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Khan dressed and took a moment to peak into the room next to his. He had been uncomfortable with letting Fen be too far away from him. He was worried that once Shala's medicine wore off, she would be in pain from the riding or that her nightmares would return. Sargon had raised a brow but hadn't objected.
Khan slipped into the room, his eyes adjusting to the low light. Fen was curled up on her side, her blonde hair a riot on the pillows. He drew the blanket over her shoulder so the morning chill wouldn't bother her. His eyes caught on the golden slave collar and Sargon's necklace on the small side table. An idea sparked, and he took both of them back to his room and to his work counter. He had always been taking things apart to see how they worked before putting them back together.
Finding a small tool with a flat end, he undid the screws on the ankh seal of the collar and removed the small metal and crystal translating device. He didn't want Fen to be wearing a slave collar any longer, even out of necessity.
He picked up the lapis lazuli pendant that Sargon had given her. It had been a present from Sargon's mother to her son when he became a full magi. In the gold was carved a spell of protection by the magician trickster god, Ea. It had always been one of Sargon's treasures, and Khan had been shocked and pleased that he had given such a gift to Fen. He should have known that his wily grandfather would sense the strange aura around Fen and would understand and welcome her as he would lost family.
It took a while, but Khan got the translator chip neatly fitted into the back of the necklace and replaced it in Fen's room. She hadn't stirred, and Khan whispered a prayer to Inanna that she would stay deep in a healing, peaceful sleep.
Khan wandered the halls of his family home, Rabbu trailing beside him, and went searching for Sargon. His grandfather was nothing if not a creature of habit, so Khan headed for the gardens.
Khan found Sargon out amongst the cypress and the flowering purple wisteria trees. He was stripped to the waist, and his long hair bound up in a knot. He had a calm expression as he went through his elegant training with a wooden staff.
He was still as fit as a man half his age, his tall body strong, and he worked to keep it that way.
"Good morning, Grandfather," Khan greeted. "I need to talk to you about—"
"You can talk to me with a staff in your hands," Sargon cut him off.
"You haven't changed," Khan grumbled, shucking off his shirt and tying his hair back.
"And you have gotten soft in Ankhara," Sargon replied, never stopping his routine.
Khan picked up a staff and fell into the practice. It was like a moving meditation, and he couldn't remember the last time he had done it. Perhaps Sargon was right.
"Where is beautiful Fen?" Sargon asked as they mirrored each other.
"She's sleeping peacefully. I was worried the journey yesterday reopened her wounds, but she seems to be okay," Khan replied.
"I see how you watch her." Sargon wasn't teasing, merely stating a fact. "You're concerned about more than her injuries."
"Her gods caused this," Khan blurted out, unable to contain the secret any longer. He didn't stop exercising, but he recounted the dream walking and what had been revealed to him.
"Have you spoken to her about it?" Sargon asked finally.
"No. I wanted your advice. I'm worried that what I saw was simply a dream. Something that I conjured from her own stories," Khan replied.
"Hmm, I can understand why, but the details are too clear for that to be the case. Your training should have told you that much. Or are you scared of what it could mean?"
Khan considered the question. "I'm scared that it will hurt her. Havi—Odin—is one of the gods she most revers, and he abandoned her over a bet. I can't understand why."
"The gods love to test humans. It keeps them amused and shows them who to bestow their favors on. Perhaps the answer is in what this Havi said," Sargon mused, his brows drawing together. "What was it about,'You know what runs in her veins, and I would have her be under our influence.'What does she have in her veins, Khan?"
Khan's steps faltered. "I don't know exactly, but it might have something to do with her mother telling her that her father was the god Loki."
Sargon brought his staff down on the top of Khan's head, making him yelp. "You didn't think to tell me I had a godling at my table?"
"I don't know for sure, and neither does she!" Khan knocked his staff away. "Fen said it's a story some women use if their children's father abandons them."
"Gah! Besmarterthan this, Khan. You should've asked her further questions rather than get smitten by her big golden eyes."
"I am not smitten," Khan muttered.
Sargon pulled a face. "Lie to yourself, but don't lie to me, grandson. You need to talk to her. Find out why Havi would want someone of her parentage out of the way."
Khan thought as he fell back into the routine. "She said her mother named her Fenrys, after one of Loki's other children—a great wolf that will destroy the world."
"Ea, please give me strength," Sargon prayed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You didn't consider any of this before bringing her here?"
