The Blade's Shadow (Ishtar's Legacy Book 4) Read online

  The Blade’s Shadow

  Ishtar’s Legacy

  Book 4

  Lisa Blackwood

  Copyright

  The Blade’s Shadow © 2019 by Lisa Smeaton

  Version 3

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, and characters are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any print or electronic form without the author's permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  Cover Art Designed by Rebecca Frank

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  A young queen and a freed slave will make their destiny together.

  (Blade’s Destiny Part 2)

  When a future queen rejected a thousand years of tradition and freed a slave and elevated him to a position of great power, it was only the beginning of their strange destiny. As Crown Princess Asharru and her sacred Blade, Tirigan, seek to eradicate the corruption at the heart of the Gryphon Court, they are met with resistance from many noble Houses.

  But the greatest danger still lurkers in the shadows, for some traitors aren’t as dead as Queen and Blade might hope.

  Asharru and Tirigan are too determined to allow their enemies to force them to stop.

  While there is no guarantee they’ll survive to rule together, one thing is certain—they’ll love each other in this life or the next.

  Author’s note: While the other books in the series can be read as standalones, Blade’s Destiny & The Blade’s Shadow are a continuing story and must be read in order.

  Chapter 1

  Fate had thrust him into many unpleasant circumstances throughout his life, Tirigan reflected, and it had done so again. Otherwise, he wouldn’t now find himself chained and caged and drugged. Ugurnaszir was taking no chances it seemed.

  Any of the precautions would have been enough to prevent Tirigan’s escape until whatever drug had been in the wine worked its way out of his system. If he couldn’t call on Ishtar’s power to melt the metal links of his chains or the bars of his cage, he’d have to find another way.

  He would find another way.

  He had to.

  Asharru was counting on her Blade.

  He’d failed her spectacularly; he couldn’t go to the afterlife with that burdening his soul for eternity. And he didn’t want her to die alone, wondering why her Blade hadn’t been there to save her.

  The need to find out what was happening to Asharru and his friends weighted heavily upon him. Fear for them was far greater than for himself. That driving need might be what was burning away the poison.

  If he was to guess, it wasn’t lasting as long as Ugurnaszir expected. Perhaps because of his Blade’s heritage?

  If his body rid itself of the toxin before Ugurnaszir came to kill him, he might live long enough to save Asharru.

  He just had to get out of this cage. He forced his stiff and sluggish fingers to feel along the chains, hunting for an imperfection his magic could exploit once it returned.

  It was a long, slow process with the guards only a few strides away, but they were sitting at a small table playing a round of twenty squares.

  His questing fingers eventually found some rusted links where the chains were anchored to the floor of the cage. The salty and damp environment of a boat was unkind to metal.

  Tirigan would see about using that to his advantage as soon as possible.

  Next, he needed to test the bars without revealing he was awake. The guards would likely have standing orders to report as soon as he regained consciousness.

  Why he hadn’t already been killed, Tirigan didn’t know but thanked Ishtar that they had not murdered him in his sleep. If he was alive, there was a chance to save Asharru.

  The heavy tread of boots on the ladder told him someone was coming. Peering between his lashes, Tirigan watched as his nemesis arrived.

  “Has he shown signs of waking?” Ugurnaszir barked the question.

  “No,” the heavier set of the two guards said as he stumbled to his feet to salute the governor. “He hasn’t so much as snorted in his sleep.”

  Ugurnaszir sighed. “Regrettable. I had hoped he’d wake before we reached our destination. Eridu is only half a day’s sail.”

  Tirigan held perfectly still. So, they were going to Eridu, which didn’t come as a surprise, but now he had a confirmed destination. He wasn’t naïve; he doubted he’d live to reach its shores if he didn’t sway the balance in his favor.

  Footsteps approached the cage. Tirigan kept his expression slack, his body as boneless as possible.

  “I want you to tell me as soon as he wakes. The apothecary where I got the powder said the victim should regain consciousness long before they regain mobility.”

  A hint of glee accompanied the words.

  Tirigan had a good idea of why.

  It was clear that the person Ugurnaszir was working with wanted Tirigan dead because they knew he was a Blade.

  But he wasn’t dead yet, which likely meant Ugurnaszir wanted to have a little fun first. That the governor was a greedy, self-centered creature was a blessing this time. It might give Tirigan the chance he needed. If he could distract Ugurnaszir until his powers returned, then he had a chance at escaping.

  There were probably agents of Ereshkigal at the harbor to ensure the governor carried out his end of the bargain by killing Tirigan.

  His enemies couldn’t risk keeping him alive. A living Blade was too dangerous.

  Ugurnaszir’s orders were likely to kill him as soon as they’d escaped Nineveh. Or perhaps Tirigan wasn’t supposed to leave that tent alive. He wondered how long he’d been out. Long enough for his bladder to complain.

