by Renee Travis
“I know, Eshie. Don’t worry about me. I am going to be fine. Lord Dumuzi is handsome and really nice to me.” She changed the subject, eyes wary. I always knew she was smarter than she acted.
“Of course he is. You exude love, and he was putty in your hands the moment he agreed to marry you. Not only will he love you forever but you guys will have dozens of babies,” following the change of subject. For the next half an hour we gossiped just like we always had, talking about people we knew, her clothes and her upcoming wedding.
Right before I told her goodbye she leaned in quickly and placed her hand against the mirror, “Eshie, do not come back to the castle. No matter what.” Her voice was so soft I almost didn’t catch it. Then she straightened, “Love you, Eshie. Talk to you soon.” And the mirror went blank.
“Well, that was interesting,” the Mirror Spirit commented, coming back into view.
“It was, wasn’t it?” Pride laced my voice and I turned my attention to the thing in the glass, “now, you…. terms.”
“I have…..what you might consider siblings….they are locked away in the attic of the castle. I will serve you more loyally than anyone. All I request is that you rescue them and put them to use.” Worry laced its otherworldly voice.
“Are they trapped in a specific mirror, or if I created a new place will they be able to settle in with proper binding?” Like Ishtar, I too, was smarter than I looked. Rescuing full sized mirrors from my parents’ castle would be time consuming and tricky.
“No. If you can find a suitable replacement they can just be transferred. Though I have never come in contact with anyone who has the power to do it,” as it looked at me curiously.
“I do. It might take me a little bit of time and I will want your opinion on the new vessels, agreed?” Bargaining was easy and something I was getting good at and used to.
“Yes,” the word was hissed from the glass.
“How many? And would you care if I sent them out afterwards?” An idea was brewing.
“Two, and no. What is important is that they are of use.”
“Alright. Now will you please call my brother?” I straightened my coronet and settled again to wait for Mash to come on the line.
He did, fully dressed and armed with a Light Sword, which startled me a bit. He was in his throne room and I could hear and see people milling about.
“Ereshkigal,” His voice was formal; he wore not just a coronet, but a full crown.
“Shamash,” I greeted him, a little sad by the realization he was treating me as another ruler and not his sister.
“What news have you from Adura?” he asked.
“Not much. Dark business as per usual. Have you any news from Nannaru?” I gave him nothing. He was looking for something specific and I wanted him to ask me for it.
“That is sad to hear, sister. I had hoped to form an alliance against Biri.” He was studying me, a small smile played on his lips.
“And why would you need such an alliance, brother dear?” Oh yeah, I was totally mocking him.
“I have sent a message to Mare and Father, challenging them for the rule of Nannaru. Letting them know I have cut off all trade routes and roads through Nannaru and anyone coming into Nannaru without my consent will be considered hostile.” Mash was quite grim.
“What about those people in North Biri? They can only reach the south by travelling through Nannaru or Adura.” I was a little shocked at his hostility.
“They will have to have permission. I am not planning on being cruel Ereshkigal, only safe and proactive.”
“What was their response?” My question was very hushed.
“Disbelief. Until I arrested several members of Biri Guardsmen when they strayed into Nannaru. Mare and Father have now closed the borders on their side and my people say they are being patrolled. There has been no formal communication yet from our parents. Then again, this only happened a few days ago,” he explained.
“Alright. Then it has started.” I sighed, this seemed way more than what I could be expected to handle.
“I need to know whose side you are on, sister.”
“I am on Adura’s side, Mash,” I made a point to use his nickname, “I did not want to make a decision like this so soon. I will need a little time. Give me a week and I will get back to you.” It was the best I could offer him.
He nodded his head, “I understand and respect your hesitation. I look forward to speaking with you in seven days time.” The mirror went blank. Even the Mirror Spirit knew not to approach me.
Well, what are you going to do now? Puabi flapped her wings a few times to get my attention.
“What I should have done if I had not gotten caught up in the drama at Bet Pagri, hold a summit.” Butterflies twisted in my stomach. I would call a meeting; representatives of all the different creatures in Adura and each of the town mayors.
Summoning my Lady’s Maid I waited, mind turning over with everything that needed to be done. Beletseri came in, with a paper and pen in hand.
“Yes, Your Highness?” She didn’t bow, thank the dark goddess.
“I need you to personally hunt down something for me,” I then gave her the specifications of the two mirrors I needed. Before she went to acquire the looking glasses, she helped me dress.
I chose a black skirt of soft cotton that went to my knees, white and black stripped stockings with ankle boots. I had a sleeveless scooped neck white tunic with a black and white striped waist cincher corset. I did my own hair, choosing a simple bun.
Going downstairs I smiled and made small talk with my staff. I found Sarlu speaking with the cook about lunch.
“Sarlu, I need your help.”
“Yes, your highness,” dismissing the cook, she gave me her full attention.
