Blade's Destiny by Lisa Blackwood

Author:Lisa Blackwood [Blackwood, Lisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2018-12-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

Once again Nuannin stood before the altar of Ereshkigal in the secret temple deep below the palace. This time she wasn’t here to honor the goddess. The trip was for something far less relaxing. A talk with Councilor Ekurzakir. Her father was never one for pleasantries or relaxed conversation.

The attack hadn’t gone as planned. The Blade had survived. The Anunnaki had returned back to the underworld. And, worse, the queen wasn’t running scared and deferring to the remaining council members like they’d hoped.

In fact, she was cutting them out of her plans and keeping her own counsel. And then there were the newcomers she had somehow sneaked into the palace. She’d already named one of them Captain of the Shadows.

What kind of a name was that for a garrison company?

It had to be the Blade’s work.

Nothing had gone as planned. Plus, Nutesh was due back from a trade mission in Kalhu later today, and she needed to warn her brother about everything. Especially the Blade. They needed to take extra precautions not to come near him. Or else they risked the Blade picking up on their plans.

They only had two medallions, and as a council member, her father needed them both to guarantee his intentions remained hidden from the Blade. Now they’d have to make stronger medallions. One for herself and her brother.

Everything would have been so much better if the Blade had died in the attack.

Footsteps approached quickly. Good, her father was here. Perhaps he had heard from one of the Anunnaki or Ereshkigal herself with their next plans. She turned toward the sound to greet him and froze.

It wasn’t her father.

Her brother stormed up to her looking angry.

“Nutesh, what are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be back until tonight.” Her words came out high and tight with concern.

“The ship’s captain said there was a storm brewing out to sea and he wanted to make the trip before it hit. But that is not why I’m here. I just came back from visiting the Crown Princess, and she had a man in her chambers. It was obvious he’s sharing her bed. Her scent was all over him. How could you and father let this happen? By Ereshkigal’s grace! I was only gone five days!”

“Goddess, be merciful,” Nuannin made a sign of protection. “You fool, did you speak with the male?”

“Only a few words. He wouldn’t even let me see her. It was obvious the male didn’t want me there.”

“Were you followed!”

“What? No. Why?”

“He’s her Blade!”

Nutesh’s mouth fell open in his surprise, but he snapped it shut a moment later and then turned toward the altar. “We must dismantle the shrine and hide it swiftly.”

“It won’t matter. The Blade will have sensed something in you. I’m surprised you’re even still breathing.” Nuannin turned in a half circle looking out toward the other darkened halls. The light of the two torches on either side of the altar didn’t provide enough light to illuminate very far into the darkness.

Were

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.