  How far away was Asharru?

  He couldn’t wait for them to reach their destination to act. Asharru could even now be on another ship sailing in the opposite direction.

  Time to gamble if he knew his old master better than Ereshkigal’s agents did.

  Tirigan made a deep groan as if he was just waking with a headache. He was careful not to move any part of his body. He needed Ugurnaszir to think he was still more helpless than he was.

  “Splendid timing, Tirigan,” Ugurnaszir said as he approached the cage and knelt.

  “Why can’t I move?” Tirigan asked, putting a false note of fear and stress in the words. Already he could see that his act was working, putting the governor at ease.

  The other man smiled. “You’re still under the influence of the potion you foolishly drank. It will be some time, perhaps half a day, before you’re able
to move again.”

  Tirigan closed his eyes as if he couldn’t face the sight of the older man. “Just kill me now. I know you’re going to anyway. You can’t allow me to live.”

  “Alas, no. I’ve been ordered to kill you.” Ugurnaszir’s hands circled the cage bars and gave them a slow caress as if he was touching Tirigan instead of cold metal. “Such a waste, but even I know I can’t allow you to live, not if I want to keep breathing myself. At least I have Laliya and Bashaa. The trip wasn’t a complete waste.”

  Tirigan licked his lips. “You’ll keep them safe? You won’t let my enemies have them?”

  Ugurnaszir’s eyes widened in surprise, and then his expression became less guarded as he studied Tirigan’s features. “I protect my mates. Was I able, I would have saved you, too. If your enemies didn’t command Anunnaki, that is. But even I’m not foolish enough to cross those creatures no matter how much I might wish to protect all my mates.”

  Tirigan resisted the urge to shiver in disgust.

  He licked his lips again. The move drew Ugurnaszir’s gaze. With a blank expression on his face, Tirigan met the governor’s gaze. “Thank you for sparing my friends. It was never their idea to run. That was always mine—the drive to find my queen was too much to resist.”

  Tirigan allowed his eyes to drift closed. But he heard Ugurnaszir stand up, his hands dragging along the bars of the cage as if unable to let go.

  Then the older man laughed. “I always suspected you didn’t hate me as much as you pretended.”

  Tirigan snorted. “Oh, I hated you. Never doubt that. I had to hate you for holding me back, from preventing me from joining my queen. The power was always there, buried deep, driving me. I didn’t even know what it was. But now I do, and I realize death is worse. Death is a failure. But knowing Laliya and Bashaa live on comforts me.”

  “I am glad.” Ugurnaszir’s voice was tight with rare emotion.

  Tirigan’s tormentor was a monster, but not wholly devoid of all emotions. Now to use that against him.

  “If you cared for me at all, you would give me a merciful death.”

  The bars rattled as Ugurnaszir pushed away from the cage and began to pace.

  “I cannot do that. I’m sorry.”

  “Then go away.”

  Ugurnaszir hissed and marched back to the side of the cage. “I can’t kill you myself, and I can’t save you, but I can allow you to say goodbye to your friends. Laliya and Bashaa would like that, I’m sure.”

  Tirigan remained silent, pretending to stay stoic, too proud to ask to see his friends one final time, but that’s precisely what he wanted the governor to think.

  “Still too proud to ask for anything for yourself, I see,” Ugurnaszir said as he reached into his robe and pulled out a key. “But lucky for you, I have always been here to see to your needs. You,” he said as he turned to look over his shoulder at the nearest guard. “Come help me with his chains. We will move him into my cabin. He, Laliya, Bashaa, and I need to say our goodbyes.”

  Ugurnaszir’s meaning was clear, and Tirigan didn’t have to fake his dismayed expression.

  The governor ordered more soldiers to come and help.

  The two guards who carried him between them huffed and cursed under their breath at having to hoist Tirigan’s dead weight up two sets of stairs and across the length of the merchant's vessel to Ugurnaszir’s cabin.

  When they reached the cabin, at last, the two guards were winded and sweating. If they were Tirigan’s to train, he’d have made them practice carrying a body every day, so they’d be in top shape.

  He made a mental note to add that to the list of tasks his Shadows needed to perform in their training exercises. Asharru’s Shadows would not be nearly as soft as these two.

  Once he was carried inside the cabin, Tirigan studied his new surroundings. A lavishly adorned bedchamber greeted his eyes and looked much like any room belonging to a wealthy merchant. At least until one noted the chains and anchor rings in the walls and attached to the head of the bed.

  They weren’t that conspicuous, but Tirigan had a sharp eye for danger, and he’d been conditioned from a young age to watch for such things.

  Bashaa and Laliya were both attached to anchor rings by lengths of chain. At least neither of them suffered bruises on any of the exposed skin he could see.

  “Darlings,” Ugurnaszir called as he entered. “See what I have brought you.”

