(Ereshgal POV)
"Did you all hear everything?"
Hadan, Ashren, and Azel came down the stairs. Azel was still bound, just in case. We did not know whether he was another traitor, or if he had been working with Namur from the beginning. But judging by the shock on his face, it did not seem likely. Hadan came toward me as soon as he noticed the blood on my clothes.
"Are you all right, Prince?"
I nodded.
"Yes. No problem."
Azel was still staring at Namur, as if part of him could not accept what he had just heard.
Namur looked around the room and smiled.
It was ugly.
His grip tightened around the dagger he still held, and he drove it straight toward his own heart. We all moved to stop him, but I knew immediately we would not reach him in time.
The blade was barely an inch from piercing his skin…
…when it froze.
I stepped in and drove my fist into his stomach. He had not been ready for it. There was no spiritual energy covering his body. Namur doubled over and spat blood. A moment later, Hadan struck the side of his neck with far more control than I had used. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed unconscious.
"Ashren, tie him up again" Hadan ordered immediately. "And put a rope in his mouth so he doesn't bite off his tongue."
Then he looked at Azel.
"Thank you for the help."
The moment Namur's blade stopped, it looked the same as when Azel had stopped the Guardian's children back then.
Ashren lifted Namur and placed him back on the chair, tying him down properly this time.
Hadan turned to me.
"Good work."
"Thanks, old man."
"If you hadn't shown me how your rune worked earlier, I never would have agreed to such a risky plan."
I smiled.
"You can't even imagine the others."
He stared at me for a moment, then burst into loud laughter. When he finally calmed down, he pointed toward Namur.
"Do you want to do anything with him?"
I looked at Namur's unconscious body. If I was being honest, I wanted to torture him. I knew how, and part of me would enjoy it.
Quite a lot.
But that was not the image an heir to the throne should show. I could not let Hadan wonder if I was still the person he remembered.
Still, the best option was obvious. If I drank Namur's blood and killed him that way, I would see his memories.
We would learn everything.
The problem was that I could not risk being exposed. If they realized what I was, the best possible outcome would be imprisonment. Even so, that did not mean I could not do it without them noticing.
I looked away from Namur and turned back to Hadan.
"When you are done with him… I want to be the one who finishes him."
Hadan sighed. Then he nodded, his expression softening with understanding. I had already told him what happened, so the request made sense.
"We will try to get every piece of information out of him first" he said. "After that, he is yours. Give us a couple of days."
"Perfect."
A few moments later, I went up the stairs. The seven gates of the temple greeted me again.
Hadan and Ashren came up first. Azel followed behind them, and as soon as he saw me, he lowered himself to one knee.
Despite the ropes binding his wrists, Azel raised both hands and lifted one finger. He began gathering spiritual energy around it, a storm-gray glow that could only belong to Enlil. But instead of tracing a rune, he used the divine trace to write in the air.
I am glad you are alive, Crown Prince.
I frowned slightly. Why was he writing with spiritual energy instead of speaking? He lowered his head slightly. Then he wrote again.
I am sorry I cannot speak. Because of my Edict, I do not know who to trust anymore.
Then I remembered that Azel had not said a single word during that journey. Was trust a condition for him to speak?
His head sank even lower.
Forgive me for not protecting you properly back then.
I looked at the words hanging in the air for a moment, then at him.
"Apologies do not matter now" I said. "If you are loyal, prove it."
Azel kept his head lowered. Then, one last time, he wrote in the air.
I will.
"You can stand".
He did not move. Ashren let out a quiet laugh.
"Understandable" he said. "I was surprised too when I found out"
I looked at Azel and sighed.
"Suit yourself."
Then I turned to Hadan. "What do we do now?"
Hadan looked toward the stairs.
"We will bring someone to pull the rest of the information out of Namur. Go back to the workshop with Ashren."
I had seen this coming.
"Hadan, I know you want to protect me, but I'll be safer alone. You heard what happened when I arrived, didn't you?"
I pointed to my ear. Kelzar had probably already told Hadan, and Ishtal likely knew as well. There was no point in hiding it.
Hadan stared at me for a moment.
"Right. You are a whole box of surprises now." Then he laughed again.
'More than you think.'
"Be very careful" he said. "Do not use spiritual energy."
That was easier than I expected.
I already knew about the detector. The only places safe from inspection when spiritual energy was used were temples, the palace, and the training grounds for the chosen.
Hadan spoke again, his voice lower this time.
"If they catch you, everything will be lost."
"I'll be careful."
I cleaned the blood off, changed into a clean tunic, and covered my face before leaving the temple.
It was already late into the night. Once outside, I closed my eyes and listened. The dome formed in my mind almost instantly, a quarter mile of sounds.
I walked calmly through the streets, avoiding every guard before they could even come close. With my hearing and my sight in the dark, slipping past them was almost too easy. I could have done this all night without anyone noticing.
So I wandered a little on the way back to the workshop. Before I realized it, I was near the palace walls.
Inside were probably Kudur, his followers, and…
My mother.
Was she all right? Why had she not left the palace? She had not seen Ennari either. Whatever had happened, I needed to find out.
I could…
My eyes rose to the walls again.
I could jump over them without using spiritual energy.
No.
If I was caught, everything would be for nothing. Hadan had assured me she was alive. The future of Uruk depended on her, so Kudur would not harm her recklessly.
I turned away from the palace and headed back toward the workshop.
Kudur…
Do not get too comfortable.
Five days remained until the coronation, and soon, you will not be there anymore.