Tabeya raised an eyebrow. "What else would I be?"

Humban's dark eyes fell on her feet and roved over her body before meeting her eyes.

"A goddess." He lowered his gaze.

Tabeya's cheeks burned. "Oh, no." She gave a nervous laugh.

Goddesses could smite their enemies. They were beautiful and powerful. They'd win the war for Amalu, not be contained in a tower.

"I'm flattered, but I assure you, I am completely mortal."

"Are you sure about that?" Humban didn't sound convinced.

"I think I would know if I was a goddess." Tabeya couldn't resist a smile.

"Fair enough." A ghost of a grin passed over Humban's mouth, but his eyes remained serious.

"Why would you think that I was a goddess?"

"You have a guardian and a lioness companion, both of whom share their names with Amaluan goddesses." Humban gazed at Tabeya.

Her brow furrowed. In all the stories she had read, she had never come across a goddess named Nungal, but she believed Humban. Was it a coincidence that her guardian shared that name?

Ishtar, as Tabeya knew, was one of the most powerful goddesses. She was the goddess of love and war.

When Tabeya had met her lioness, she had known that her name was Ishtar. Maybe it was something that had come to her in a dream. It could be because lions were a symbol of the goddess, or because the lioness looked like an Ishtar.

Although she was strangely friendly, the lioness spent too much time with Tabeya to be a goddess.

Tabeya looked into Humban's brown agate eyes. It was her turn to ask questions.

"Why don't you tell me why you're really here?"

Humban looked over his shoulder and lowered his voice. "Do you swear that you live alone? You're not spying for anyone?"

Ishtar growled at Humban's insinuation.

Tabeya stroked her behind her ears. "Of course I'm not a spy! Why would I want to live this far out in nowhere?"

"Perhaps you liked the ambience." Humban tilted his head. "It wouldn't be the strangest thing I've heard."

Tabeya couldn't help but laugh. "While I'll admit that I do, I didn't choose this." Her face turned solemn again. "Why would you think I was spying for someone?"

"Because a goddess was last seen here, and now I find a young woman all alone in a supposedly abandoned city." Humban looked around as if he expected the Amaluan pantheon to spring an ambush.

Tabeya hadn't realised men could be so paranoid. As bizarre as this Humban was, she wanted to keep talking to him.

"We're alone," said Tabeya. "Ishtar would tell us if we weren't."

Humban blinked in confusion, so Tabeya patted the lioness's head.

"Oh, that Ishtar." His mouth curved slightly.

Humban had a sense of humour after all.

"Walk with me."

Tabeya fell into step beside him. "Where are we going?"

"To my horse."

"You have a horse? I've never seen one before."

"It looks like that's about to change."

There it was again, that hint of a smile. Maybe Tabeya could make Humban smile fully at least once before he left Bennam.

"Where are you staying?" asked Tabeya.

"A house not too far from here."

Tabeya had never gone beyond the palace gates. In the city, Humban was safe from her eyes or any other at the palace. Still, she liked to think she'd have noticed if a group of men came into Bennam.

"Are you here alone?" she asked.

"Yes. My mission is somewhat... sensitive." Humban kept his eyes forward.

Tabeya stared at him until he gave her a sideways look.

"What?"

"Isn't it... creepy? Being alone in the city, I mean."

The thought of it sent a shiver through Tabeya. Fewer people had died inside the palace, but Tabeya could sense them watching her around corners or walking down corridors alongside her. She couldn't imagine how much worse that feeling must be in the city, where so many more souls had departed.

"I'm not alone because I have my horse with me, but" —Humban suppressed a shudder— "it is unsettling."

"Why don't you stay in the palace?"

Humban let out a breath. "I've heard that some powerful Amaluans meet here to discuss important matters. I suspect they gather in the palace, so I wanted to avoid staying too close by. My people sent me to..." Humban hesitated.

"To spy on the meeting?"

Humban met Tabeya's eyes. He nodded.

"You can try. I've lived here all my life, and I've never seen any sign of this meeting. I fear you're wasting your time."

If Humban was right, there had been men visiting Tabeya's palace without her knowing, but that wasn't possible.

"I hope not. My kingdom depends on the information I find." Humban set his jaw.

Tabeya studied the angles of his face. She couldn't imagine carrying the responsibility of so many lives.

"That must be a heavy burden to bear."

"It is, but I wouldn't have it any other way."

Tabeya smiled at that. Humban courage made her want to have courage too. It made her believe that she could make her dream a reality.

"Tabeya?"

Her cheeks heated up at the sound of her name. She liked the way Humban said it.

She looked up at him, at his eyes that watched her with something like bemusement. At least he hadn't noticed her blushing.

"You're Gilgarian, aren't you?" she asked.

"I am."

Nungal had said Gilgar was the losing side in the war. That made Tabeya admire Humban's bravery even more. He had come out here because of the possibility of saving his people. That was true loyalty.

"You speak my language." Tabeya never thought she'd meet a Gilgarian, let alone one who knew their enemies' tongue.

Humban gave a half-smile. "I picked up a little on my travels."

Tabeya would have to ask him about everywhere he had been some time. Maybe she could relive his travels through his tales.

Humban brought Tabeya to a date palm. It cast faint shadows in the sunset but still hid the horse waiting beneath it.

Humban stroked the horse's nose. "I'm surprised the fruit didn't lure you away, Jalezar."

The horse whinnied in greeting.

"This is Tabeya and Ishtar." Humban gestured to them in turn.

The horse gave the lioness an appraising look. Something passed between them in the language they shared. Ishtar gave a low growl.

Just when Tabeya was afraid that Ishtar would lunge for the horse's neck, he offered Tabeya his muzzle.

"It's nice to meet you, Jalezar." Tabeya smiled as she stroked him.

Humban cleared his throat. "Tabeya, I know we didn't get off on the right foot, but I was wondering if you could help me."

Tabeya looked at him, and he fell silent.

"Yes?" she prompted.

He clasped his hands. "I don't know my way around the city or the palace. Can you show me around? Tomorrow, perhaps?"

Tabeya fought a smile. Now she didn't have to wonder how to ask if she could see him again, because he had done it for her.

She took in his hopeful eyes and the determined set of his mouth. "Of course. Meet me here at noon."

Humban really smiled then, and Tabeya fancied he was just as eager to see her again.

"I'll be here. Until then." He kissed her hand.

Her heart fluttered at the sensation of his lips against her skin, and she hoped he didn't hear her breath catch. What would he think of her if a simple hand kiss could do this to her?

When Humban looked up at her, Tabeya was sure the flush to his golden skin matched the heat in her cheeks.

"Until then." She gave Humban a shy smile and let Ishtar lead her back to her tower before she could do something stupid to change Humban's mind about meeting her tomorrow.

Even if Humban didn't have stories to tell Tabeya, even if he wasn't her window into a world she had heard of but never seen, she wanted to see him again.

She frowned. This was strange. It felt different from her eagerness to see Ishtar or Nungal. Maybe it was because Humban was a man. Tabeya had never met one before.

Maybe if she talked to him more, she would understand what she was feeling.

***

Click this link to open YONDER: https://yonder.onelink.me/6vpb/46a0c21e