  Laliya and Bashaa both glowered at Ugurnaszir before turning worried looks upon Tirigan.

  “Oh, you can stop scowling at me. I will not kill him in front of you. I thought you would like a chance to say goodbye to your beloved friend.”

  Bashaa cleared his throat and was the first to answer. “Thank you, my Lord. You’re very generous.”

  “I know I am,” Ugurnaszir said with an affectionate chuckle. His expression hardened when his gaze landed on the two guards. “You two set him on the bed and then leave us.”

  “But, my Lord, the danger,” the guards carrying Tirigan echoed each other in protest.

  Ugurnaszir ignored them. “Chain him up. He’s no danger and is as helpless as a babe now.”

  The guards looked doubtful but nodded and then carried Tirigan over to the bed and attached chains to his wrists.

  While the guards were situating Tirigan, Ugurnaszir had walked over to Laliya and Bashaa and hit a lever allowing their lengths of chains to expand.

  Neither Bashaa nor Laliya moved at first, waiting to see what Ugurnaszir planned.

  Tirigan’s delight at being alone with Ugurnaszir without guards was short lived as just then the governor stuck his head outside the cabin and called for two other soldiers to enter. Tirigan studied the two, recognizing the male and female.

  It wasn’t the first time Ugurnaszir had included these two guards in his entertainments.

  Tirigan reined in his disappointment. Was it really too much to ask to be left alone with the governor? Narrowing his eyes, he decided it could be worse. The two guards were likely expected to take part, which would distract them and make them vulnerable.

  And vulnerable was as good as dead.

  Perhaps fate didn’t hate him as much as he thought.

  While Ugurnaszir was giving some basic instructions to the two guards, Bashaa directed subtle hand signs toward Tirigan.

  ‘Do we attack?’

  ‘Yes. But must wait. On my signal.’

  ‘Understood.’ A glimmer of battle readiness shone in his friend’s eyes before he glanced down at the thick rugs underfoot.

  Ugurnaszir wandered over to Tirigan and perched on the side of the bed, close enough he could feel the heat from the other man’s body. It was a battle not to shift away from him, but any kind of movement would give away his secret.

  He didn’t want Ugurnaszir to know he’d regained control of his body until after he’d locked his fingers around the governor’s throat. The thought of squeezing the life from this man helped steady Tirigan.

  “One thing I didn’t think to ask was if a person can still feel even if they can’t move.” A finger traced along Tirigan’s leg from knee to hip. “Please tell me you can feel that, my lovely one.”

  Tirigan sneered. “Yes, I can feel that.”

  “Excellent. Bashaa, fetch me the wine. Laliya, come help me ready Tirigan.”

  Closing his eyes for a moment, Tirigan steadied himself for what was coming. It was just one more humiliation in a long line going back years. This would be the last, one way or another. Today either he died, or Ugurnaszir did.

  His magic stirred feebly at his distress, and briefly, an image of Asharru formed on the inside of his eyelids. He could feel her in his mind.

  She lived.

  Joy swamped him at that moment. If she lived, he could rescue her. He didn’t care how many enemies stood in his way.

  Opening his eyes, he gazed up at Ugurnaszir.

  No. It would not be Tirigan who died this day. He would make sure of that. Hope bloomed in his heart.
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  Just one more humiliation, followed by a death that was a long time coming, and then he would return to his future queen and together they would destroy their enemies once and for all.

  Chapter 2

  Tirigan was close. Asharru’s gryphon could sense the pull of his soul and his magic. She wasn’t sure how she could feel him so clearly. Perhaps it was a side effect of Ishtar channeling power through her? Whatever the cause, joy filled her as the sense of him grew stronger as each beat of her wings narrowed the distance between them.

  At last, she and Nutesh came upon the ship carrying her Blade. She studied it as it rode the ocean waves far below. The vessel was under full sail, racing toward Eridu. Tirigan was down there, his distress flowing along their link. She could only hope Laliya and Bashaa were down there as well.

  If Nutesh hadn’t been with her, his voice of reason tempering the rash instincts that were screaming at her to attack the ship, she might have gotten herself killed long before she could rescue her friends.

  Nutesh ordered her to stay hidden in the clouds until the ship sailed into the thick fog bank he’d summoned.

  “Are you sure no one on board can sense the magic?”

  “I am sure. With age comes skill. They won’t sense one of my spells unless I wish it.”

  Asharru could only accept his answer as truth.

  Nutesh dipped a wing, skimming through the clouds until he was flying wing tip to wing tip with her once again.

  “Your Blade is still alive. That is all that matters. As soon as the ship sails into the fog, we’ll descend and scout out the positions of all the guards and sailors and determine the best place to board.”

  Asharru ground her beak in frustration, but Nutesh’s words were wise.

  The ship continued toward the fog as Nutesh said it would, though the sailors trimmed the sails, slowing it as it entered the mist.