“I need to hold a summit here. All of the major players should be in attendance as soon as possible. I will need your help getting the invitations out and arranging lodging for everyone. I know it is short notice, but the faster we can get people here the better.” I was pacing, there were parts of Adura that were a week’s journey. Not everyone could shadow walk and I did not think I could obtain or make enough transportation amulets in the next few days.
Sarlu seemed stunned, but recovered beautifully, “that should not be a problem. I am sure that we can arrange that. I have a few very useful household spells that will work for lodging and your home has a Necessity Door.”
“Wow, really?” That was pretty cool, and rare, wondering who had built my new home.
“Yes. I just discovered it yesterday,” she led me into the main foyer. She showed me a door which I had thought just to be another closet.
“Until yesterday I could not get this door to open, no matter what myself and the staff did, until I asked it for something specific. Room, I need someplace where over thirty could sit and have a conference comfortably.” She opened the door and I stared into a room with a stage and balcony seating.
Sarlu closed the door, “thank you room.” It seemed to creak in welcome.
“Excellent. Now should I send into town to see if the inn can hold guests and request food-”
Sarlu cut me off, “That is my job Your Highness. I will speak with the Butler and Cook and see what will be needed. I may need to hire extra staff.”
“Yes, sure, whatever you need, you know I trust you to handle everything. I am going to see what I can do about making sure everyone will be here.” I was not looking forward to it.
“I am sure you will come up with something. Now I have much to attend to. Will you mind if I have a spread of sandwich fixings, fresh fruit and cold tea put out in the conservatory for lunch? It will simplify things.”
“Of course, and please tell the staff to help themselves as well. It will make things run smoother if everyone eats when they can.” I made my way outside after that, knowing Sarlu would take care of everything. Once outside, the moon high in the sky, I looked around at my property, quite happy with the way the gardens looked.
/> “Your Highness?”
Turning I saw my Head Gardner, “Yes?”
“I wanted to tell you we have finished with the landscaping, and we found something behind the servant’s quarters you may want to take a look at.” His smile was friendly, but there was a secret in his eyes. He motioned to a well lit path that led far from the main house.
“Are your rooms nice?” I asked, before leaving, I had to make sure.
“What?” He seemed taken back.
“Your rooms, the kitchen, everything in the second house. Are they nice?”
“Oh, yes my Lady, they certainly are.”
“If you need anything please tell Sarlu, I will not have my staff uncomfortable.” With that I left him. It was quiet outside, which made me happy.
Wandering down past the staff housing I saw that my gardeners had cleared out some dense forest that had been back there. What I found was very pleasing. Amidst the dark green grass, and smattering of trees and other flora was a tiny cemetery surrounded by a three foot high stone wall with a small gate.
I jumped the wall and the moment my feet touched the ground saturated by death I felt peaceful and so much better. Inky tendrils of my magic swarmed around me, touching each corpse, making a mental map of where all the dead were. While my staff may have discovered this they had not done anything inside the cemetery. There were graves with no markers, head stones that were broken and weeds everywhere. Dropping to my knees I began to pull weeds while trying to work out how to get everyone here in time.
Magic helped and within an hour I had cleared away the weeds in half the cemetery. I was dirty, sweaty and tired. Sitting back on my heels, I thought about Nergal. I missed him and it had only been a few days. I hated the fact that I had gotten so used to his presence and I didn’t like being by myself anymore. I wondered what married life would be like; would I feel scared, cramped and sick to my stomach all the time? Or would it be fun, passionate and comfortable?
“The latter, my daughter”
I spun around and almost landed on my ass as I faced Zalm; she laughed at me, good naturedly.
“Goddess,” I bowed my head.
“Stand up Ereshkigal.”
As I stood, she waved her hand over me and I was clean and refreshed. It was like being stuck in a tornado of cool fresh wind and then it was over.
“Thank you.” I have to admit, magic was easier than going home and taking a bath. Though not as fulfilling.
“I could not have you filthy while we talk,” she laughed and it was like chills went up my spine. I had to remember no matter how kind or sincere she sounded, this was a Dark Goddess.
“I appreciate the work you have put into this cemetery. It makes me…..happy….to have my family so well looked after.”
“Family,” I almost stuttered it.
“Yes. Several hundred years ago I had a baby; I created this home for him and his family.” She looked kind of sad; I did not think the story ended happily.
“As the darkness, it is in my nature to rebel, and to love the dark. There was a man, whose gift was over the dead as yours is. We had one night. I birthed a son and gave him to his father; he was not immortal enough to stay in the Underworld with me.”
“What happened to him?” I almost did not want to know the answer.
“He is the Necromancer who created the P.O.T. graveyard.” She admitted.
“Oh, wow….” Yeah, that was me, speechless.
“I was angry, and concerned that all that I had beget would turn the same way. I could not have that. As much as a part of me longs to rule all of Salas with a darkness that would consume all light, there must be balance.” Wind began to whip around the goddess, her long hair flying around her as she spoke, like her emotions and agitation fueled the atmosphere.
“So you killed them all,” finishing her story.
“Yes. I came here and slaughtered my own blood. I personally escorted them to the underworld so they could be with me forever.” She did not seem ashamed, but she did seem depressed.
