Page 9

KALUGAL

K alugal savored the gentle hum of conversation flowing around his dining table, the satisfaction of a successful gathering curiously comforting.

His family and guests were enjoying Atzil's culinary masterpiece of a brunch while stealing curious glances his way.

He'd kept them waiting deliberately.

The art of suspense was something his cousin didn't understand and therefore had never mastered. Kian was always so direct, so focused on efficiency, and there was merit in that, but it also sucked all the fun out of life, and when one lived for as long as they did, having fun was vital.

There was value to the anticipation, the curiosity, the guessing, all heightening the eventual revelation.

"More mimosas?" Kalugal offered, gesturing to the crystal pitcher.

"Please." Fenella held out her glass.

She seemed particularly impatient, even more so than the rest of the family, who were more familiar with his antics, her eyes darting between him and the door to his study where he'd stored the artifact.

Din tried to maintain his scholarly composure, but Kalugal caught the professor's fingers tapping rhythmically against the tablecloth.

Atzil emerged from the kitchen with another platter of delicacies and placed a tray of miniature quiches on the table.

"Atzil, you have outdone yourself," Annani said, her luminous skin casting a subtle glow even in the well-lit dining room. "The spiced lamb was exquisite."

Atzil's face brightened at the goddess's praise. "Thank you, Clan Mother. Would you care for more of the poached eggs with smoked salmon? You seemed to enjoy them."

"Perhaps later," Annani said. "I am saving room for whatever delights you have planned for dessert."

Atzil bowed his head and retreated to his kitchen, but not before Kalugal noticed the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

From down the corridor, childish laughter echoed, punctuated by Shamash's deeper voice.

"Sounds like Shamash keeps the children entertained," Jacki said. "I was worried that he couldn't handle the whole gang, but he seems to be doing just fine."

Kalugal nodded. "He's a natural, and he has endless patience, which was needed during Darius's colic phase. The guy just enjoys taking care of children."

"Perhaps he needs to find a mate," Orion suggested, his arm draped casually around Alena's shoulders. "Start a family of his own."

Kalugal sighed. "I hope he finds someone, but regrettably, my men and the clan ladies do not seem to be meant for one another. Even Atzil and Ingrid are not regarding their union as fated, which is sad. They are both still hoping to someday find their one and only."

There was a long moment of silence as they all contemplated the disappointing reality. There had been so much hope when Kalugal and his men had first joined the clan, but the Fates seemed to have other plans for members of their integrated community.

"Speaking of Shamash," Jacki turned toward the corridor as the man himself appeared, Darius balanced on his hip. "Is everything all right?"

Shamash nodded. "The children wanted to show their creations to everyone, and by children, I mean their ringleader." He tilted his head in Allegra's direction.

Clutching the porcelain doll in one hand and a colorful drawing in the other, Allegra ran up to Annani. "Nana. I drew Princess Sparkle for you."

The drawing was just a scribble, but Annani made all the appropriate noises, praising her granddaughter's artistic acumen.

Darius squirmed in Shamash's arms, pointing at Kalugal. "Papa!" He held up a piece of paper with something that looked like a triangle scribbled on it.

"Is this a pyramid?" Kalugal stood, walking over to take his son from Shamash. "Let's see this masterpiece."

"Pimid," Darius said.

"Very impressive," Kalugal declared after examining the vaguely triangular scribble. "Perhaps you'll be an architect like your namesake."

When Darius regarded him with a pair of dark eyes that seemed to understand more than they should at his age, Kalugal hugged his son to his chest and kissed the top of his head. "Do you want to stay here with Mommy and Daddy or do you want to go back with Shamash to play?"

As an answer, Darius twisted in his arms and reached for Shamash.

"I guess it's back to playing." Kalugal handed the boy to his assistant.

Allegra seemed to agree with Darius and followed Shamash out of the dining room.

Kalugal waited until they were gone before turning to his guests. "I believe I've kept you all in suspense long enough."

"I'd say," Kian grumbled.

Fenella and Din exchanged a glance, while Kyra leaned forward, her hand automatically rising to the pendant at her throat.

"Jacki and I discovered quite a remarkable item during our time in Egypt," Kalugal continued. "An item I believe may be of particular interest to you, Clan Mother."

Annani's luminous gaze fixed on him, a flicker of something crossing her features. Was it hope he detected there for a brief moment?

"If you'll excuse me," Kalugal said, "I'll get the artifact."

In his study, he walked over to the safe, which was concealed behind a panel in the bookshelf.

The combination was unnecessary—the lock responded to his DNA—but he maintained the pretense of entering a code for any watching eyes.

The panel slid aside, revealing a velvet-lined interior where the cloth-wrapped figurine waited.

He lifted it carefully, the weight solid and familiar in his hand.

He and Jacki had found it in the marketplace and would have missed it if not for the red-painted long hair of the exquisite figurine catching Jacki's eye.

