(Ereshgal POV)
After visiting Lureh, I returned to the house with Kisaya and Ennari.
The animals were tied outside when I arrived. They must have been brought while I was gone. Normally, I would have taken their blood, but not this time. I needed to know how long Kalam's blood would keep me satisfied. So I went to sell them right away.
When I came back, Ennari was still training with Kisaya. Today, they were focusing on the weapon she would use. After some hesitation, Ennari had chosen the bow. Given her first rune, it was a smart decision.
Since I had nothing else to do, I decided to bake bread.
Ennari was more surprised than I expected when she found out I knew how. Because of that, I had to make more than planned. If she was going to eat some now, then I needed to make enough to leave provisions for the journey as well.
As I worked, more of Akhem's memories came to me. It was close now. Almost complete.
The day passed faster than I expected. Before long, dawn was spreading over Sippar, and we were making our way toward the city entrance. When we got close, an acolyte near the gate raised his hand to signal us.
I recognized him immediately. He was the same one who had received us on our first day here.
The moment we approached, he bowed his head in greeting.
"We meet again" he said. "I am glad to see you well."
Now I knew who he was. One of Shamash's newly chosen from the last ceremony, and someone following Ishtal's orders. We returned the greeting, and he guided us straight toward the carriage waiting near the Gate of the Sun.
The cart was simple, but well kept. It had four solid wooden wheels and low sides reinforced with worn leather straps. Reed mats covered the floor, and a loose cloth hung over the top, offering shade while keeping whoever sat inside from being too easy to see.
Two donkeys waited at the front, tied with old leather reins.
"Thank you for guiding us" I said to the acolyte.
"It is no trouble" he replied. "You will be allowed through the main gate without issue."
With that, he bowed once more and left.
I climbed into the cart and sat at the front, taking the reins in my hands. At the same time, Kisaya placed her spear and several bags of provisions inside, making sure everything was secure before sitting beside me.
She looked at the reins in my hands, then at me.
"Are you sure you know how to drive this?" she asked. "If you ask nicely, I can teach you."
She was smiling at me, dimples forming in her cheeks. They always appeared when her smile turned playful. It was something I had only noticed recently.
I laughed in response and leaned closer, lowering my voice near her ear.
"You can teach me other things later, if you want."
"ERESH!"
Kisaya flushed at once and hit me in the side. I was too close to dodge it. The impact made my body bend slightly and pushed me away from her.
"Sorry, sorry" I said between laughs.
I flicked the reins lightly, and the donkeys began to move. The cart rolled forward, passing through the gate of the sun without any trouble. Once we were outside the city, I guided the cart onto the road that followed the river.
"We're going to pick up a few people" I said. Kisaya turned to me, surprised.
I kept my eyes on the road. "I'll explain later."
For a moment, she only looked at me. Then she sighed and nodded. We continued a little farther until I saw three figures waiting by the road. One of them wore a robe, with cloth covering her face and leaving only her eyes visible.
Lureh, clearly.
The other two were men wearing only loincloths, their hands tied with rope. One remained completely still, while the other kept shifting in place. I barely paid them any attention after that.
Seeing them reminded me of something. I still was not thirsty. Almost two days had passed since I drank Kalam's blood, and the journey to Uruk would take about a week. There was enough time to find out my limit.
I pulled on the reins and stopped the cart beside them.
"Get in" I ordered.
Lureh climbed up first, placing a bag inside before turning back to the two men. Then she pulled on their ropes, motioning for them to follow.
"Tsk…" One of them clicked his tongue in annoyance, while the other climbed in without saying a word.
Lureh did not even look bothered. She gathered a bit of spiritual energy in her arms and tugged hard enough that the one who had complained nearly lost his balance. After that, he climbed in too, and both men settled in the back while Lureh sat behind Kisaya and me.
"Lureh, this is my cousin, Kisaya. Kisaya, this is Lureh." I glanced toward the two men in the back. "The other two are criminals."
Lureh removed the cloth covering her face and lowered her head politely. "It is a pleasure to meet you."
Kisaya turned toward her.
"Likewise." Her eyes moved from Lureh to the two bound men, then back again. "How do you know Ereshgal?"
Lureh looked at me immediately, clearly unsure of what she was allowed to say. Before she could answer, I spoke first. "She is part of everything I still need to tell you. Just wait a little longer."
"How long?" Kisaya asked, narrowing her eyes at me. She was clearly running out of patience.
I laughed softly. "Nightfall should be fine."
She stared at me for another moment, then crossed her arms and faced forward again.
"Fine."
