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Back Priestess of the White
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. TRUDI CANAVAN
  3. Dedication
  4. Map
  5. PROLOGUE
  6. PART ONE
  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. PART TWO
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. PART THREE
  41. 33
  42. 34
  43. 35
  44. 36
  45. 37
  46. 38
  47. 39
  48. 40
  49. 41
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. 44
  53. 45
  54. 46
  55. 47
  56. 48
  57. EPILOGUE
  58. GLOSSARY
  59. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  60. About the Author
  61. Other Books by Trudi Canavan
  62. About the Publisher

As she met his eyes, the man squared his shoulders. “Who are you?” he demanded.

“I am Auraya of the White,” she replied. “One of the Gods’ Chosen. I have come on behalf of the gods to meet the leader of all Elai—King Ais.”

The leader narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

“To…”

It was hard to find the right words when these Elai workers’ thoughts were full of words they associated with landwalkers—killing, raping, stealing. The words for peace, negotiation or alliance did not pass through their minds so she changed tack. The leader did not expect her to explain herself.

“That is for the king’s ears only,” she said.

The leader nodded.

“Will you send one of your people to the king for me?” she asked.

He scowled. “Why?”

“I would not enter your city without permission,” she replied.

He paused, then looked around at his workers. He pointed to the man who had first seen her—the watcher. The man’s shoulders were slumped and his skin looked dull. She read thoughts of discomfort and realized he was dehydrated from spending too much time out of the water. As he received his orders he cheered at the thought of a decent swim.

“Go tell Ree,” the leader said. “He’ll send someone to the palace.”

As the man splashed into the water the leader looked at Auraya. “It will take time. The palace doesn’t take much notice of harvesters. We have work to do now. You wait here, if you want.”

She nodded. He said no more, but raised his voice and hounded the workers back to their tasks. Auraya watched them for a while, but when she caught several resentful thoughts about her staring she moved farther away and took care to appear as if her attention was elsewhere.

The sun climbed to its zenith, then began to descend. The Elai did not pause for rest, though they stopped now and then to wet their skin. From their minds she learned more about Elai customs.

Their city was crowded, and most Elai lived in tiny rooms. Living in such close quarters made them respectful of each other’s space. Strong taboos about touching or meeting another’s eyes existed, and were based on a strict social hierarchy.

They couldn’t have been more different to the Siyee.

Despite these divisions of class and power, there was a strong sense of duty toward all other Elai. These men and women willingly emerged from the city to harvest the seaweed, be bullied by men like their leader, and risk being attacked by raiders, in order to help feed their people. She read concern from many of them for a worker who was ill and to whom they had brought food.