When Darius regarded him with a pair of dark eyes that seemed to understand more than they should at his age, Kalugal hugged his son to his chest and kissed the top of his head. "Do you want to stay here with Mommy and Daddy or do you want to go back with Shamash to play?"
As an answer, Darius twisted in his arms and reached for Shamash.
"I guess it's back to playing." Kalugal handed the boy to his assistant.
Allegra seemed to agree with Darius and followed Shamash out of the dining room.
Kalugal waited until they were gone before turning to his guests. "I believe I've kept you all in suspense long enough."
"I'd say," Kian grumbled.
Fenella and Din exchanged a glance, while Kyra leaned forward, her hand automatically rising to the pendant at her throat.
"Jacki and I discovered quite a remarkable item during our time in Egypt," Kalugal continued. "An item I believe may be of particular interest to you, Clan Mother."
Annani's luminous gaze fixed on him, a flicker of something crossing her features. Was it hope he detected there for a brief moment?
"If you'll excuse me," Kalugal said, "I'll get the artifact."
In his study, he walked over to the safe, which was concealed behind a panel in the bookshelf. The combination was unnecessary—the lock responded to his DNA—but he maintained the pretense of entering a code for any watching eyes. The panel slid aside, revealing a velvet-lined interior where the cloth-wrapped figurine waited.
He lifted it carefully, the weight solid and familiar in his hand. He and Jacki had found it in the marketplace and would have missed it if not for the red-painted long hair of the exquisite figurine catching Jacki's eye. How it had gotten there, who had created it, and why it bore such a striking resemblance to his aunt remained unanswered questions, but he knew Annani would appreciate the unique gift.
Returning to the dining room, Kalugal was gratified to see that conversation remained suspended, all eyes turning to the bundle in his hands.
"Clan Mother." He walked to where Annani sat at the head of the table. "I present to you this gift, though it is rightfully yours in ways I cannot explain. Not yet, anyway."
He placed the cloth-wrapped object in front of her and then stepped back.
Annani's fingers were steady as she unwrapped the protective cloth, layer by layer, and as the final fold fell away, a collective gasp rippled around the table.
The figurine was small, no larger than her palm, but it was exquisitely detailed. Carved from some pale stone that gleamed with an inner light reminiscent of Annani's own skin, it depicted a woman with cascading red hair that flowed nearly to her knees. The face was upturned as if basking in sunlight, a gesture so familiar that several of those present glanced between the statue and Annani herself in astonishment.
"It's you," Kian breathed. "Down to the smallest detail."
Annani remained silent, her fingers tracing the contours of the miniature figure with wonder.
"How is this possible?" Amanda leaned forward, her eyes blazing with curiosity. "Did you have it dated? Is it a find from the era of the gods?"
He shook his head. "It's not nearly as ancient. Perhaps a couple of centuries old, if that. We found it among many others in an open market. We would have missed it if not for the hair. It caught Jacki's attention."
"I have never visited Egypt," Annani said. "But even if the carver met me in another country, my skin would not have been glowing. I only let my glow come out when it is safe among my people."
"Perhaps it is a copy of an older artifact," Din suggested. "The carver might have found a figurine that survived from the gods' era and copied the design."
"That's what we thought," Jacki said. "I read the figurine psychometrically, but I saw very little. A few snippets from the carver's life—an artisan who worked primarily with wood but occasionally chose to work in stone for special commissions or for his own enjoyment. One of the snippets I got was himworking while looking at another figurine, but the impressions were too faint and fractured for me to follow."
Morelle leaned forward. "The original figurine would be the key, wouldn't it?"
"My thoughts exactly," Kalugal nodded. "That's why I want to suggest an experiment." His gaze fell over Fenella, Kyra, and Jasmine. "Three women bound by blood, each with unique talents that amplify when combined, might crack this mystery."
Fenella got his meaning right away. "You want us to try reading it together."
He nodded. "The carver was exposed to the original, even held it in his hand. He might have imparted what he'd absorbed from the original figurine into his creation, and with your combined power, you might be able to access it."
"It's worth trying," Kyra said, her hand closing around her pendant. "Although what would that achieve?"
Kalugal smiled. "Finding out the identity of the original carver would be a good start. Perhaps it's the same person who carved Wonder's figurine. That person knew her fate, so perhaps he also knew Khiann's."
