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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

“Not everyone.” Azizi gulped Djola’s wine and stared at Bal. “Marry your enemy. That’s what Yari said. Be the father of their children, then your enemy might not slit your throat in the night.” He hurled the cup in the fire. It flared. “Masters fear my witch-woman wife and her cook lover, or I’d have been a crows’ feast long ago. I only masquerade as emperor.”

“I don’t feel sorry for you. My half-brother was murdered in front of you. And so many others.” Djola gestured at the polished marble floor. “Did Nuar die there or by the fireplace?”

“Nuar trusted Ernold and Money. A fool, like Bones and Books.” Azizi poked the fire, sulking. “Nuar betrayed Samina to save himself.”

Djola choked. Vision blurred in his marble eye. Every color was a bright blade slicing him. Nuar said he’d do anything to survive. “Brother Nuar betrayed my family?”

“He claimed Samina plotted against me.” Azizi touched Djola’s hand. “You weren’t here, and Samina trusted Nuar. How else would they have overpowered her? Nuar rounded your children up on the road to Mount Eidhou.”

“Who told you that?” Djola stood up. The pain in his foot was a jolt of clarity.

“Ernold and Money.”

“You believed them? Nuar would never do this. They told lies you’d be desperate to believe.”

“Nuar spooks my dreams.” Azizi’s hands shook. “Grain claims Ernold’s acolytes captured Tessa and Quint on the way to a Green Elder enclave or Anawanama village. Nobody knows what happened to your middle daughter.” Azizi peered at Bal. “This shadow warrior has the green from your eyes, Samina’s long legs, and your daughter’s name: Bal, a gift of fire and wind.” Azizi gulped wine from the jug. “So, you, Kyrie, and this Awa-witch will defeat Hezram, with the aid of rebels. Then you’ll conjure metal Mountain Gates? My queen and her cook lover will help too. That could work.”

“Awa’s plan, not mine.” Djola’s lip curled. “I loved my wife, my enemy. She loved me.” Rage surged out the crack in his heart. Sweet relief. He leapt on Azizi and pinned him to the ground. “You blame me, Yari, Kyrie, and Nuar for what happened, for Hezram, for my family lost, but I blame you. A coward. You betrayed us all.” Djola pressed a diamond-tipped blade into Azizi’s throat. Yari’s blade. “I plan to taste your last breath, burn your body, then scatter the ashes so there is no place to mourn you.”

Azizi waved trembling hands at Bal who had dropped bow and swords and run close. “What about forgiveness?”

“Forgiveness is a lie,” Djola said.

“So many, many lies.” The tremors in Azizi’s hands subsided. “I was the youngest son. I never expected to rule. But you saved me, Djola. Why?”

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