The Rise of the Goddess

20 | EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A CONSORT

Urhi-Teshub let go of the latch and nodded to the pair of guards flanking the outside of Istara's door, his heart heavy. He wished he could tell Istara the truth, but Thoth had forbidden it, insisting they should not undo what the Creator had done. Turning toward his door a little further down, he considered whether he should find Thoth and warn him Istara's memories had begun to return. He understood well enough the story she had crafted to fit her perception of having always been a goddess: she had left Sethi to be with Urhi-Teshub, her 'affair' having driven Sethi to ally himself with Marduk. Urhi-Teshub lifted an eyebrow, amazed at how a mind, given only fragments could create such a plausible whole.

He stopped outside his door and rubbed his hand against his jaw. Perhaps he might be able to sway the once-god of wisdom's mind. He couldn't understand what harm could come from Istara finding out she was once mortal. He turned.

From the depths of the corridor Sekhmet approached, carrying a rustic-looking gourd, a rude cork jammed into its neck. She lifted the yellowish gourd as she approached. A sloshing sound came from within.

"I hoped you might be in the mood to celebrate today's success," she smiled. "It's a local spirit, a burned liquor they call 'friend for life'. Despite its off-putting description, it's quite pleasant." She held out the gourd.

Urhi-Teshub took it, thinking only to take a sip to be polite and then excuse himself to continue on to find Thoth. He sipped. He lifted his brow, and took a deeper swig. He handed the gourd back to her. "It's good," he murmured.

"Nice and clean, and just enough sweetness to take the edge off its bitterness," Sekhmet said, taking a swig herself, her movements fluid and effortless. She swiped the back of her hand over her mouth, like a man. Urhi-Teshub bit back a smile. There was something refreshing about the goddess of war, her independence appealed to him. He eyed the gourd, thinking he wouldn't mind another shot at it.

He tilted his head at the door of his apartment. "Would you like to come in?" he asked. He reasoned once the thing was empty he could still go and see Thoth. After all, Sekhmet had gone out of her way to get the drink and find him, it would be rude to send her off.

She nodded. He opened the door and let her go in first. She turned to look at him as he closed the door behind him. "You want cups for this?"

"How do the locals drink it?" he asked.

Sekhmet held up the gourd and waggled it, a faint smile on her lips.

"Let's be heathens then," Urhi-Teshub said and moved to join her. She sank onto one of the divans, and eyed the open doors to the terrace. "It's a private garden," he said, catching her wary look. "No one here but you and me."

With a nod of approval, she handed him the gourd. He settled onto the divan opposite her. The cork came out with a satisfying pop. He raised the gourd and toasted her before he drank, deep. The liquid washed down his throat, smooth, satisfying, both a little bitter and sweet.

"Easy, there," Sekhmet said, putting her slim fingers on the gourd and pushing it down, "it's stronger than you'd expect. I don't want you incapacitated before I find out all your dark secrets."

"I don't have any dark secrets," Urhi-Teshub said, handing the gourd back. She took it, and sipped, but didn't hand it back. Neither did she put the cork back, which pleased him. "It's your dark secrets I am interested in," he said, the drink starting to hit him, buoying him up, melting his troubles away—though a stern voice in his mind reminded him he still needed to speak to Thoth.

"The one who brings the drink gets their answers first," Sekhmet replied with a dry look. She eased forward in the divan, and rested her elbows on her leather-clad thighs, holding the gourd in the open space between her legs. Urhi-Teshub cut a surreptitious look at her fingers around the neck of the gourd, the sight of her sitting like that appealing, sensual. He had never seen a women clad in leggings before, nor had he seen one sit like that, oozing the easy confidence of a warrior. He looked up and caught her watching him, a sardonic look in her eye.