Goddess’s Choice Page 6

  Tugging her shawl lower to cover more of her face, Annani giggled and whispered quietly, “I see both of us had fun.” She wrapped her arm around Gulan’s waist and headed out.

  As soon as they were out on the street, the goddess sighed dramatically. “I always wondered about my first kiss. Who would I do it with? How would it feel? Would I like it? Would I want more? But I never imagined it would shake the earth under my sandals and spin my head.”

  Gulan grimaced. “It sounds a lot like being drunk, and this is not what I would call fun.” Her words had sounded bitter even to her own ears, but for once she could not hold it in and pretend she was not envious.

  Annani, who was a year younger than her, had already gotten her first kiss even though she was the princess, guarded and sequestered like no other girl, goddess, immortal, or human.

  Most second- and third-generation immortal girls got their first kiss during the transition ceremony. Born mortal, they had to be bitten by an immortal male and injected with his venom in order to transition into immortality. The act was sexual in nature, enjoyed between immortal couples, but because it had to be done at the onset of puberty, it was usually accompanied by nothing more than a kiss. Or in Gulan’s case, nothing at all.

  The boy her family had secured for the ceremony had only bitten her, he had not kissed her, which had been a major blow to Gulan’s self-confidence. A kiss was not required, but it was kind of expected. Unless the girl was taller than most grown men and lacked feminine grace.

  Gulan’s growth had been so rapid, that she had constantly been trying to catch up and get used to her new size. Thank the merciful Fates she’d stopped growing at fifteen and was no longer as ungainly as she used to be.

  She should not complain, though.

  The Fates who had gifted her with that particular set of attributes had not been cruel. Gulan’s size combined with her gentle nature had gotten her the coveted position as the princess’s personal maid and companion. Her family was certainly grateful for the generous wages she had been bringing home since she was twelve.

  Annani sighed. “Oh, Gulan, if that is how being drunk feels it is no wonder beer is so popular. That kiss was magical.”

  With Annani shrouding herself in Tula’s image, they got back into the palace undetected, sneaking through the servants’ entrance. To know it was the goddess wearing her sister’s image like a costume was unnerving to say the least.

  Annani kept the shroud until they were safely inside her room.

  Tula sat up. “How did it go?”

  The princess cast the shawl aside and twirled. “Amazing. I got my first kiss.”

  “Wow.” Clutching the blanket to her chest, Tula was wide-eyed. “Did you like it?”

  “I loved it. The best thing that ever happened to me, and hopefully there will be many more kisses.” She winked at Gulan before sauntering behind the partition.

  “Did anyone come in?” Annani asked as she threw Tula’s tunic over the top of it.

  “No. I actually fell asleep. Your bed is heavenly, my lady.”

  Gulan handed Annani a new dress. “What is next? Are we going to sneak out like that every day?”

  “There is no further need for that. I convinced Khiann to ask my father’s permission to court me. If we sneak around, it will be probably in the palace’s gardens to steal kisses.”

  “Good. Today was nerve-wracking.” Gulan tossed Tula’s tunic on the bed. “Get dressed. We need to get you home.”

  She was going to pray to the Fates for Ahn to approve Khiann’s courtship. The odds were against that ever coming to pass, but to keep her sanity, Gulan would beseech the Fates on Annani’s behalf.

  Maybe with the young goddess busy kissing her chosen one in the palace’s gardens, she would not have time to come up with any new schemes.

  Annani emerged from behind the screen, looking regal again. “I want to thank you both for your help.” She walked over to her jewelry chest.

  “This is for you, Gulan.” She handed her a necklace made of gold and precious stones. “And this is for you.” She handed Tula a bracelet made from the same materials.

  Each of the items could feed a large human family for a year.

  “It is too much, my lady. We cannot accept such great gifts.” Gulan tried to return the necklace.

  Casting her an evil glare, Tula cradled the bracelet in her hands.

  Annani arched one perfectly shaped red brow and pushed Gulan’s hand away. “You would offend me by refusing my gifts?”

  Ugh, the goddess was impossible, always twisting things around to get her way. “Of course not, my lady.”

  Annani grinned. “Very well. I will see you bright and early tomorrow morning, Gulan. Tonight, I am going to dream of passionate kisses, and tomorrow I am going to come up with a plan to convince my father that Khiann is not only the best choice for me but also for the future of the realm.”

  PART 2

  SECRET ACCORD

  1

  Khiann

  Thoughts of Annani had kept Khiann awake most of the night—elation warring with anxiety, hope dueling with despair. When temptation finally did away with caution, the moon was still high in the sky.

  Giving up on getting any sleep, Khiann got up and walked over to the stone basin. Perhaps a splash of cold water on his face would help clear his mind.

  He needed advice, and he needed help.

  A young god just starting out in the world had no access to the ruler or even his assistants, but his father was one of the ancients, and as such in a position to gain Ahn’s ear.

  Navohn was one of a handful of gods who could claim that privilege.