By sunset, we had only stopped a couple of times to let the donkeys drink and eat. Now and then, we passed other carts on the road, but none of them paid us much attention. Other than that first conversation, none of us had said much. Kisaya kept glancing back from time to time. Lureh sat silently with her bag close to her side, while the men remained bound in the back.
Eventually, I found an open place near the road where we could spend the night.
We gathered what little we needed and made a fire before the last light faded completely. Soon, Kisaya and I were sitting in front of it, the flames crackling between us and the growing dark. Behind us, Lureh was tying the two criminals to a palm tree far enough away that they would not hear us.
Kisaya watched her for a moment, then looked at me again.
"You said nightfall."
"I did."
"Then start talking."
"Can you create a spiritual zone as large as you can? Just as a precaution."
A moment later, her spiritual energy spread outward in a thin violet layer, covering the area around us. It passed over the cart, the fire, Lureh, and the two bound criminals before stretching farther into the dark.
Kisaya closed her eyes for a few seconds, feeling through it. Then the energy faded.
"It's safe" she said.
Lureh took that as her chance to approach. She was about to sit near us when Kisaya spoke.
"We're having a private conversation. Come back later."
"That's fine" I said before Lureh could move away. "She can hear it too."
Kisaya's eyes snapped back to me.
"After all… she swore a servant's oath to me."
"What?!"
Kisaya almost stood up. I had expected that reaction. Oaths like that were too close to slavery for most people to accept.
I raised a hand. "Let me explain."
She took a deep breath.
For a moment, she only looked at me. Then her gaze shifted to Lureh, lingered there, and returned to me again. Finally, she sat back down, though her chest was still rising and falling a little too quickly.
"As you already know" I began, "I was living through Akhem's memories."
Then I told her everything.
Darim's kidnapping. The desperation I had felt while searching for him. The way I had found a high chosen named Liraya outside the city. Lureh's eyes fixed on me at that. Of course she would want to know what had happened.
I continued.
I told them how Liraya had threatened me and tried to force me into a divine oath. How I could not swear one, but had no way to make her believe that. I needed another solution. Then a terrible thought came to me. If I could see Akhem's life… could I do the same with hers?
"I drank her blood" I said quietly. "Until I killed her."
Lureh stared at me in horror. "You drank her blood?" Then, almost to herself, she whispered, "This is worse than anything I imagined…"
Kisaya gave Lureh a cold look, but I ignored it.
"And the moment she died, I lived her entire life. From beginning to end. From the day she was born… until the moment I killed her."
Kisaya and Lureh were staring at me with their mouths slightly open.
"Any ques—" Before I could finish, Kisaya moved.
She pulled me into a tight embrace, so sudden and strong that I barely had time to react. Her arms wrapped around me and held on as if she was afraid I might disappear if she loosened her grip.
I blinked. Her body was trembling.
"I appreciate the hug" I said after a moment, "but why are you shaking?"
"You must have been terrified," Kisaya said quietly. "Living someone else's life for that long… it must have been hard."
I had not really thought about it since coming back.
While I was inside Liraya's memories, I had accepted it because I had no other choice. At first, it had terrified me. Then, little by little, I got used to it. Remembering my real life without any trouble had helped.
I let out a small laugh and hugged her back.
"It was" I admitted. "But I did not lose myself. I'm here, aren't I?" Kisaya nodded softly, though her arms tightened around me again instead of letting go.
I stayed still and waited for her to calm down.
While we remained like that, Lureh spoke.
"Are you some kind of cannibal?" she asked quietly. After a short pause, her voice dropped even lower. "Or is it some kind of condition for your rune?"
"No and no" I said. "I am not strictly human."
The color drained from Lureh's face. "This is much worse…" she murmured.
"But don't worry. I have no intention of hurting you." I added. Lureh stayed silent for a moment, then nodded.
A short silence followed. Then, after a while, Kisaya finally pulled away. Her eyes were still uneasy, but her breathing had steadied.
"What happened after that?"
"Since I had all of Liraya's memories, I knew the situation I was in. I also knew how dangerous Sippar really was." I glanced toward Lureh and gave a small nod in her direction. "Liraya had prepared an ambush in case a fight broke out. Lureh was one of the chosen working under her."
"So I came up with a plan to make sure everything stayed quiet. "
I waited a moment before continuing. "I dealt with everyone involved in the ambush, except for Lureh. The others would never have accepted an oath, so there was no point trying with them."
Lureh's shoulders trembled slightly.
Kisaya looked at Lureh, then back at me. "Couldn't you have made her swear not to say anything instead?" she asked. "Why a servant oath?"
She was right. I could have done that.
But I had not wanted to.
"That's true" I said. "I could have." I paused for a second, already knowing she would not like what came next.
"But her runes are too useful."
Kisaya's eyes widened. "No. Absolutely not."