“Except…” There was a point to this story, I knew it, but man, Gods were long winded and dramatic.
“There was a baby, a boy, tiny and handsome, only about three years old. As I turned on him Syb and Pesu stopped me. They begged me for mercy, he was their kin, too. Neither of my sisters had ever taken lovers outside of other Gods. Syb told me she would take him and make him Biri born, place him with a good family,” Zalm’s eyes pierced mine, almost crazed.
“My father’s grandfather, yes?” I knew it, without a doubt. My great-grandfather had died several years ago, an accident at sea. But he had always been a little odd and had been kind to me.
“Yes.” Her words slapped at me.
“So I am…. your great-great-granddaughter?” This was almost more than I could handle. I wished Nam was with me, he was good with intense and or bad news.
“You are.”
“So you are going to what? Kill me?” I would accept death; it was in my nature to do so.
“No. I think you are different Ereshkigal. You are like me, dark but…practical…passionate but….thoughtful.” Zalm was suddenly at my side, inches from my face, she smelled like dirt and decaying leaves; I liked it.
“It is for this reason I am going to give you something that will allow you to get people here quicker and allow you to travel as fast as you need to.” Yanking up a corner of my shirt she bared her brand and blew frozen breath on it. Magic absorbed into my system and all I could do for a moment was gape at her.
She had given me the ability to open a portal into the Underworld and use it as a passage. Because of the properties of the Underworld it could be as short or vast a space as needed. This meant that I could open a door for others, basically pull them through to appear before me. Death Nymphs were the only natural beings who could do this, aside from the Gods.
“My Goddess, thank you!” I bowed, yup, even though I am against it.
“You are welcome, but I have one request.”
Great, I knew it; nothing that awesome comes without a price.
“You will, I mean…will you come and visit your family there? It is the least I can do after taking their lives, to allow them to see their own blood, alive and well.” She cupped my cheek, her icy corpse-like skin feeling like…family.
Her request was the last thing I expected, but how could I deny it? I could now travel freely from this world to the next.
“Of course Dark Goddess. I would be honored to visit your realm.”
She gave me a genuine, not so frightening smile and then was gone and the cemetery felt her loss as did I. Now to get back and tell Sarlu I had figured out how to get everyone to the estate in the next few days. Hopefully, they would all agree to come.
Chapter 19
Opening portals to the underworld was hard work and that was how Nam found me five days later when he finally stumbled home.
“Nam!” I exclaimed, hugging him.
“Hey Eshie, Nergal got your invitation and showed it to me. What’s going on? It is crazy outside.” He linked an arm with mine as we went upstairs to his room.
While he bathed I told him everything that had happened. I sat crossed legged on his bed, back turned as he came into the room in a towel and began to get changed.
“Wow, leave it to you to have adventures when I’m not around,” he teased, “So what’s up with all the little cabins in the front yard?”
“Sarlu has the best spell; the cabins are temporary and turn into little blocks of wood when no longer in use and on the inside they are super nice bedrooms with attached bathrooms. So everyone could stay here and are comfortable. Cook has set up an outside eating area so that everybody can eat together. People are really enjoying the rusticness.”
Nam sat on the bed across from me, “Bet Pagri was interesting. The Alu funeral rites are intriguing to say the least. It was boring without you; I wanted to come home earlier but the Sleep Walking Sickness was harder to cure than I thought.�
� He studied me for a moment, “Nergal could not stop talking about you.”
“Really? I miss him. Did he mention if he or his dad were coming?” I hoped it was Nergal; his dad was currently on my shit list.
“No, but I think Nergal and Ekur will probably be here.” Nam grinned, and it was his silly grin. I grabbed a pillow and began to thwack him with it.
“Hey! Hey! Alright, that aside I do have something important to tell you,” he said between gasps for air.
“What?”
“Lilu is dead, Eshie. I saw her burned myself.”
“Could you have saved her?”
“I don’t think so and I didn’t try. She deserved to die.”
And that was the last we spoke on that. I was about to tell him when the summit was going to begin, he was lucky he made it on time, and who all had shown up, then a knock sounded at the door and Beletseri came in. Nam gave her wide eyes and then hid behind his hair, which I thought was very interesting.
“Beletseri this is Namtar my best friend, Nam this is my new Lady’s Maid.”
“Greetings,” she gave a little curtsey, Nam mumbled hello and pretended to pick at his nails. I gave him a small kick and rolled my eyes.
“What’s up?” I asked her.
“I believe I have found what you asked me for. And your aunt and uncle just arrived through the last and final portal,” she told me, then handed me a bag.
“Thanks. Tell them I will be right down.”
“What’s in the bag?” Nam bugged me, poking at the large multi colored carpet bag. I quickly explained about the Mirror Spirit.
“So, I figured I would send the other two spirits to Ishtar and Mash, that way we can all talk without fear of being monitored. I wanted hand mirrors for them so they could be easily hid, just in case.” I placed the bag under my bed. I would show my own Mirror Spirit later and get its approval.
