A Blade's Beginning

  ISHTAR’S LEGACY # 1.5

  LISA BLACKWOOD

  Copyright

  A Blade’s Beginning © 2018 by Lisa Smeaton

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, and characters are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any print or electronic form without the author's permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  Edited by Tracy Vandervliet

  Table of Contents

  A BLADE’S BEGINNING

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Blade’s Honor

  Blurb

  After being freed from her prison cell by the King of the Gryphons, Enkara will endure the dangers of court intrigues and assassins to be united with the gryphon cub who kept her sane during the many years she spent in a dark dungeon.

  But if she doesn’t reach him in time, an assassin in the service of the Queen of the Underworld will steal away her only chance to save him.

  Author’s Note:

  A Blade’s Beginning is a short story that is part of the Ishtar’s Legacy universe. It ties together events from Ishtar’s Blade and Blade’s Honor.

  Prologue

  An assassination attempt was a dangerous undertaking for both the target and the person planning it, Enheduana mused as she made her way down a set of ancient stone stairs. Time and dampness had pitted and discolored them, but they were still serviceable for her needs.

  She descended the last stair and continued into a series of now-familiar corridors until, at last, she came to the remains of a temple deep beneath the Royal Palace. The temple was still protected from interlopers by its ancient magic.

  Like her mother before her, Enheduana made the long trek twice per moon cycle to perform the rituals that kept the temple’s magic alive. If she thought she could make the trip more often and remain unnoticed, she would, but some needs superseded others. Her carefully cultivated Councilor persona took a great deal of her time. But it wasn’t what she was.

  She had a higher purpose.

  Enheduana swept into the temple and continued toward the altar at the back of the room. A swiftly drawn knife, a chanted prayer, and a quick cut on her arm temporarily fulfilled the temple’s need for blood and worship.

  When she raised her gaze from the altar to the tall statue of the Queen of the Underworld, she smeared a dab of blood against the statue’s cold lips.

  “Great Ereshkigal, may your blessing be ever generous.”

  After uttering the simple prayer, she turned and addressed the dark alcove that once housed a statue of Nergal, King of the Underworld. “Good, you are here.”

  At her words, a cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows. Enheduana nodded her head in acknowledgment. “The Anunnaki brought the items from the underworld you will need.”

  She shivered at the memory of the towering spirit guardian with a man’s body and the head and wings of an eagle. Yet she’d survived the summoning and a deal had been reached, so at least for now, her dealings with one of his kind was over. She picked up the medallion and two daggers still in their sheaths from where they rested on the altar and handed them to the female assassin. “You know what to do with the medallion?”

  “Yes. I remember,” the assassin said in her soft voice.

  “Good. Is everything else in place?”

  The cloaked figure nodded. “All is ready.”

  “If you get the chance, kill the king. But Queen Iltani is the primary target. Her powers as Ishtar’s Blade make it too risky to continue with the next phase of the plan. As long as Iltani lives, we risk exposure. I will not be the priestess who failed her goddess.”

  “I shall honor great Ereshkigal with a death this day, either Queen Iltani’s or my own.” The assassin bowed to the altar.

  Enheduana just hoped it was Iltani’s soul that made the journey to the underworld and not the assassin’s.

  Chapter 1

  Enkara peered around the column shielding her from view. Only when she was certain no one was looking her way did she dart from her temporary shelter to the next in line, using the shadows to mask her presence from the guards and the boisterous nobility already deep into their drinks.

  The nobles were no threat. She could hide in their shadows, and they’d never know she was there. The Lagashian city-state guards, while more watchful, didn’t worry her overly much either. She’d made it safely past five dozen of their brethren to get this far.

  But the other guards, the King’s Shadows—those silent, expressionless and ever-watchful protectors who had accompanied the royal party to Lagash for the celebration—those sentries were far more difficult to sneak past unnoticed.

  Today was the first time she’d seen the king’s elite Shadow guards in person, but she’d read about them in her studies. Highly skilled guards loyal only to their ruler. It was said one Shadow was worth ten well-trained regular soldiers.

  Another text she’d read claimed these Shadows were soul-bound to their monarch and could sense an assassin’s approach. It wasn’t supposed to be as advanced as the power Ishtar’s Blade wielded, but still enough to alert them to the presence of danger.

  That, Enkara decided, was a lie.

  Otherwise, they would have sensed the assassin who had proceeded her up the tiled floor of the corridor. Though, the assassin had a disguise that let her navigate the corridors openly. Enkara wasn’t as lucky, but that didn’t deter her. She would find her target.

  Sliding along the wall, she kept one hand against the stone, her fingers brushing along the surface. She noted the ornate carvings of lions and bulls etched in the stone’s cool surface.

  If the torches had been lit and the antechamber flooded with light, she would have been able to see the blue and gold paint and small squares of lapis lazuli that decorated the walls and columns. But the sun was still above the horizon and servants hadn’t yet arrived to light the torches, so she used the long shadows to hide.

