the prince and his escort to leave the gardens. Once they were gone, she squeezed out of her hiding spot. Well, she wasn’t actually hiding. Not from the prince and Enkara. Her mother, that was another matter.

She’d been coming here every so often as an escape from her mother and the court. It was quiet here, and she’d found a broad flat rock overlooking the ocean at the edge of the garden that was perfect for sunning.

Sunning in the king’s garden was the one bit of rebelliousness she allowed herself. She’d only been caught once, by Shadow Uselli. It had been her first meeting with the imposing Shadow. That first time she’d been terrified, thinking he was going to execute her for trespassing in the Royal Gardens.

Yet he only laughed and asked why she was there. Still too terrified to lie, she spilled the truth about her overbearing mother.

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