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Chapters (102)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. Map
  5. DRAMATIS PERSONAE
  6. BOOKI
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. BOOKII
  30. 1
  31. 2
  32. 3
  33. 4
  34. 5
  35. 6
  36. 7
  37. 8
  38. 9
  39. 10
  40. 11
  41. 12
  42. 13
  43. 14
  44. 15
  45. 16
  46. 17
  47. 18
  48. 19
  49. BOOKIII
  50. 1
  51. 2
  52. 3
  53. 4
  54. 5
  55. 6
  56. 7
  57. 8
  58. 9
  59. 10
  60. 11
  61. 12
  62. 13
  63. 14
  64. 15
  65. 16
  66. 17
  67. BOOKIV
  68. 1
  69. 2
  70. 3
  71. 4
  72. 5
  73. 6
  74. 7
  75. 8
  76. 9
  77. 10
  78. 11
  79. BOOKV
  80. 1
  81. 2
  82. 3
  83. 4
  84. 5
  85. 6
  86. 7
  87. 8
  88. 9
  89. 10
  90. 11
  91. 12
  92. 13
  93. 14
  94. 15
  95. 16
  96. 17
  97. 18
  98. Glossary
  99. Acknowledgments
  100. Also by Andrea Hairston
  101. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  102. Newsletter Sign-up

Djola tucked two yards of blind man staff into Vandana’s bag and leapt onto the black mare. He gently pressed his legs into her sides. The horse took a reluctant step then rested her head on the young transgressor’s shoulder. Djola pressed the mare again. She didn’t budge. The girl clutched the thick red mane. They were old friends.

“I guess you’re meant to come with us. I ride to Arkhys City to the emperor.” Djola extended his right hand. The girl glared at silver-mesh and stepped back. “The glove is protection. Besides, my left hand calls reckoning fire.”

“And your right eye sees it.” She grimaced. “I watched you.”

“You have nothing to fear from me.”

“I would ride with death.”

“Would you rather stand with death?”

The courtyard quaked. Cliffs collapsed into the Amethyst River’s underground channels. Green leaves turned to golden ash in a whirlwind. The girl changed her mind and gripped Djola’s wrist. He hauled her up behind him and sang a Green Elder melody. The mare gnashed her teeth and rose up on powerful hind legs, a warhorse ready to chase death. They rammed past Hezram who fell on his face as the mare charged down the Empire Road.

The girl never understood why the Master of Poisons decided to take on a transgressor at the start of his triumphal return to Arkhys City and the emperor’s court of power. All he would tell her was:

“I’m the end of a story. You are a prelude to change.”

12

Escape

The outskirts of Holy City rushed by in a blur. Awa was sick with dread. She couldn’t see, couldn’t think. She wanted to leap off Fannie and run. A sliced-up leg wouldn’t carry her far, and the warhorse scrambled through rocky terrain too fast. A fall would break Awa’s neck. And could she abandon Fannie? Trapped behind a monster, Awa balled her strong fist and moaned. That was better than silence. She and Meera had dreamed a different escape. They’d stashed coin, clothes, and food in the meadows and planned to steal Fannie and Bibi.

Meera had people to run to across the Amethyst River, far away north near Arkhys City. Rokiat was one ceremony from Master of Horses and witchdoctor of the Green Gates. He could have unlocked another future for them tomorrow. Awa understood Rokiat abandoning her, but Meera rode Bibi down the Empire Road without a glance in Awa’s direction. They’d shared food, dreams, and secrets, even despair. In fact, Awa was more a hero than Rokiat. She’d risked herself several times to save Meera’s life. Awa swallowed a scream.

Actually, she was mad at Meera for not being Bal. “Zst!”

“Do you curse a hero?” the poison master shouted into the wind.