A Child's Wish
Stan Kendal thought becoming an Ophidian would be the first step towards redeeming himself. He'd failed Tristan, sensing it was too late to be his future king's strong arm. He'd failed Gregori, his out of control actions drivng a wedge between him and his childhood friend. Now his new friend, Randy Aikman, extracts a promise that Stan's ill equipped to handle. But he's determined not to fail, because if he does the price isn't his ego or pride—it's the life of a child.
Starting Fires
Sumeria's Sons 4.5
Sumeria's Magi 0.3
By Lexi Ander
Published by Less Than Three Press LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission of the publisher, except for the purpose of reviews.
Edited by Michelle Kelley
Cover designed by London Burden
This book is a work of fiction and all names, characters, places, and incidents are fictional or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 by Lexi Ander
Printed in the United States of America
Digital ISBN 9781620046715
A Child's Wish
Sumeria's Sons 4.5
Sumeria's Magi 0.3
Lexi Ander
Chapter One
The place the Ophidian's made their home after the death of Tristan's biological father, Ammar, was the Halls of the Anunnaki Gates. The old city, all but forgotten by the Gods, housed all the gateways. Once the red stone walls could be seen from miles away, but now it was completely covered by the roving sands of the world's largest desert. Mourning the loss of their purpose, the Ophidians became the Kenwards of the gates, finding and restoring the old ones across the globe as they waited for a king to rise and give them true purpose once again.
Most would never know the gateways carried people to more locations than those found across the Earth. The Halls housed ten individual gates. The knowledge of what lands lie beyond seven sets of the colorful and pristine pillars was held close by a handful of the oldest Ophidians. They chose to share the secret only with those deemed worthy to carry such a burden. Of the ones that were common knowledge to all Ophidians, the largest one with the short twin pillars built from speckled red and green granite, connected all the Earth gates but the other nine went to worlds no mortal should enter. The pair of chest-high stone blocks carved from Lapis Lazuli led to Dilmun, the Heaven of the Gods.
The set Randy and I stood in front of were bone white with black onyx symbols set into the surface.
"You have to promise me, Stan, that you'll look after him until I return." Randy stood beside me in nothing but a loin cloth, his dark corkscrew hair hung loose below his shoulders. The leather ties of the sandals wound around Randy's calves to his knees.
"I still believe there's another way. Can't one of the Gods ask Ereshkigal for her assistance?" Randy's plan was dangerous. There was a chance he wouldn't come back at all, and even though we'd argued about this a thousand times without Randy budging from this course of action, I had to try one last time before he stepped through the gates. Once he did, no one would be able to go after him.
"The Queen of the Dead hasn't left her realm since the death of her consort. The last Goddess who went to seek her company was held there until the God Enki saved her as a favor to Enlil, King of the Gods." Randy's tone didn't change. He had to be aggravated with me. Standing this close to the gateway to the Realm of the Dead, Randy was too damn calm. All the humans who worshipped the Sumerian Gods went to Irkalla when they died. I didn't imagine this gateway had much spiritual traffic nowadays.
My voice oozed sarcasm when I replied, "And she's going to see you and say, 'Hey! Welcome to my home. I'm so glad to see you!' You and Enkidu killed her consort. She's going to shackle you to the wall and never let you go." Females held grudges forever and that wasn't an exaggeration. I didn't imagine that the Goddess Ereshkigal had stopped mourning the loss of Gugalanna, The Bull of Heaven.
"He died because Inanna claimed him as her champion. Because Ereshkigal backed Inanna when Inanna threatened the Gods with raising the dead humans and sending them though the gateway to Dilmun. They feared Inanna's power even though it was borrowed from Ereshkigal. If I can convince the Queen of the Dead to withdraw that gift of power then Inanna will be weakened." Randy made talking logically to the queen of the underworld sound easy but I wasn't fooled.
"I still don't understand why you think she'd agree." I was running out of arguments, again.
"Because her consort was sent to his death by Inanna. She challenged us, not the other way around. The second reason is because after the queen's consort died, Inanna descended to the Irkalla to pay her respects and in anger, Ereshkigal shackled her to the wall and there she stayed until the king of the Gods sent Enki to free her. I'm willing to gamble she's still pissed over the death of her consort. Gods hold animosities for a very long time."
"And what about Justus? He's waiting for you to come home. What do you expect me to tell him if you don't return? You're his Twin Flame. He's walked through almost five thousand years—alone. Are you willing to gamble away his future happiness by doing this?" Bringing up Justus was a low blow but it didn't stop me. Randy was my friend and I didn't want him to be lost to another realm. There was a reason the gates were guarded so studiously.
Randy glanced at the ground and blinked several times, breathing deeply. "It is because I love him that I'm willing to risk my life. If I don't do this then Tristan's chance of defeating Inanna remains slight. The Lycans will perish and my children… They'll die out as if they never existed. Enkidu was terrified of death, of being sent to Irkalla. I'm willing to bargain with the Queen of the Dead to save him from that fate. The only thing I ask is that you'll be there for him. He's too young to understand what I'm doing. My men will protect him while I'm gone but he'll need a friend and who better than a friend of mine?"
The imploring gaze he leveled on me—I was a goddamn idiot because I couldn't say no. What did someone do with young pups? What did one talk to them about? I hadn't a clue and yet there I was, nodding my head like a fool and praying to the Gods that I hadn't made the biggest mistake of my life. And I'd made some pretty fucking huge ones. Randy's smile split his face although his eyes were suspiciously glossy, and he embraced me hard and fast as if he thought he'd lose his courage.
With quick hand movements and a low chant, Randy activated the gateway. Nothing appeared to the naked eye but I sensed the energy stretching tight between the two pillars. He lifted his bulging cloth sack containing his gifts for the Goddess and stepped through. One moment he was there and the next he was gone.
Goddess help me, what was I supposed to tell Justus?
Chapter Two