In the Midst of Omens by Nicole Bailey

Author:Nicole Bailey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nicole Bailey

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

MARRIAGE & MURDER

Enkidu stared at the gold tiles on the wall. Sunshine spilled in from high windows and caused them to gleam like a golden river, the color bubbling and swirling in every shade. Hours had passed with advisors sharing news then arguing over minute details.

Shamhat stood at the front of the room perfectly composed, her hands resting on her arms as she watched the conversation, occasionally interspersing comments. Gilgamesh’s eyes rarely remained on the person speaking. Instead, he looked around the room, stared at the windows, and occasionally glanced at Enkidu.

His heart would trip over itself each time he caught the King shifting attention towards him. Enkidu wished he could drag those feelings down, push them into a crock, and bury it deep within the earth.

He wanted to sit next to the King watching stars brighten in the night sky again.

He wanted to leave the city and never return.

The warring emotions filled him with misery. Joining the advisors didn’t help. He had nothing useful to add. He felt as bored as Gilgamesh appeared, though the King would snap his attention back to the group when he added comments every few minutes. It was obvious he paid careful attention despite his wandering eyes.

A sigh built in Enkidu’s chest, and he released it slowly.

“I believe we should advise the foresters to harvest only from the cedar forest’s southern portion.” An advisor frowned down at a clay tablet. “Humbaba’s aggression grows. They could carve out sections of the forest and cut all the trees in that area.”

“No.” The word left Enkidu’s mouth before he could stop it. Every face in the room turned towards him, and he shrank back towards the wall.

Shamhat cocked her head. “Do you have thoughts you wish to share, Enkidu?”

The King’s gaze upon him felt like the sun beating down on him, burning until it marked. Enkidu swallowed and stared at the floor again. “You cannot clear an entire section of the forest. Everything is interconnected. It will damage more than just the area you raze.”

The advisor shrugged and clapped his ring-adorned hands together. “The cedar forest is large. It will recover.”

“Perhaps it would.” Enkidu couldn’t stop the words now. They spilled out, burning with passion. “However, there are other lives that would be affected.”

The wolves’ haunting howls streaked across Enkidu’s mind.

Hirin cleared his throat like he would speak, but the first advisor scoffed before he could. “And why should we listen to you?”

Enkidu’s anger left him in a great breath, and heat swept across his cheeks. He couldn’t answer that. The gods had sent him, but for what purpose he didn’t know. Standing there advising a king was foolishness. Enkidu had nothing to offer.

Gilgamesh rolled his shoulders back, and thunder filled his voice when it came. “Are you questioning my appointment of Enkidu?” His nose flared. “Do you question the gods who sent him?”

The advisor’s sneer washed away, and his eyes darted among the others before he shook his head. “Of course not. Forgive me, Lugal.”

Gilgamesh kept the weight of his glare upon him for another dozen heartbeats.

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