The crack of the lash echoed throughout the dungeons of the king of Bahteel. The coppery tang of blood wafted on the breeze as each stripe opened more flesh on Kehnan’s back. The hulking warrior strained against the thick iron chains binding his arms to a wide archway. His massive thews flexed to the point … Read more
Shrieking with effort, Sabit kicked with all her might. Braced against the bandit king’s chest, her powerful legs shoved him backwards, lifting him off the bridge. Sabit rolled aside as the bandit king toppled over the edge. The rope around his neck went taut. Pulled by the rope, the leather sack of adze-heads slid along … Read more
Sabit scrambled away from the fallen man’s reach, every muscle shrieking in agony. She tried to pull herself to her feet, only to have her legs collapse beneath her. Crawling would have to do. The bridge gave her only two directions: backward toward the other bandits, or forward into the unknown. The bandits had her … Read more
Sabit’s lungs fought against the bandit king’s weight, dragging in one more breath. His powerful hands pried her mouth open, despite the desperate fury of her defense. The pressure on her jaw was agony. The tattoos writhed across his skin everywhere Sabit clawed at him, making his touch as unyielding as stone. The blue and … Read more
The weight of the bandit king pressed down on Sabit’s gut as he loomed over her. She could not catch her breath. He laid one slab-like hand on her forehead while he grasped her jaw with stubby fingers that felt as solid as stone. The scent of rancid oil oozed from his skin. “Call me … Read more
Sabit’s hand prickled with tiny jolts of pain where the bronze adze-head had flown from her grasp. Staring at the bandit king in shock, Sabit took note of the deep blue and black tattoo-lines on his neck writhing across his skin like a ball of serpents. “You hide behind your magic, coward!” Sabit spat. The … Read more
Hearing the bandit’s gruff voice, Sabit put her hand to her shoulder—and was reminded of dropping her iron-tipped spear on the distant shore when she dashed for the serpent. Sabit carried no other weapon—her hands were sore and empty. If only she had kept hold of the snake! She slid out from under the cart, … Read more
Dropping the three bandit bows she carried on the mahogany planks, Sabit dashed for the writhing green serpent. Her powerful legs carried her across the bridge with a speed like the wind. The donkey’s turn of head was faster. Seeing the thin, green form it its path, the animal reared up, legs flailing in the … Read more
The sun was still high in the sky when the two travelers heard the rushing of water over the buzzing, screeching din of the forest. The river cut a thin gash in the shady canopy overhead, shafts of light catching insects flitting to and fro. Approaching the river, the roadway’s clearing spread out to encompass … Read more