Esag's face went white. His companions moved closer, protective, but he waved them back.
"Which figurines?" he asked.
"The one that started our search was of Gulan, nowadays going by the name of Wonder."
"Gulan." The name came out as barely a whisper. "You found my carving of Gulan, and you speak of her as if you know her, just using a different name."
"We do," Max said. "Gulan was buried and in stasis until not too long ago. Construction started where she was, and a water pipe burst. That's how she was revived. Poor thing didn't remember who she was and what had happened to her, but eventually, her memories returned, and the merciful Fates led her to our clan."
"Clan?" One of Esag's companions tilted his head in confusion.
"Perhaps we should all sit down for this," Kalugal suggested.
"Of course." Esag waved a hand toward his large worktable. "Roven and Davuh will get another bench."
So, those were their names. The Clan Mother had told them about the two Guardians who had accompanied Esag on his search for Gulan, but Fenella had forgotten them.
Once both benches had been dusted and the table cleared, they all somehow squeezed into the available space.
Kalugal cleared his throat and assumed the mantle of authority that came so naturally to him. "We search on behalf of someone who never gave up hope of finding other survivors. Someone who is very dear to you and who survived the bombing of the assembly because she escaped beforehand."
Fenella had to hand it to Kalugal. The guy knew how to build up suspense.
Esag regarded him with suspicious eyes. "None of the gods escaped. If they did, we would have felt their presence, their influence on these wretched humans."
"Maybe some did," Kalugal said.
One of Esag's companions shook his head. "We went back, years later, when the poison had faded. There was no one left. The assembly hall was a crater, the palace turned into rubble, and everyone and everything were dead for many kilometers in all directions."
"As I said, the goddess escaped before the bombing."
"Who?" the taller companion asked.
"Before I answer that," Kalugal said, "I need to know who I'm talking to. Are you Davuh or Roven?"
"I'm Davuh, and this perpetual optimist on Esag's other side is Roven. We were tasked with retrieving Gulan, who escaped with a caravan heading for Egypt, but regrettably, we didn't reach her in time. We thought that she perished in the earthquake that preceded the bombing." He cast a glance at Esag. "You said you saw it in your dream."
Esag nodded. "Sometimes I get prophetic dreams. I know they are special because I feel like I'm right there when they are happening. They don't have the same quality as regular dreams." He shook his head. "I see the events unfolding through the eyes of someone who was there, but I can't do anything to change the event or the outcome. I'm trapped in the past as a helpless observer. I hate those dreams. I hate seeing people I care about dying or being buried alive." He leveled his gaze at Kalugal. "Who was the one who survived? Tell me."
Kalugal smiled. "The princess. The most radiant one."
Fenella had a feeling that Kalugal wasn't going to tell Esag about Areana and Toven yet. He wanted to make sure that Esag and his companions were trustworthy first.
For a long moment, Esag and his two friends just gaped, and then Esag whispered, "Annani is alive?"
Kalugal nodded. "She is alive, and she is the Mother of the Clan. The matriarch of many immortals. Your princess singlehandedly preserved the traditions and knowledge of the gods and helped humanity, or at least part of it, to make strides toward enlightenment as the gods had intended."
Davuh swayed on the bench, Roven made a sound that might have been a sob, but it was Esag's reaction that broke Fenella's heart. He seemed to crumple, his head falling into his hands.
"I can't believe she's alive," Esag murmured. "It makes sense, though. Who else would have fought for women while Mortdh's patriarchal sacrilege ruled supreme?"
"She sent us to find you," Fenella said.
"It was the figurines," Kalugal explained. "I found the one you made of Wonder, I mean Gulan, many years ago. My mate, Jacki, who can read memories and emotions embedded in objects, held it in her hand and saw what happened to Gulan. You must have embedded your dream into the figurine you carved of her."
Esag nodded. "I carved it right after I had that dream. It was still painfully fresh, and I transferred the pain into my work."
"It's a beautiful piece," Kalugal said. "The next one we found was even more exquisite. It was one of Annani. This time, Fenella read it. She has a similar talent to my Jacki, but she needs Kyraand Jasmine's boost." The two lifted their hands when Kalugal said their names. "Anyway, the figurine wasn't your original. Someone was copying your work, and she saw in the memories he had embedded in his work the original he was copying. When he lifted the figurine to examine it, she saw the engraving on the bottom with your name and your dedication to the princess."
