The Gazelle (A Rapunzel Retelling)

Chapter 7

Tabeya raised an eyebrow. "What else would I be?"

Humban's dark eyes fell on her feet and roved over her body before meeting her eyes.

"A goddess." He lowered his gaze.

Tabeya's cheeks burned. "Oh, no." She gave a nervous laugh.

Goddesses could smite their enemies. They were beautiful and powerful. They'd win the war for Amalu, not be contained in a tower.

"I'm flattered, but I assure you, I am completely mortal."

"Are you sure about that?" Humban didn't sound convinced.

"I think I would know if I was a goddess." Tabeya couldn't resist a smile.

"Fair enough." A ghost of a grin passed over Humban's mouth, but his eyes remained serious.

"Why would you think that I was a goddess?"

"You have a guardian and a lioness companion, both of whom share their names with Amaluan goddesses." Humban gazed at Tabeya.

Her brow furrowed. In all the stories she had read, she had never come across a goddess named Nungal, but she believed Humban. Was it a coincidence that her guardian shared that name?

Ishtar, as Tabeya knew, was one of the most powerful goddesses. She was the goddess of love and war.

When Tabeya had met her lioness, she had known that her name was Ishtar. Maybe it was something that had come to her in a dream. It could be because lions were a symbol of the goddess, or because the lioness looked like an Ishtar.

Although she was strangely friendly, the lioness spent too much time with Tabeya to be a goddess.

Tabeya looked into Humban's brown agate eyes. It was her turn to ask questions.

"Why don't you tell me why you're really here?"

Humban looked over his shoulder and lowered his voice. "Do you swear that you live alone? You're not spying for anyone?"

Ishtar growled at Humban's insinuation.

Tabeya stroked her behind her ears. "Of course I'm not a spy! Why would I want to live this far out in nowhere?"

"Perhaps you liked the ambience." Humban tilted his head. "It wouldn't be the strangest thing I've heard."

Tabeya couldn't help but laugh. "While I'll admit that I do, I didn't choose this." Her face turned solemn again. "Why would you think I was spying for someone?"

"Because a goddess was last seen here, and now I find a young woman all alone in a supposedly abandoned city." Humban looked around as if he expected the Amaluan pantheon to spring an ambush.

Tabeya hadn't realised men could be so paranoid. As bizarre as this Humban was, she wanted to keep talking to him.

"We're alone," said Tabeya. "Ishtar would tell us if we weren't."

Humban blinked in confusion, so Tabeya patted the lioness's head.

"Oh, that Ishtar." His mouth curved slightly.

Humban had a sense of humour after all.

"Walk with me."

Tabeya fell into step beside him. "Where are we going?"

"To my horse."

"You have a horse? I've never seen one before."

"It looks like that's about to change."

There it was again, that hint of a smile. Maybe Tabeya could make Humban smile fully at least once before he left Bennam.

"Where are you staying?" asked Tabeya.