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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

“The elephant is exhausted,” Kyrie said as Mango halted behind a tower. Carrying two people on her neck must have taken a toll. Elephants had enough to do carrying themselves. “After the show we cross the bridge on foot.” Awa and Bal slid off of Fannie, who was also weary. Kyrie helped Djola down. With his droopy eyes, sunken cheeks, and awkward gait, the poison master resembled a bone masquerade.

“I look worse than I am.” He spoke to Awa’s and Bal’s grim faces. “If this doesn’t work and tomorrow I should haunt you—”

“Kyrie says with a Lahesh heart wheel, you could outlive us.” Awa put her hand to his chest. The heart wheel whirred beneath her fingers. Rainbow spirits danced around his foot, doing battle with the void. “Lahesh conjure protects Rainbow Square and you, but the trees protect this oasis, like Mountain Gates. They make the weather here.”

“Smart girl.” Djola touched his forehead to hers.

Kyrie and Bal conferred with the players, sharing gossip and news. Books and Bones had gone missing. The Masters of Money and Water called for violent raids on vesons, rich or poor. High priest Ernold rounded up so-called transgressors (mostly vesons, northlanders, and noncitizens) and awaited Hezram’s command. Grain feared for vie’s life. Riots and infighting drove Arms to his wits’ end, yet he masqueraded hope. Azizi trusted nobody and gave into corruption. In a week Hezram could be Emperor with Father’s help.

Awa choked at grim prospects. “No!”

“Dochsi, the players won’t mind if we use their costumes.” Bal scowled at her. “What are you thinking?”

“Sorry.” Awa wasn’t in her right mind. “I talk to myself.”

“About what?”

Awa was reluctant to share her fears. “Monster garb is perfect for our storm show.”

6

Moon Masquerade

The cathedral-trunk doors in the backstage wall opened up. Curtains billowed. Drummers, singers, and kora players did rousing melodies in the balconies and side towers. Spark torches flashed in citadel windows across the river, like part of the show. Three masquerades on stilts, several hands taller than Mango, clomped onstage. They wore outlaw cloaks from the north, impervious to weapons and weather like Djola’s.

Mango flapped her ears at snake-eyed sea monsters with iron teeth, fat bellies, and tentacles. Diamond-tipped claws on their tentacles dripped fabric blood. Fire blasted from cavernous mouths. Bal shrieked with the children. Awa groaned. While they wasted time applauding a masquerade, Hezram could ignore protocol and topple Azizi.