  The decadence of the motif crafted upon the stone mattered little, she was more interested in matching the patterns in her mind. Her own strange power allowed her to hide, even to remain hidden from the guards’ sight for a time. It made her feel braver than she really was.

  Unfortunately, the closer she got to the great hall’s entrance, the greater the number of people and the risk someone would run into her. She surveyed the nearest guards and the nobles still arriving. Then drawing a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and stiffened her spine; though, there was nothing she could do to stop the trembling of her knees.

  When a group of nobles made their way up the stairs, she used them to hide her smaller form as she released her magic and stepped from her hiding place.

  The nobles were oblivious, likely seeing her no more than they would a young servant in training set on some task by one of her elders. She kept her gaze downcast and her demeanor docile. Ahead, the number of nobles increased, making it easier for her to hide among them. She wove in and out of the taller adults, her small stature aiding in her quest.

  Not long after she entered the hall, she spotted Lady Ettu and the group of orphans gathered around her. Today Enkara’s fellow orphans were being presented to Prince Kuwari, the sole survivor of his litter. She’d never actually seen the cub with her own eyes, but she knew him through the special link they’d shared since his birth four summers ago. She’d felt him as he took his first breath, his soul and magic already seeking her out.

  Today was his name day. She supposed it was fate that they were meeting in person for the first time this day. Though, if she’d been given a choice, she would have been with him from the time of his birth.

  But he was too young to come to her, and she’d been a prisoner in a dungeon until seven months ago when King Ditanu and his Blade, Iltani, had rescued the prisoners from Kalhu’s dank cells.

  Ziyatum, traitorous governor of Kalhu, and his equally faithless daughter, Beletum, were killed that night. Enkara hadn’t shed a tear over the deaths of her grandfather or aunt. Her mother had told her they’d killed her father, Ziyatum’s own son, when he wished to defect and warn the king of the traitors in the heart of New Sumer. Five years later, Enkara’s mother had died in their shared cell.

  No, Enkara hadn’t felt sorrow for the deaths of either her grandfather or her aunt.

  At first, she’d felt nothing. Then fear manifested. After her first terrifying and exhilarating taste of freedom, she’d adjusted to all the light and noise and realized she never wanted to go back to existing inside a small, cold cell. But if her rescuers learned she was a granddaughter of Ziyatum, they would put her back in a dark place.

  After all, her own flesh and blood had imprisoned her to keep their secret. This king would likely do much worse to protect his family.

  She wouldn’t go back to a dungeon. Yet her mother had made her promise that if she ever escaped, she must seek out the line of the gryphon kings and swear her allegiance to them, for she had a great destiny.

  Back then, Enkara hadn’t known what destiny had meant. There were many other things she’d only come to understand over the last seven months of freedom. But even as her understanding of this world and her place in it grew, she never once allowed anyone to learn the secret of her he

ritage.

  Her mother had also warned her to never let others see the mark running along her spine, so she hadn’t. Though, it wasn’t always easy. Her rescuers had assigned her and all the other orphans to the safekeeping of a noble lady by the name of Ettu.

  Lady Ettu, with the help of an army of servants, had set upon a quest to learn the identities of the orphans and to match them to any remaining family, but there were still fifteen children that were without any living relatives to take them in.

  As such, Lady Ettu had explained that all the children were now the wards of the king. As part of King Ditanu’s duty, he would inspect the children and decide upon mentors for them, but first, since his own son, Kuwari, had lost two siblings in the same raid that had killed the orphans’ parents, the cub would pick one or more of the orphans to be his new brother or sister.

  To have a family was something Enkara had desperately wanted since she’d lost her own mother just over four years ago. When Kuwari was born, her silent plea was answered, and she had someone to love. But until Lady Ettu had mentioned that the orphans would be presented to the monarchs, she hadn’t known how to go about inserting herself into the cub’s life.

  This inspection of the orphans was her best chance.

  Unfortunately, in keeping her secret, she’d made herself unpresentable. Kuwari couldn’t pick her if she couldn’t get in the same room with him.

  When she’d lined up with the other orphans earlier, Lady Ettu had looked upon her with pity and taken her aside, telling her that only a proper lady could meet the king. Ettu had then pointedly looked at Enkara’s matted hair and dirt-smudged skin and told her there was no time to get properly cleaned up now, but that if she was good and conducted herself in a dignified manner befitting a girl of nine summers, then maybe at some later date Enkara could meet the king.

  Enkara hadn’t cared about the king. She’d only known that earlier this morning her magic had warned her of some unnamed danger to Kuwari.

  She frowned at the fabric of a noble lady’s skirt and admitted what she’d done next hadn’t helped her cause.

  When Lady Ettu had called for servants to come take Enkara back to her room, she’d hissed and growled and bit at them as they’d tried to drag her away. During that fight, she’d learned the nature of the danger Kuwari faced.

  Among the servants had been a new woman by the name of Gemekala. She was there to help deliver the orphans to the king for his inspection. During the scuffle with the servants, Enkara had gotten close enough to the woman to scent a familiar chilled darkness she hadn’t smelled since the last time her grandfather had ventured into her dungeon cell to tell her lies about the king of the gryphons.

