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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

“You persuaded me to trust Kyrie and marry Urzula. You can find an antidote for anything. The Master of Poisons, yes?” Azizi gestured at the ashes of Djola’s scrolls. “Take a few months. Bring us Xhalan Xhala, then we’ll do the hard work for a good tomorrow.” He actually believed Djola could do what he commanded. “Swear to me.”

“I’d need a ship and—”

“I can arrange a pirate crew.”

“Why pirates?”

Azizi smiled. “A rogue fleet will take you anywhere, and whatever you do, whatever desperate measures you need to take to find the cure, nobody will connect you to me. The People remain on my side.”

Djola felt dizzy. “This was your plan all along.”

“Not exactly … You insist we must always have many pots on the fire.” Azizi whistled the masters silent and spoke Empire vernacular. “My decree is banishment. I’ll hold each of you responsible if Djola dies before leaving Arkhys City.”

Arms had a knife at Water’s back and a sword to Money’s throat. They raised their hands high and backed away. “We are happy to let the Master of Poisons die at sea.”

High priest Ernold stood in a splash of sunlight, teeth and bald head gleaming. Books and Bones had curled up under the table, like a scroll someone crumpled and threw away. Grain faded into the smoke by the fireplace. The guards who brought Djola to the table wrenched him from his seat and dragged him blindfolded through a maze of tunnels. Hyenas howled and laughed.

13

Pirate Queen

The cook’s entrance to the emperor’s citadel was close enough to Thunder River to feel the chill of Eidhou’s glaciers in the water. Every breath carried the taste of spices, spirits, and bitter herbs. The scrappy guard yanked the cloth from Djola’s eyes. Afternoon sun made him squint. He staggered, dizzy from wandering the maze, from losing his place at the stone-wood table. Disaster, happening too quickly to be believed.

Turning down the map to tomorrow, yes, but Azizi banishing his closest advisor, his most loyal friend? That was madness. Did every emperor eventually go mad?

“Basawili,” Djola muttered as jolts of terror scrambled his thoughts.

“Why do you keep repeating that?” The scrappy guard shook Djola.

“He’s lost his mind,” the other guard said. “Wouldn’t you?”

“He was always a bit off.” The scrappy guard doused Djola’s hot head with cold water from the river. “All the masters are.” And the emperor too.