8
ANNANI
Annani stood by the window of her village home, her hand on the glass that was warmed by the sunlight filtering through the leaves of a maple tree. She smoothed her other hand over the side of her dark purple gown, chosen specifically because it minimized the appearance of stains.
Spending time with her newest batch of grandchildren was a delight, but their little fingers were not always clean, and she did not want to worry about her clothing. Later, her faithful Odus would do their best to wash the stains out, but if they failed, it would not be a big loss. She was not attached to any garment, and the seamstress she employed to make her gowns would love to create new ones for her.
At the humming sound of an electric cart approaching, a smile bloomed on her face, and a few moments later, the golf cart she had been expecting stopped in front of her house. Kian got out, leaving Syssi and Allegra in the vehicle as he strode to her front door.
Her son rarely did anything at a leisurely pace, always moving with purpose and determination. She wished he could slowdown and just savor life like she was doing, and maybe one day he would, when Allegra was all grown up and ready to take over for her daddy.
When the doorbell rang, Annani put her sunglasses on and walked over to greet her son.
"Mother." He bowed nearly in half to kiss her cheek. "Your chariot awaits."
Annani laughed. "I still remember those, and this lovely golf cart is much more comfortable to sit in, but not as impressive to look at."
Smiling, he offered her his arm. "We can make it a project and build a golf cart that looks like a chariot. I'm sure the kids would love it."
"Indeed." She leaned on him not because she needed to, but because it felt nice. "Any idea what Kalugal's surprise might be?"
"I suspect it's an artifact of some significance. What else could he have brought over from a dig in Egypt?"
As they reached the golf cart, Allegra's face lit up, her small arms reaching out to Annani. "Nana!"
"Hello, my little princess." Annani bent to receive the enthusiastic hug from her granddaughter. "And how are you this beautiful morning?"
"Look!" Allegra held up the porcelain figurine from her birthday cake, its delicate features gleaming in the sunlight. "She's so pretty."
"She is indeed." Annani examined the doll with appropriate solemnity. "But you must be very careful with her. Porcelain breaks easily if dropped."
Nodding with a serious expression on her sweet face, Allegra clutched the doll closer to her chest.
Kian offered his hand to help Annani settle into the back seat beside Allegra's car seat, and once everyone was situated, he set off along the winding paths of the village.
"Sparkles, see?" Allegra pointed to the doll's elaborate costume. "Also on shoes. And her hair is like mine." She patted her own blonde curls for emphasis.
"Does she have a name yet?" Annani asked.
Allegra frowned, thinking for a long moment before lifting the doll in front of Annani's face. "She is Princess Sparkle."
"Princess Sparkle is perfect," Annani declared, earning a beaming smile from her granddaughter.
As the cart wound through the village, Annani's thoughts turned to Kalugal's invitation and the hint of a special revelation.
"I keep trying to guess what Kalugal found in Egypt." Syssi echoed Annani's thoughts. "He mentioned artifacts, but that was it. The guy sure likes to build up suspense."
"The most memorable artifact in Kalugal's possession, as far as I am concerned, is that small figurine of Wonder—or Gulan as she was once called." Annani paused, memories of her childhood friend contrasting with the woman she had become as Wonder. "When Jacki held it, she saw visions of what happened to the caravan Gulan was traveling with when the earthquake struck."
"I remember," Kian said. "Jacki reacted strongly to it, and Kalugal was worried."
Annani adjusted the folds of her gown. "The strange thing is that Wonder herself never held the figurine, and whoever carved it could not possibly have known about the earthquake or who Wonder was at the time. The only plausible explanation is that it was a figurine of someone who merely resembled Wonder. But then it does not make sense that it held echoes of what happened to her."
"Maybe the carver had a vision of her," Syssi suggested. "Perhaps he or she had seen Wonder tumbling into the chasm while trying to save people, and that person imparted the vision on the figurine."
"That is actually the explanation that makes the most sense," Annani agreed. "Some humans possess second sight."
Like the old woman who had told her that she would find Khiann again. At the time, Annani had neither believed nor disbelieved the prophecy entirely. It had given her a glimmer of hope, and now, five thousand years later, it had grown into more than a glimmer.
