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

“Yari talked and drummed our way out of that Zamanzi camp.” Bal saluted Awa. “You’re the griot now and I’m the drummer, making the story we want.”

“Yes.” Awa slipped a Lahesh crystal into Bal’s hand.

“What is this?” Vie held it up to the moon.

“My last one,” Awa said. “Rogue impulse.”

Bal’s lips trembled. “You should keep this. For the crossroads gods.”

“I’ll have other protection, a potion from Kyrie.” Awa shifted the conjure bag’s strap across her body. She’d give it to Kyrie when Kyrie gave her the poison. “I wish I hadn’t been a weak good person—”

“I wish I’d never said that to you. Together—”

Awa groaned. “Don’t say it.”

“But we aren’t weak together.” Bal said it. “We make each other strong.”

Awa put her lips on Bal’s and let their tongues dance, stopping more Elder wisdom. Reluctantly, Bal slipped into the shadows and Awa stumbled over roots.

Meera steadied her. “We can do this.” She gave Awa a spark torch.

“You’re shivering.” Awa offered Meera her Mama Zamba travel cloak and boots. Awa smiled at her friend’s big feet. “You take these. I’m too hot.”

They walked arm in arm past lanterns along the city wall to the Council gathering.

16

Change the Story

The Empire’s power masters squirmed in whimsy chairs around a flying-jackal table. Sitting under the stars, they shivered in fog from the river and flickered in the glare of the jackal’s fire eyes. Awa chuckled, despite walking into battle, into the end of her life. This outdoor Council reminded her of the boat people and adventures in Smokeland, even if some masters picked fish from their teeth and sneered. Azizi raised his hand in greeting, and all chatter died out. Azizi’s heartbeat was strong and steady. He smiled. Kyrie nodded at Awa and Meera, as fierce as her mountain looming in the background.

Two masters had blank yet identical twitchy faces—Money and Water. Perhaps they waited to see which way the water would run. Arms hardly glanced at Awa and Meera. He tracked the crowd beyond the table, the folks in the trees, and a crew at the gates. Mother sat with Lilot and floating-city pirates. She looked ready to fade away. Soot’s head was in her lap; his tail thumped. Behind Mother, Queen Urzula argued with the young pirate from the docks (her son?) and the pirate captain who looked like Urzula must have twenty years ago (her daughter?).

Mother perked up as Awa and Meera walked by. Soot licked Awa’s hand. Other faces in the audience displayed disgust and shock at transgressors attending such an occasion. Kenu and Father slouched against sea-sparkle gates. Kenu touched the snake birthmark on his cheek and muttered. Elder discipline allowed Awa to keep walking.

“I didn’t know it would be so many people,” Meera whispered. “You start.”