How it had gotten there, who had created it, and why it bore such a striking resemblance to his aunt remained unanswered questions, but he knew Annani would appreciate the unique gift.

Returning to the dining room, Kalugal was gratified to see that conversation remained suspended, all eyes turning to the bundle in his hands.

"Clan Mother." He walked to where Annani sat at the head of the table. "I present to you this gift, though it is rightfully yours in ways I cannot explain. Not yet, anyway."

He placed the cloth-wrapped object in front of her and then stepped back.

Annani's fingers were steady as she unwrapped the protective cloth, layer by layer, and as the final fold fell away, a collective gasp rippled around the table.

The figurine was small, no larger than her palm, but it was exquisitely detailed.

Carved from some pale stone that gleamed with an inner light reminiscent of Annani's own skin, it depicted a woman with cascading red hair that flowed nearly to her knees.

The face was upturned as if basking in sunlight, a gesture so familiar that several of those present glanced between the statue and Annani herself in astonishment.

"It's you," Kian breathed. "Down to the smallest detail."

Annani remained silent, her fingers tracing the contours of the miniature figure with wonder.

"How is this possible?" Amanda leaned forward, her eyes blazing with curiosity. "Did you have it dated? Is it a find from the era of the gods?"

He shook his head. "It's not nearly as ancient. Perhaps a couple of centuries old, if that. We found it among many others in an open market. We would have missed it if not for the hair. It caught Jacki's attention."

"I have never visited Egypt," Annani said. "But even if the carver met me in another country, my skin would not have been glowing. I only let my glow come out when it is safe among my people."

"Perhaps it is a copy of an older artifact," Din suggested. "The carver might have found a figurine that survived from the gods' era and copied the design."

"That's what we thought," Jacki said. "I read the figurine psychometrically, but I saw very little.

A few snippets from the carver's life—an artisan who worked primarily with wood but occasionally chose to work in stone for special commissions or for his own enjoyment.

One of the snippets I got was him working while looking at another figurine, but the impressions were too faint and fractured for me to follow. "

Morelle leaned forward. "The original figurine would be the key, wouldn't it?"

"My thoughts exactly," Kalugal nodded. "That's why I want to suggest an experiment." His gaze fell over Fenella, Kyra, and Jasmine. "Three women bound by blood, each with unique talents that amplify when combined, might crack this mystery."

Fenella got his meaning right away. "You want us to try reading it together."

He nodded. "The carver was exposed to the original, even held it in his hand. He might have imparted what he'd absorbed from the original figurine into his creation, and with your combined power, you might be able to access it."

"It's worth trying," Kyra said, her hand closing around her pendant. "Although what would that achieve?"

Kalugal smiled. "Finding out the identity of the original carver would be a good start. Perhaps it's the same person who carved Wonder's figurine. That person knew her fate, so perhaps he also knew Khiann's."

Annani's eyes lifted from the little statue, hope and caution warring in her expression. "What makes you think that this is connected to Khiann?"

"It's just a hunch," Kalugal answered honestly.

"But consider the precision of the likeness, the care with which it was crafted.

Someone went to extraordinary lengths to create this representation of you, Clan Mother, and the Fates made sure that Jacki and I found it. It does not seem like a coincidence."

A heavy silence fell over the room as the implications settled over them.

"We will give it a try," Jasmine said, looking at Fenella and Kyra.

Fenella nodded, but Kalugal noted the wariness in her posture. She didn't look confident in her ability.

"When do you want to do this?" she asked.

"No time like the present," Kalugal said, casting a glance at Annani. "It's up to you, Clan Mother. Are you ready to do this now?"

Annani cradled the figurine, her expression softening as she gazed at the miniature version of herself. "My heart cannot bear further delay, not when hope stands before me."

She held out the figurine, offering it to Jasmine, who sat closest to her. "If you are willing, I would be grateful for the tiniest morsel of information the three of you can glean."

Jasmine extended her hand. "Of course."

"Perhaps we should move to the living room," Kalugal suggested. "Where there is more comfortable seating, and you three can arrange yourselves however works best for you."

As the group rose from the table, Kalugal caught Jacki's eye across the room.

She offered him a small smile of encouragement.

They had been right to gift the figurine to the Clan Mother and involve Fenella, Kyra, and Jasmine.

Whether it would lead anywhere remained to be seen, but even the smallest chance was worth pursuing.

Kalugal followed the others into the living room, waiting for everyone to find a spot to sit before claiming one for himself.

Fenella, Kyra, and Jasmine sat on one of the larger sofas, and the others arranged themselves in a loose semicircle, with Annani taking the armchair directly across from the three women.

"How do we do this?" Fenella asked.

"We should all be touching," Jasmine said. "Like we did before."

Fenella nodded. "Let's do this."

As Jasmine unwrapped the figurine and placed it on the coffee table, Kalugal felt the air in the room grow heavy with anticipation.

The moment had arrived, and he had a feeling it would be even more monumental than any of them had expected.