  That time he’d told of how King Ditanu had executed Enkara’s father for treason against the crown and that the king had also ordered the deaths of the traitor’s mate and child. Ziyatum claimed he’d hidden Enkara and her mother away in his dungeon for their own protection.

  Lies were easy to spot. They left a bitter scent in the air almost strong enough to taste. A scent trail of bitterness had always followed in Ziyatum’s wake. He was just too confident in his own lies to ever think a child could see through his words. But Enkara had been forced by circumstance to become a master of lies herself.

  And now that taint was back again, emanating from Gemekala.

  Shortly after she’d scented it, Enkara had stopped fighting and allowed herself to be led back to her rooms. She hadn’t promised she’d stay there. Which was how she’d come to be hiding in the shadows of well-groomed nobles, hunting for Gemekala in the crowds.

  Lies, determination, and the need to protect Kuwari from an assassin had gotten her this far. Now to do the rest. Enkara glanced around and studied the Lagashian guards as well as the dozen Shadows stationed along the walls of the hall.

  She picked out a broad-shouldered Shadow guard standing next to a column done with a bull motif. Making her way to him took some doing. She had to weave her way between all the laughing and dancing adults without drawing their attention.

  Plus, she didn’t want to alert the assassin, so she forced herself to calmly walk to the King’s Shadow. When she reached his side, the Shadow glanced down at her, somewhat surprised by her sudden arrival.

  “Are you lost, child?”

  She continued to stare at her feet as she nodded.

  “Well, I’m Kurumtum—a King’s Shadow. Let’s see if we can get you back to your parents.”

  “I’m one of the orphans,” Enkara said in a small, timid voice, knowing that was what he’d expect to hear from her. “I was supposed to come with Lady Ettu, but I was playing in the pasture and lost track of time.”

  Kurumtum laughed. “I can see.”

  He wiped at one of the smudges of dirt and sighed. “Ah well. My daughter was just as bad growing up. Besides, it’s not like King Ditanu hasn’t seen his share of dirt in the training ring. Come, I’ll take you to Lady Ettu.”

  Enkara nodded. The Shadow merely nodded and held out his hand.

  After a short hesitation, she took it and followed him into the hall. Navigating the press of the crowd, which thickened the closer they got to the front, took longer than she wanted, but they eventually made it to Lady Ettu who was speaking with King Ditanu.

  The noblewoman half turned and gestured, indicating the line of orphans. King Ditanu nodded and called behind him. A tall, muscular woman descended the stairs of the dais where four thrones dominated the front of the room.

  Enkara didn’t pay the woman much mind, even though she knew from her lessons and Kuwari’s memories that she was Ishtar’s Blade, goddess-chosen protector of the royal line.

  No. Enkara was much more interested in the fat cub the woman carried. He was still a ball of soft feathers and fur; although his wings did have the beginnings of short primary flight feathers. She frowned in sudden thought. He would likely be flying in another year or two.

  Being half human herself, she didn’t know if she’d ever be able to shift into gryphon form. Her mother had died before she’d thought to ask, and after she’d been freed, Enkara had feared to expose the depths of her ignorance to Lady Ettu or her other instructors and raise their suspicions.

  But flight was a curiosity to mull over later. Now, she was much more concerned about the other assassin. Enkara’s magic was stirring stronger, a strange mix of creeping cold and simmering heat just below her skin. It guided her eyes in the direction where Gemekala stood ready to usher forward the first of the orphans.

  As the gryphon royalty started forward, heading toward the line of orphans, apparently unaware of the danger, Enkara allowed Shadow Kurumtum to take her to the end of the line which put her in striking distance of Gemekala.

  When Enkara reached them, Gemekala glanced down at her with startled surprise followed by mild disdain, but she swiftly mastered her emotions, and they vanished behind a fake mask of pleasantry.

  The mask did nothing to hide the assassin’s dark intent. So as not to betray her own, Enkara tucked her chin to her chest and stared at her grubby feet—projecting a humble demeanor that she hoped would fool the assassin.

  It seemed to. The assassin paid her no more attention, transferring her focus back to the approaching king. The cub was now in his arms, and it seemed to take the king’s full attention to hold back his struggling cub.

  “Kuwari!” the king said in a deep voice laced with humor. “You must learn patience if you will one day rule after me.”

  He ignored his father’s voice, growling louder and continuing to struggle until his father relented and set him down on the polished floor.

  Kuwari bolted forward, surprising everyone as he raced past the other children and launched himself at her. Enkara stumbled back a step, Kuwari’s weight greater than she’d expected, but he stayed with her and continued to shove at her, issuing high pitched growls and squeals.

  Surprised by his near-panicked thoughts bombarding hers, Enkara reached out to calm the cub until she realized he was pushing her away from her prey. Kuwari’s snarls and growls were, in fact, his attempt to drive her away while also letting others know about Gemekala.

 

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