  The question was whether his father would agree to help. Probably not. Annani’s proposal was the best and the worst thing to ever happen to Khiann. On the one hand was the possibility of endless bliss with his truelove mate. On the other hand was war and possible retaliation against his family. If he were in his father's sandals, he would have refused without giving it a second thought.

  But who knew? Navohn was a good-natured god and the best possible father. His love for Khiann might influence his decision. Or perhaps his deep dislike for Mortdh would be the deciding factor.

  In either case, there was hope.

  It would be some time before Navohn awakened and started his workday. In the meantime, Khiann needed to come up with the best way of presenting Annani’s proposal and its ramifications.

  She was so courageous for taking the initiative and coming to him with her bold offer. Khiann felt humbled and disappointed in himself for not being the one to go to her first. After all, he had desired Annani for years. What a shame that he had convinced himself there was no chance of him ever winning her hand.

  From now on, though, he would fight for her.

  For them.

  Navohn was leaving on a trade expedition in nine days and was in the midst of intense preparations, which meant that time was of the essence. Preparing a caravan for the road was a more complicated task than people thought, and on top of that, his father was trying to cram all of his knowledge into Khiann’s head before leaving.

  It was not a good time for such an important talk, but it would be weeks before his father returned and Annani was not a patient goddess. She might do something foolish if Khiann didn’t act fast enough.

  When dawn finally arrived, he strode into Navohn’s office, which he now shared. “I need to discuss an important matter with you, Father.”

  “Of course. What is it about? Are you worried about being left in charge for the first time?”

  Up until now, his father had taken Khiann along on his travels, leaving behind a trusted assistant to look after their business affairs. This time, however, the assistant was going with Navohn, and Khiann was staying behind to manage the office. A big responsibility he was ready for.

  Mostly.

  “It is not that. Although, yes, I am somewhat apprehensive. But trade is not what I wanted to talk to you about. It is somet
hing bigger than that.”

  Navohn’s expression turned from curious to worried, and a deep furrow appeared between his brows. “Do not tell me that you are considering Ahn’s suggestion to apply for the leadership of a city-state?”

  “No, I am not interested in that way of life. Although I might have to reconsider.”

  His father’s eyes narrowed in a rare display of agitation. “I do not understand. You are contradicting yourself, son.”

  Khiann wished there was some elegant way to lead up to what he needed to ask, but the many hours he had spent debating with himself had produced nothing. He was not as sophisticated or as experienced in negotiations as his father, who was a master at painting pictures and feelings with his words and his subtle gestures. It would be many years before Khiann became as eloquent.

  But then he was not dealing with a client. His father loved him and would forgive a blunt delivery. To save time, it would be best to just come out with it.

  “Before I continue, I need to ensure that our conversation is private. With your permission, I will take care of this.”

  His father nodded. “Now you really have me worried,” he said as Khiann cast a soundproofing shroud around the office.

  “Annani came to see me yesterday.”

  “Annani? As in Princess Annani?”

  “There is only one. Yes, Ahn’s daughter garbed herself in a commoner’s attire and sneaked out of the palace to see me. She wants me to ask her father’s permission to court her.”

  Navohn could not have been more shocked if he had told him that the boat of a million years had come back to take the gods home.

  “The princess is promised to Mortdh.”

  Khiann rubbed his brows between two fingers. “Tell me something I do not know. This is the reason she came to me wearing a disguise. Mortdh’s spies are everywhere, and the princess is desperate to escape the fate of one day being forced to join him.”

  With a sigh, Navohn didn’t so much lean back as slump in his chair. “I do not blame her. Her father made a grave mistake by promising her to Mortdh. But in Ahn’s defense, seventeen years ago, when Annani was born, Mortdh’s ambitions seemed more reasonable and his madness not as apparent.”

  “Do you think Ahn knows he made a mistake?”

  “I am not sure. As long as there is peace, Ahn probably believes it was the right move, even if it means Annani’s misery. He is a ruler first and a father second.”

  “The peace is not going to last long. As soon as Mortdh amasses enough power he is going to attack.”

  Navohn sighed. “But he is not attacking right now. Even gods and immortals with their long lives and the perspective of history are sometimes blindsided by wishful thinking. Besides, it is not guaranteed that he will indeed attack. Perhaps he will wait patiently for Ahn to step down, mate with Annani, and take the throne peacefully. This is always a possibility.”

  “Then why is he building an army?”

  “Ah, good question. If you believe Mortdh, he needs the army to protect his people against bandit tribes and to secure his cedar trees trade.”

  “But you do not believe him.”

  Navohn shook his head. “There are rumors that he is building a huge new temple for himself. Bigger than Ahn’s palace.”

  Khiann scratched his head. “And that means exactly what? Gods love their temples, and the bigger, the better. I do not see the significance of Mortdh building one for himself.”

  A small smile lifted Navohn’s lips. “His big new temple sits on top of a much larger platform which is built from enormous stones. A platform like this is not needed as a foundation for a building, not even one of gigantic proportion. There is only one reason to invest so much effort and resources into building it, and it is not to have chariot races on the temple grounds.”

