Annanu spent nearly the entire day mingling with the warriors. Only when the sun began to sink westward did he step into Ishtar's temple at dusk.
He saw the licentious goddess again—the eldest daughter of the moon god Nanna, and Ereshkigal's sister.
However.
Whenever Annanu sensed the wariness in Ishtar's gaze, he could not help wanting to laugh.
After all, whenever he thought of Ereshkigal now, he remembered how Ishtar had once been killed by her own sister and hung up like a strip of dried cured meat.
"Goddess Ishtar, I did it."
He looked at Ishtar with a hint of provocation in his eyes.
"I accomplished what you once accomplished, and I did it better than you."
Ishtar gritted her teeth, unable to say anything, because it was the truth. Her pride as a goddess had not yet sunk so low that she could deny reality.
Annanu spread his arms, keeping that same irritating smile on his face.
His meaning was obvious.
It was a silent question.
So, who had done better now?
"You win, Annanu." Seeing his somewhat affected pose, Ishtar turned her head aside in sullen annoyance. "So why did you come here? What do you want from me? A goddess's reward?"
"I don't want anything from you. I have no need of you." Annanu lowered his hands and gently shook his head. "I only want to ask one question."
"Just one question."
".What question? Ask." Ishtar accepted her loss reluctantly and nodded.
Annanu had the right to say such things now.
"You went to great lengths, using all sorts of methods to stir my emotions and make me go to the Underworld. What was it that you wanted?"
"Even if you wanted me dead, there should have been a reason. I did not ask when I