Page 37 of Obsidian Dream

Talik hoped it wasn’t a warning.

Chapter Fifteen

KHALIDA

Khalida threw her duffelbag on the oversized four-poster bed and stared at the ten knives laid out in front of her.Through the large window overlooking the streets, the skyline peppered the bright blue sky of the city of Rome and looked far more like a painting than real life.And for a moment, its beauty entranced Khalida.

They were safely within one of Dante’s houses, nicknamed the Villa Aurora, located within the heart of Rome.The six-level villa was far enough away from the bustling streets that the quiet surrounding them was a balm to her racing mind, allowing her to focus.It was the calm before the storm, and it wouldn’t last.Nothing ever did.But without Talik near her, taking up more thoughts than he should, she could focus on why they were there.

To find and stop the Anki.

It sounded easier than it would be.All they had was a hint that an Anki, likely Ninhursag, had turned Idris had been in the catacombs and the extra information Chaucer had given them.Not that she trusted Chaucer entirely.

Khalida chuckled to herself.If it had been Ninhursag within the tunnels, the god was likely gone.It had been more than six hundred years, and the world had transformed drastically within that time.But that didn’t make the mission any less dangerous or important.Khalida paced the room as she tried to go through everything she knew to see if there was any pattern or clue they may have missed in their haste to get to Rome.

Why Rome?Why the catacombs?Why was Sypha adamant that she and Talik work together?

And there it was.It hadn’t taken long for her thoughts to return to him, the thunder of her heart a little louder than it should be.The sunlight continued to spill into the pretty room.Decorated in a seventeenth-century human baroque style, with overly pink and red hues, the light sparkled against the gold trimmings, momentarily blinding her.

Finding the Anki was only one side of the mission, the easy part if she was being honest.Killing a god would be anything but simple.She had been on too many covert missions to have faith that the plan would go off without a hitch.No plan survived first contact.It was a lesson she had learned the hard way.

The thought of retreating left a bitter taste in Khalida’s mouth.Pulling out her cell, she made a note to find Dante’s armory and demand access to the weapons sooner rather than later.

She glanced back at the blades.They had been on the bed when she arrived.Dante must have had them delivered to her, since she could not bring her arsenal of knives on the trip, only what she could carry.Her swords had been nonnegotiable.After picking up the closest one, she held it up to the light.The metal was almost translucent.It was the size of her palm but weighed no more than a feather.The hilt was plain and had a holographic sheen to it.There were no other markings, but she was willing to wager that they were made of orichalcum.She wanted to show Meraki the knife and see if they could replicate it.However, it would have to wait until she returned home.None of her personnel had received clearance for the visit and remained in Egypt.

She tossed the knife up in the air.It would be perfect for throwing.Out of all of them, all but two of them were made from the same material, the smaller two appeared to be constructed from iron.Their hilts were far more rudimentary in comparison.

Knock.Knock.

It was quick and curt.The sound echoed within the room.Khalida didn’t move.It wasn’t Talik or Dante.

“It is open.”

Rieka poked her head around the door.Her red-gold eyes widened as she glanced at the knife collection on the pale pink duvet, and the two swords next to them.

“Who are they from?”Rieka asked.She cautiously walked into the room, shutting the door behind her but didn’t move far.