BooksBarbecue
Back Master of Poisons Save as PDF
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

“After my crossover ceremony, I returned to Arkhys City and used Elder wisdom to save Zizi’s life, end the wars, and guide Council for twenty years. Zizi named me Master of Poisons for knowing the antidote to everything.” Djola scoffed. “Yari was Azizi’s trusted advisor too, until we fought. Yari wanted me to run away from Council and bring my family to the enclave to teach the future. Instead I betrayed my family.”

“Council betrayed them.”

“I’m still the bastard mercenary, ruthless and vengeful. Xhalan Xhala. I called up Hezram’s future. That’s how I brought down Ice Mountain.”

“You brought the void to the mountain?”

“Destroying Holy City was revenge, bloodlust.” The Vévés on his head throbbed. “I’m the end of that story, but you—”

“Loving an enemy is good for the heart.” Awa read Lahesh words on the knife. “Isra said Yari could seduce a crocodile.” She held the knife out to Djola. “Basawili.”

He stowed the blade in his boot. “Yari trusted you and me to defeat Hezram, and as long as we live—Basawili—not yet vie’s last breath.”

“Yari was no match for Hezram.” Awa squeezed the drum. “How can we defeat the Master of Illusion?”

“We escaped his tower of fiends, didn’t we?”

“That wasn’t victory.”

“What does victory look like?”

Awa shrugged.

Djola tapped the drum. “Yari came back from living death because of your conjure. Never forget that.”

“Our victory was at great cost.”

“Like every victory.” Djola’s cape billowed open, wings fluttering in the wind.

The light bridge ended, and they plummeted through clouds faster than thought. The bees buzzed ahead. Awa squealed. “Glaciers. And beyond, evergreen woods and snowfields.”

“Samina won’t be far. This is her realm.”

“Your dead wife, she calls you to your true name?”

“Samina chose a Lahesh way to end war: marry the enemy.”

Awa sighed. “You’ve lost both enemy lovers.”

“Samina cheats death. She’ll help us defeat Hezram and save the Empire.”

“Well, I won’t marry Hezram. Kill him quickly perhaps.”

“Mercy.” Djola laughed.

As they raced toward the glint of glaciers, Awa pressed her forehead against his, a daughterly gesture. Djola hugged her close. Awa was the antidote he'd been looking for.

7

Gate Power

The aurora gave way to snowy plains and glacial peaks. Djola’s useless right eye oozed bloody pus. He moaned, resisting the pain flaring from foot to knee to back. His heartbeat was dim. His last breath would be sooner than planned. Spirit debt for doing Xhalan Xhala as revenge. He let Awa take his weight. Dead weight. She charged on, ferocious and gentle, like the warhorse. “Fannie,” he murmured.