  “Do you think he is building a launch pad?”

  “What else?” Navohn lifted the pitcher, poured water into two cups, and handed one to Khiann.

  “Thank you.”

  That was troubling news.

  As one of the older gods, his father possessed knowledge most of the younger gods did not, and he had passed some of it to Khiann, swearing him to secrecy.

  The original gods who had made this place their home had not originated from earth. The space boat that they had arrived in had been orbiting earth for thousands of years, and rockets had been used to transport supplies and ores up to it. That vessel had long departed, and it was probably never coming back. There was no reason for the few small airboats that had remained in the gods’ possession and were still functional to clear the atmosphere, and therefore there was no more use for rockets to propel them.

  “What does he need a launch pad for?”

  “He either wants to venture out into space and explore, or he is planning an annihilation. Rockets can be used for more than launching boats into the outer atmosphere. They can also carry weapons of mass destruction.”

  A chill ran down Khiann’s spine. He had not known that. “Do you know if he has any functioning rockets?”

  Navohn spread his arms. “No one knows. But it is not unreasonable to assume that parts can be collected from several broken rockets to construct a new one. My only hope is that nobody in Mortdh’s stronghold knows how to do it.”

  “His father does.”

  “Ekin is not going to aid Mortdh.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  Navohn took a few long sips of water before putting his cup down on the low table between them. “For all his many faults, Ekin loves humanity and would never do anything to endanger it. He and Mortdh are not even on speaking terms. Ever since Ekin chose Toven as his heir and successor, Mortdh severed all ties to his father.”

  Toven was the younger brother, and by law second in line after Mortdh, but he had always been Ekin’s favorite. Toven was a brilliant scientist and thinker like his father, and just like Ekin, he was uninterested in politics. He was well-liked and respected, unlike Mortdh who was despised and feared.

  “That is certainly a relief.” Mortdh’s ambition combined with his father’s brilliance and knowledge would have created a foe too powerful to imagine.

  “Indeed. We are very lucky that Ekin has no political aspirations and is concerned only with creation as opposed to destruction.”

  Khiann chuckled. “From what I hear, his main endeavor is creating more children.” If the rumors were true, the god had bedded every available immortal female he could seduce and was warming the beds of several mated goddesses.

  Navohn nodded. “As I said before, Ekin has many faults, philandering being just one of them, and yet we are all better off for having him on our side. Imagine what our world would have been like without his many inventions.”

  “Barely inhabitable. Ekin possesses an incredible mind.”

  But Ekin and his inventions was not what Khiann wanted to talk about. “What about the princess? Do I have your permission to approach Ahn about her?”

  Navohn rubbed his chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Not without me and your mother. You will have to wait for my return.”

  “The princess is not a patient woman.”

  His father smiled. “She has quite a reputation. No wonder you are so taken with her. But you will have to explain to the young lady that good things are worth waiting for. During my travels, I will think of the best way to approach Ahn. I have known our ruler for a very long time, and I know the way his mind works.”

  Annani would not wait patiently for Navohn to return from his trip.

  “Is it possible for you to approach Ahn before your departure? I am afraid of what the princess will do if forced to wait.”

  His father smiled and leaned forward to pat Khiann’s shoulder. “I understand. The young have no patience. And you are right. The princess is impetuous and might do something foolish. I will ponder the problem for a day or two and let you know.”

  Khiann bowed his head. “I am most grateful, Father.”

  2
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  Annani

  “How do I look?” Annani asked Gulan.

  “You are as beautiful and as regal as always, my lady.”

  Did her maid just roll her eyes at Annani’s reflection in the mirror?

  “What is troubling you? Am I asking this question too often?”

  A look of fear skittered across Gulan’s face. “No, of course not, my lady. It is just that there is no point to your inquiry. You are always going to get the same answer from me and anyone else you ask.”

  That was true. But was it because they would not dare give her another answer, or because it was really what they thought?

  Annani did not lack confidence, but she knew she was not perfect. For one, she was ridiculously short, which made her look much younger than her seventeen summers, which in turn meant that she was not always taken seriously. But then, it might have had more to do with her mischievous behavior than with her looks. Secondly, she was not as well-endowed as Gulan in the breast department. Hers were perky but not voluptuous. Also, her legs were too skinny, and she lacked feminine hips, and her fingers were too short. Her hands looked like they belonged to a twelve-year-old.

  So yes, her face was beautiful, and her red hair was magnificent, but there were certain things she would have liked to change about her appearance. Mainly her height. Her other shortcomings were not as troublesome as her diminutive stature. Especially since Khiann was so tall. The top of her head barely reached his collarbone.

  Except, unless she had misread his reactions, he found her desirable, and that was the only thing that mattered. If her lack of height did not bother him, why should it bother her?

  Annani shrugged at her reflection. “I want to look nice when I go to see Ekin. I need his advice.”

  “Are you going to return his tablet?” Gulan finished pinning parts of Annani’s hair on top of her head, creating an elaborate partial up-do that left most of the tresses loose and hanging down Annani’s back.