Mardon pinched closed a hole at the shoulder of Mara’s outer tunic, covering the bloodstain underneath. “We give all the laborers names that reflect the sadness of their lot in life. It only makes sense.”
“Well, that will change.” The king’s gentle smile returned. “Child, you will be called Sapphira Adi, for your eyes are sparkling gems, as blue as the endless expanse on the clearest day. Even your pupils blaze like sapphires.”
Mara let that name roll around in her mind. Sapphira Adi. It sounded . . . lovely.
King Nimrod stood and brushed his hands together, rubbing reddish powder onto the floor. He lowered his voice as he turned to Mardon. “We have to squelch an uprising in the mountain tribes, so I’ll need more . . .” He glanced back down at Mara. “I’ll need another suitable donor.”
“Understood, Father. Do you have one in mind?”
“No. Just find a pregnant prostitute in the temples. They’re always glad to . . .” He glanced at Mara again. “Let’s just say they’re willing to stay in a more profitable physical condition.”
A strange smile crossed Mardon’s face. “While making an embryonic donation to our cause?”
The king brushed more of the red powder from his palms. “Exactly.”
Mardon laid a hand on Mara’s shoulder. “Mara . . . I mean, Sapphira, is carrying something that might make further conflict unnecessary.”
“Indeed?” The king’s brow lifted. “What is it?”
Mardon gently nudged her forward a step. “Show him.”
Mara withdrew the Ovulum from her pocket and held it up in her palm. Nimrod leaned over and eyed it closely. “And what is this?” he asked.
Mardon pushed it with his finger, making it tilt to one side. “I unearthed it when we dug the foundation for the new fountain, and I thought it little more than a trinket until I took it to the lower world. When I arrived, it spoke in odd verse, declaring that it needed the hands of an intelligent maiden if we wanted to hear from the lips of God.”
“The lips of God?” the king said. “Do you mean Elohim?”
“I assumed it was Elohim, so I wanted to be sure to follow his instructions and avoid his wrath.”
“Why didn’t you seek a suitable girl here?” The king spread out his arms toward the surrounding buildings. “Are there no intelligent maidens in my kingdom?”
“You allow the nobles’ daughters to be educated,” he said, flashing that strange smile again, “but it would be difficult to discern which ones are true maidens.”
The king rubbed his chin. “I see what you mean.”
“But Sapphira has proven an extraordinary intelligence, and until today, I am the only human male who has ever laid eyes on her. She is a maiden, indeed.”
The king picked up the Ovulum and brought it close to his eyes. “Did this trinket speak to her?”
“In an extraordinary way. I believe it is truly the mouthpiece of Elohim.” He gazed up at the tower and angled his arm toward the top. “Imagine it sitting in the temple at the pinnacle of your tower. Everyone from every land will proclaim us the capital of the world. With you holding the gateway to the god of the flood, who would dare oppose you? Your kingdom will be established forever!”
The king handed the egg back to Mara. His eyes widened, and his two canine teeth overlapped his bottom lip. “Make it speak again!” he barked.
Mara stepped back clumsily. The king seemed to be a different person now, gruff, almost maniacal. She held the Ovulum close to her lips, her hands shaking. She wanted to sound like she knew what she was doing, but she had no idea what to say. After clearing her throat, she spoke slowly. “Elohim, god of the flood, speak to us now and” she licked her lips, her eyes darting between the two men who watched with their jaws hanging open “and grant us wisdom regarding how we might please you.” She bit her tongue and glanced up at the king. His eyes were locked on the Ovulum, nearly bulging out of his head.
The red fog appeared again inside the glass shell, forming slowly into an eye. It gazed at her, its pupil a soft crimson hue, but when it turned toward the king, the entire eye seemed to blaze with fire. A loud, deep voice erupted from within.